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Got this quote from someone from sgkiaclub: 'The initial run-in is to let the ECU get use to the owner driving pattern....so if u drive like ku ku during run in, yr ride will perform like ku ku too...' True? experts pls advise thks

I had no problem when my ipod got a software issue infact they gave me a new one I was so happy that I will buy another infact i have 2 ipod nano at home as for hp my personal experience i bought a printer and scanner combo, after 3 months printer died but scanner ok i bought hp because epson waste alot of ink , each time you turn the machine on it goes firing jet of ink to test and one of the cartridge is empty the machine cannot work need to replace it and cannot use independently the different ink cant be that bad right hp is a big company One reader's unhappiness with HP customer service Hi. Just sharing with you my personal account of the inconvenience and dismayal level of after-sales customer service Hewlett Packard has shown while trying to fix my HP 5610 All-in-One Officejet machine. Firstly, for establishing information, as of writing my printer was purchased 1 year and 4 months and 17 days ago. I bought it from Courts Toa Payoh for SGD 299. My 56 year old mother is the user of the machine. On average she prints about 20 documents, scans one or two photographs and receives four or five faxes a month. The machine started giving problems two months ago. It prints fine, receives faxes fine but only scans and copies only five percent of the time we want it to. We have tried everything in the troubleshooting guide as well as the email guide which the customer service officer sent to us. Resetting the machine worked for awhile but eventually the problem returned and refused to go away. Now for some shocking facts. Shocker #1 After your one-year warranty is over, even if you make the trip to their service centre in Alexandra Technopark, Hewlett Packard (HP) charges SGD 50 just to inspect your machine. After hours of backwards and forwards on phone with the customer service officer, I manage to get them to waive the inspection charge. At the service centre, the technician came out, plugged in our machine and tried the steps in the troubleshooting email guide. When faced with the same results, he simply turned to us and said,

As I get older I feel I do get less and less true friends I guess one of the reasons is conflict of interest when we are in school there are so many really good friends - no or relatively little conflict of interest when at work that is a really different story many so call true / good friends become really dissappointing when one is in trouble or in need what are your experience with you "true friend"

A town councillor in Wales, Mark Easton, had a beautiful view of the mountains, until a new neighbour purchased the land below his house and built a new home. The new home was 18 inches higher than the planning dept had approved, so Mark Easton, mad about his lost view, went to the local authority to make sure they enforced the roof line height. The new neighbour had to drop the roof height, at great expense. Recently, Mark Easton called the planning dept, and informed them that his new neighbour had installed some vents on the side of his new property. Mark didn't like the look of these vents and asked the planning dept to investigate. When they went to Mark's home to see what the vents looked like, this is what they found...

Still wanting to buy that Condo and nice Convertible? Cheap bargains will come in 2009 once the crisis hits! So hang on tight bros......cause GIC said so! http://news.asiaone.com/News/Latest%2BNews...0421-60960.html GIC says global recession, crisis likely Mon, Apr 21, 2008 Reuters SINGAPORE - A SINGAPORE state investment fund that bought multi-billion dollar stakes in beleaguered banks Citigroup and UBS said a global financial crisis and recession was increasingly likely but that its investments in western banks were long-term in nature. 'The financial contagion has now spread beyond US shores, increasing the likelihood of a global financial crisis and recession,' Government of Singapore Investment Corp deputy chairman Tony Tan told a staff meeting on Monday. 'We could be facing a recession which is longer, deeper and wider than any recession we have encountered in the last 30 years.' 'We regard our investments in UBS and Citigroup as long term investments which will give us good returns when markets stabilise and economic conditions return to more normal levels,' he said. GIC is the larger of Singapore's two sovereign wealth funds and bought 11 billion Swiss francs (S$15 billion) worth of mandatory convertible notes in UBS last December. In January, GIC invested US$6.88 billion (S$9.4 billion) in Citigroup in a capital raising by the US bank. 'We regard our investments in UBS and Citigroup as longterm investments which will give us good returns when marketsstabilise and economic conditions return to more normallevels,' he said. GIC previously said it has not yet decided whether to participate in UBS's subsequent 15 billion franc rights issue. Dr Tan said that GIC had entered the market turmoil well prepared after it had taken a more conservative stance in its investment portfolio by selling stocks in the third quarter and holding more cash. 'We are now entering a period of extreme uncertainty in the world economy and the global financial markets. As banks continue to de-leverage, cutting down on their lending activities and causing contraction in credit supply, the prospects for the US economy and even the world economy are fraught with considerable downside risks,' he said. GIC says it manages 'well above US$100 billion'. But analysts say the fund's assets could be larger than US$300 billion, making it one of the world's biggest sovereign wealth funds. Morgan Stanley said in February that GIC was the world's third-largest sovereign wealth fund with US$330 billion in assets under management, behind the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority with US$875 billion and Norway's Government Pension Fund with US$380 billion. Temasek Holdings, Singapore's other fund, has to date invested US$5 billion in Merrill Lynch. -- REUTERS

In spite of what you have been told by everyone, the truth is that Valentine's Day originated hundreds of years ago, in India, and to top it all, in the state of Gujarat !!! It is a well known fact that Gujarati men, specially the Patels, continually mistreat and disrespect their wives (Patelianis). One fine day, it happened to be the 14th day of February, one brave Patelani, having had enough "torture" by her husband, finally chose to rebel by beating him up with a Velan (rolling pin to make chapattis). Yes....the same Velan which she used daily, to make chapattis for him.... only this time, instead of the dough, it was the husband who was flattened. This was a momentous occasion for all Gujarati women and a revolt soon spread, like wild fire, with thousands of housewives beating up their husbands with the Velan. There was an outburst of moaning "chapatti-ed" husbands all over Anand and Amdavad. The Patel men-folk quickly learnt their lesson and started to behave more respectfully with their Patelanis. Thereafter, on 14th February every year, the womenfolk of Gujarat would beat up their husbands, to commemorate that eventful day - the wives having the satisfaction of beating up their husbands with the Velan and the men having the supreme joy of submitting to the will of the women they loved. Soon The Gujju men realized that in order to avoid this ordeal they need to present gifts to their wives....they brought flowers and sweets. This is how the tradition - Velan time - began. As Gujarat fell under the influence of Western culture, the ritual soon spread to Britain and many other Western countries, specifically,the catch words 'Velan time' !!! In course of time, their foreign tongues, this got anglicized to 'Velantime' and then to 'Valentine'. And thereafter, 14th of February, came to be known a! s Valentine's Day and now you know the true story of Valentine's day.

Temasek takes severe hit By Thanong Khanthong The Nation Published on February 9, 2009 CEO Ho Ching's exit won't alter fortunes of the sovereign wealth fund in short term Ho Ching's resignation as CEO of Temasek Holdings would not cloud heavy losses of about 40 per cent at Singapore's sovereign wealth fund amid the global financial market meltdown. The Government Investment Corporation of Singapore (GIC) is also suffering similar heavy losses. An investment analyst in Singapore said Temasek's results will be released in April and he estimated that of its US$125 billion portfolio as of March 2008, Temasek would have lost 40 per cent, leaving it with about US$75 billion left. As for the Government Investment Corporation of Singapore or GIC, the investment analyst said it would also lose more than a third of the value of its investment portfolio. "GIC started the crisis with roughly Singapore $550 billion in reserves. My estimate is that it has lost about $190-$200 billion of that, leaving it with about $350 billion left. This amount is equivalent to 200 per cent of Singapore's gross domestic product," he added. "So both have lost money but their performance has not been out of line with other large funds, possibly a bit better. These are all worst-case estimates." Ho, the wife of Prime Minister Lee Hsieng Loong, announced last week that after almost seven years at the helm of Temasek, she would step down by October this year. She would be succeeded by Chip Goodyear, a former CEO of BHP Billiton Ltd, who would be the first foreigner to run the sovereign wealth fund. Temasek Holdings was set up by proceeds from the privatisation of Singapore's state-owned firms, while GIC by international reserves of the Monetary Authority of Singapore. Both represent the investment vehicles of Singapore, which has eyed for a global reach for its investment. The transition is taking place at a time when Singapore is suffering the worst economic problems since 1960s. Temasek, racked a return of about 17 per cent a year since its inception in 1974 and March this year, is also going to face a drastic restructuring of its investment strategy. Under her leadership, and also as wife of Prime Minister Lee Hsian Loong, Ho led Temasek to embark on audacious acquisitions in China, Asia, Europe and the United States. Temasek's buy-out of Shin Corp, previously owned by former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, in January 2006 sparked out a political turmoil inside Thailand followed by a military coup in September that same year. Ho's resignation has also sparked a debate inside Singapore. Tharman Shangmugaratnam, the finance minister, preferred to handle the issue with a diplomatic term, saying that Ho's departure wasn't linked to the performance of Temasek's investments. --- Anyone can confirm we lost 200 billion??? [bigcry]

Cancer-stricken man, grateful to neighbour for nursing him, dies 5 hours after hospital solemnisation Marry me at deathbed now to inherit my flat (source: http://www.tnp.sg/news/story/0,4136,192235,00.html?) SHE was devoted to him. He was dying of cancer, and she stayed by his side, continuing to care for him even when he became incontinent and she had to bathe and clean him. They were not husband and wife, yet they did not need wedding rites to seal their love. They were legally married only when he was on his deathbed. And only because he wanted to leave his flat to her. The bride turned widow on the same day. He died hours after signing their marriage certificate. Their marriage was the most memorable one for solemniser Mr David Loh, 61, who conducted the ceremony by the 64-year-old groom's hospital bed. Though the marriage took place 61/2 years ago, on 29 August 2002, the memory is fresh in his mind. 'It was the most touching marriage I ever saw. It was the saddest, but I could feel there was so much real unconditional love between the two of them,' he said. He declined to give their names, saying he wanted to respect the privacy of the wife and her family. Mr Loh had received an urgent call the day before to solemnise the marriage. 'I didn't ask any questions when I heard the location was at the National University Hospital,' he recalled. ENDURING LOVE: The 64-year-old cancer patient, seen here with his then 50-year-old neighbour, was so weak that he could barely speak during the solemnisation at his hospital bed. It was only when he reached the venue the next day that he learnt of the circumstances of this mature couple's marriage. 'When I arrived, I was quite surprised because I saw the couple and two young women in their late 20s and they already seemed like a family to me,' he said. He had assumed the two young women were the couple's daughters from their behaviour. 'They treated the man like he was their father,' he recalled. He then found out that the two young women were the grown-up daughters of the 50-year-old bride and the groom was actually their downstairs neighbour at a block of three-room flats in Bukit Merah. 'The groom then told me that his neighbour and her two daughters had taken care of him throughout his illness and he wanted to marry her so that she could have his flat when he passed away in order to repay their kindness,' recounted Mr Loh. Sceptical of the motives of the bride-to-be, Mr Loh said he questioned the man further. 'I wanted to make sure he knew what he was doing. I asked him if he really wanted to marry the woman and if he was sure that she would become the owner of his flat should he pass away,' said Mr Loh. But the man's answer was resolute. He replied that he knew he was dying. The doctors had already told him there was nothing more they could do except give him medication to ease his pain. The man told Mr Loh that he knew he could lose consciousness soon and thus wanted to ensure that the 50-year-old woman who nursed him through his illness could inherit his three-room HDB flat. Mr Loh then spoke to the woman and her two daughters in order to find out more. 'I observed that they were indeed very attentive to him,' he recalled. 'They would wipe his mouth because he could not control his salivation, and the woman would constantly be watching him and adjusting his blanket or pillow to make sure he was as comfortable as possible.' He then learnt from the woman that she had been taking care of the man for more than a year. He had been suffering from cancer long before they met. Cooked for sick man She and her daughters took turns to clean his flat, wash his clothes, and cooked three meals a day for him. They even bathed and helped clean him when he became incontinent. 'He had to use adult diapers, and when I asked where the money for the expenses came from, the woman simply replied that as he didn't have any money, she supported him,' said Mr Loh. 'I was very moved. They were not related, yet she and her daughters were more than a family to him.' Mr Loh who has overseen 6,000 weddings as a solemniser for the past 12 years decided that he had to help the dying man fulfil his last wish. 'The groom was in a lot of pain and he could barely speak. But he forced himself to sit up for the ceremony and sign the marriage certificate,' said Mr Loh. The groom could not afford a single ward, so Mr Loh drew the curtains around the bed for privacy and conducted the solemnisation with the two daughters as witnesses. He then took his camera and took a few pictures of the couple and the family. 'I told them they must have some pictures to keep for memories. It was only during the photo-taking they smiled a little. Other than that, the atmosphere was very sad,' he recalled. Only five hours after he had solemnised the marriage, Mr Loh received a call from one of the woman's daughters that the groom had died. 'They were so helpless and at a loss as to what to do and asked me for advice,' Mr Loh said. His wife made arrangements for her husband to be cremated according to his last wishes. 'It was the shortest marriage, but it was true love. They were like real husband and wife long before they went through the formalities,' he said.

Hi all, started going to explore JB over last couple of mths. Sometimes when buying things, storeowner would warn us that times are bad so we from sg do be more careful. Even herself a msian is worried. She was saying as much as the criminals may not be malaysian always, it has made the place much worse. then couple of wkend ago over BBQ chatting with neighbour's BIL and heard he was there with family, once guy casually tap his window to wind down, he dumb wind down then the guy jus stick a knife at his throat demanding money. then more of his gang walked towards the car. everyone immobilized for fear of the driver's safety. so given the mkt downturn, and with success "stories" of easy money in JB by the criminals, i do worry if i am penny wise pound foolish by going into JB. Hope to do a poll to gather if u or someone you know do know of these true stories. Edit remarks: Hey my bad. Thx for the suggestion. Accidentally skew the results.

The Girl with X-Ray Eyes Natasha Demkina claims she has an extraordinary gift that means she can quite literally see right through people. Her story sounds like it has come straight from the pages of a science fiction comic book, but apparently Natasha is able to look into people

http://www.sherdog.net/forums/f7/i-got-mar...nd-pics-877461/

just to share a very touching story of a father.

if you are attracted by sweet talks from car dealers, u betcha think twice. The hidden words are : 1) Sporty Look meaning : it is actually Not. 2) Modified/body kit : it looked like yr grandma's moonshaker before they pimped the ride. 3) High Residue value : you buying at a high price bro. 4) Under Warranty : Be careful, it may break down anytime, but you're covered, Phew! 5) Low Mileage : err, dont most Cars in Sg are?? 6) Lady Owner : Holy Cow. this is Tragic! Do you believe an accident free car driven by lady? Pigs might fly.... 7) New Facelift : Old car with a new mask, but you pay higher. 8) Zero Accident : ?? the accident counter starts now? hmm...

http://www.tnp.sg/news/story/0,4136,180757,00.html? Although no reasons were offered by the ministry on why his application was rejected, Mr Kanna said an MOM officer told him that it was because his monthly $1,700 income was deemed too low to support a family. Since when did the authorities have the power to decide who can get married because his salary is low. I have heard of families with children and a total family income of just $1200 and are still very happy. Is the newspaper reporting accurate?

and there u have it...

These are from a book called Disorder in the American Courts, and are things people actually said in court, word for word, taken down and now published by court reporters who had the torment of staying calm while these exchanges were actually taking place. ATTORNEY: Are you sexually active? WITNESS: No, I just lie there. ____________ _________ _________ ________ ATTORNEY: What gear were you in at the moment of the impact? WITNESS: Gucci sweats and Reeboks. ____________ _________ _________ ________ ATTORNEY: This myasthenia gravis, does it affect your memory at all? WITNESS: Yes. ATTORNEY: And in what ways does it affect your memory? WITNESS: I forget. ATTORNEY: You forget? Can you give us an example of something you forgot? ____________ _________ _________ _______ ATTORNEY: What was the first thing your husband said to you that morning? WITNESS: He said, 'Where am I, Cathy? ATTORNEY: And why did that upset you? WITNESS: My name is Susan! ____________ _________ _________ _______ ATTORNEY: Do you know if your daughter has ever been involved in voodoo? WITNESS: We both do. ATTORNEY: Voodoo? WITNESS: We do. ATTORNEY: You do? WITNESS: Yes, voodoo ____________ _________ _________ ________ ATTORNEY: Now doctor isn't it true that when a person dies in his sleep, he doesn't know about it until the next morning? WITNESS: Did you actually pass the bar exam? ____________ _________ _________ ______ ATTORNEY: The youngest son, the twenty-year- old, how old is he? WITNESS: Uh, he's twenty-one. ____________ _________ _________ _________ _ ATTORNEY: Were you present when your picture was taken? WITNESS: Are you kidding' me? ____________ _________ _________ ________ ATTORNEY: So the date of conception (of the baby) was August 8th? WITNESS: Yes. ATTORNEY: And what were you doing at that time? WITNESS: Uh... I was getting' laid! ____________ _________ _________ ________ ATTORNEY: She had three children, right? WITNESS: Yes. ATTORNEY: How many were boys? WITNESS: None. ATTORNEY: Were there any girls? WITNESS: Are you shittin' me? Your Honour, I think I need a different attorney. Can I get a new attorney? ____________ _________ _________ ________ ATTORNEY: How was your first marriage terminated? WITNESS: By death. ATTORNEY: And by whose death was it terminated? WITNESS: Now whose death do you suppose terminated it? ____________ _________ _________ ________ ATTORNEY: Can you describe the individual? WITNESS: He was about medium height and had a beard. ATTORNEY: Was this a male or a female? WITNESS: Guess. ____________ _________ _________ _______ ATTORNEY: Is your appearance here this morning pursuant to a deposition notice, which I sent to your attorney? WITNESS: No, this is how I dress when I go to work. ____________ ________ ______ ____________ ATTORNEY: Doctor, how many of your autopsies have you performed on dead people? WITNESS: All my autopsies are performed on dead people. Would you like to rephrase that? ____________ _________ _________ ________ ATTORNEY: ALL your responses MUST be oral, OK? What school did you go to? WITNESS: Oral. ____________ _________ _________ ________ ATTORNEY: Do you recall the time that you examined the body? WITNESS: The autopsy started around 8:30 pm. ATTORNEY: And Mr. Denton was dead at the time? WITNESS: No, he was sitting on the table wondering why I was doing an autopsy on him! ____________ _________ _________ _________ _____ ATTORNEY: Are you qualified to give a urine sample? WITNESS: Huh....are you qualified to ask that question? ____________ _________ _________ ________ And the best for last: ____________ _________ _________ _______ ATTORNEY: Doctor, before you performed the autopsy, did you check for a pulse? WITNESS: No. ATTORNEY: Did you check for blood pressure? WITNESS: No. ATTORNEY: Did you check for breathing? WITNESS: No. ATTORNEY: So, then it is possible that the patient was alive when you began the autopsy? WITNESS: No. ATTORNEY: How can you be so sure, Doctor? WITNESS: Because his brain was sitting on my desk in a jar. ATTORNEY: I see, but could the patient have still been alive, nevertheless? WITNESS: Yes, it is possible that he could have been alive and practicing law.

Was thinking this may be a good place to migrate to. Anyone can confirm if the crime rate really up and targetting Asians?

read this somewhere in another forum and realised that its very true... so i tot post here and share perhaps allow some to reflect... A man came home from work late, tired and irritated, to find his 5-year old son waiting for him at the door. SON: 'Daddy, may I ask you a question?' DAD: 'Yeah sure, what it is?' replied the man. SON: 'Daddy, how much do you make an hour?' DAD: 'That's none of your business. Why do you ask such a thing?' the man said angrily. SON: 'I just want to know. Please tell me, how much do you make an hour?' DAD: 'If you must know, I make $50 an hour.' SON: 'Oh,' the little boy replied, with his head down. SON: 'Daddy, may I please borrow $25?' The father was furious, 'If the only reason you asked that is so you can borrow some money to buy a silly toy or some other nonsense, then you march yourself straight to your room and go to bed. Think about why you are being so selfish. I don't work hard everyday for such childish frivolities.' The little boy quietly went to his room and shut the door. The man sat down and started to get even angrier about the little boy's questions. How dare he ask such questions only to get some money? After about an hour or so, the man had calmed down , and started to think: Maybe there was something he really needed to buy with that $25.00 and he really didn't ask for money very often. The man went to the door of the little boy's room and opened the door. 'Are you asleep, son?' He asked. 'No daddy, I'm awake,' replied the boy. 'I've been thinking, maybe I was too hard on you earlier' said the man. 'It's been a long day and I took out my aggravation on you. Here's the $25 you asked for.' The little boy sat straight up, smiling. 'Oh, thank you daddy!' He yelled. Then, reaching under his pillow he pulled out some crumpled up bills. The man saw that the boy already had money, started to get angry again. The little boy slowly counted out his money, and then looked up at his father. 'Why do you want more money if you already have some?' the father grumbled. Because I didn't have enough, but now I do,' the little boy replied. 'Daddy, I have $50 now. Can I buy an hour of your time? Please come home early tomorrow. I would like to have dinner with you.' The father was crushed. He put his arms around his little son, and he begged for his forgiveness. It's just a short reminder to all of you working so hard in life. We should not let time slip through our fingers without having spent some time with those who really matter to us, those close to our hearts. Do remember to share that $50 worth of your time with someone you love.

Just to find out which is the best service provider, and which will be the worst?

Can't wait to get away from Starhub You think there will be some major telco price war come Friday the 13th? Or maybe heavier phone price subsidies?

My brother's ssdc instructor told me that the red light sensor will only be activated 2 secs after the light turn red. True?

http://news.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne%2BNew...0603-68681.htmlOpen verdict on Victoria schoolboy's death Elena Chong Tue, Jun 03, 2008 The Straits Times AN OPEN verdict was recorded on Tuesday on the death of a 16-year-old student after a road traffic accident last October. Wrixon Chew Teck Cheng, a secondary 4 student of Victoria School, died of head injuries on Oct 17 - six days after the accident. Assistant Commissioner of Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore Chin Li Fen, 48, was named a potential defendant at a coroner's inquiry into Wrixon's death. She chose to remain silent. The inquiry heard that the teen and two schoolmates were going to a tuition centre by bus after attending a graduation ceremony in school earlier on Oct 11. Investigation showed that before Wrixon was knocked down by Ms Chin's car along Marine Parade Road, he had safely crossed to the centre divider using the pedestrian crossing when a red-man was showing. After waiting for a moment Wrixon was seen fidgeting his body and laughing with his companion. An eye witness had seen him turn his body for 180 degrees anti-clockwise and bend down with his upper part of the body protruding into the right lane. Wrixon's companion, Arthur Lim Wei Quan, 16, said he then saw Wrixon running diagonally towards the bus stop when the accident happened. State Coroner Victor Yeo said the evidence suggested that Wrixon could have failed to keep a proper lookout for any oncoming vehicles before he started to run back towards the bus stop. He said the evidence adduced did not show any criminal negligence on the part of Ms Chin.

Sometimes i really wonder what goes through the mind of some drivers on our local road. I was travelling on ECP at about 2330hrs last night, en route home from a nice dinner. In a mellow mood, I was merely cruising along at 80-90kmh in the middle lane, minding my own business while listening to the soothing of Norah Jones on the CD player telling me something about the night being lonely. The enjoyment was interrupted first by some loud exhaust noise from behind me, and then by a pair of glaring HID headlights that belonged to the same car. The car began tailgating my porsche for no reason at all. I guessed from my earlier years of street racing that he wanted an impromptu race with me. The temptation to give in was really strong. But what really stopped me was the thought of my wife and kids waiting at home for me. So I signalled left and gave way, filtering to the third lane to let the fast and furious zoom pass. The nuisance of a car pulled up next to mine, and I saw that it was a white civic Type R, belonging to the latest generation. The driver was young and so were his 3 grinning male passengers. Some unidentified disco music was playing from their stereo, at a volume that made me worry for the aural health of the 4 young men in the car. I waved them on, indicating that I am not in the slightest interested to race. The passenger gave me a thumbs down sign with a smirk and they blasted off into the night. Yeah I was pissed off a little but I refrained from doing what would have given me immense hedonistic satisfaction at that point in time, which was to plant the right foot on the accelerator and unleash the steeds of hell, all 500 of them, on the object of my ire. Instead I chose to follow my original plan of arriving home to my loved ones safely. I guess age does mellow a man to a certain extent. Instead of writing a story filled with excitement, I guess the truth is more appropriate here. Please drive safely. You can never be the fastest on the roads forever. :) To the driver of the civic, if you're here and reading this: yes i could have raced you. But unlike you, I probably have a lot more at risk than you. Just enjoy yourself but mind your safety and the safety of others. Cheers!

True story of my cousin L My cousin L has always been a car fanatic. Born with a silver spoon in his mouth, he was never wanting, and when he turned 23, he requested his father to buy him a top-range Mazda RX-8 (6 speed, 250ps or so) as his birthday present. His father obliged him. In their family garage a month later, the RX-8 was parked proudly next to the family BMW 530i and his sister's VW Beetle. L, then a university undergraduate, started to show off his ride to his classmates, and started to patronise performance car workshops with his ride to "soup it up" to go faster. He also started to dress it up in outlandish bodykits that made it look like it was ready to take off anytime from his driveway. The modifications and bodykits were paid for using his supplementary credit card which his father has given to him. Being a busy businessman, my uncle paid scarce attention to the activities and spendings of his son, brushing it off as a "growing up phase". The last I know, L has spent a total of about $60,000 on his ride, and in place of the once stock standard RX-8 now squats a menacing beast that boasts about 350-380bhp and looks like it would be requiring a license from CAAS to operate. We often had a good laugh over the looks of his car, with me deriding him on his choice of "garishly loud" style and him jokingly threatening to race and disgrace my ride if I continue to mock him. In essence, L was just indulging in his passion to the fullest he knew how. I think considerations of the law and his own safety never occured to him. I think thats what killed L in the end. I know that 3-4 months before he got killed, L had started to indulge in street racing, sometimes impromptu, sometimes with a group of like-minded friends. From the stories he shared with me, he must be enjoying himself very much. I had always told him to accompany me on one of my organised track sessions, so that we could have fun together in a controlled and safer environment, but L would always laugh me off and told me that "the real battles are on the streets, K". It was on a night in Nov 2007 that I received a call, a call that I had always dreaded to receive but somehow knew I would. It was my uncle, L's father. He called to tell me something has happened to L and whether I would mind meeting him at The Scene. Driving with a heavy heart to the place he had mentioned, Images of a laughing and carefree L fleeted across my mind like fragile butterflies. Words that we exchanged, tips that we shared on car modifications, thigh slapping humor that we shared, all seem to revolve in a mad mental cacophony in my head. Suffice to say that L was killed in a very bad accident, and the police at the scene had suspected that the accident occured during an illegal street race or high speed driving. The RX-8 was smashed to bits against a dividing fence railing. L, or what remained of him, was covered using two separate white cloths. His girlfriend, who was riding as a passenger with L, was injured badly and just as we arrived, was being loaded onto a parked ambulance. Needless to say, my uncle was inconsolable. I never had the courage to view L's remains, or to identify him at the mortuary later on. The funeral was a short and discreet affair, and L's remains were placed in a locked coffin and cremated without ceremony. Another young one has been killed on the road as a result of high speed driving. My uncle has since sold his business and retired. His regret was letting his son go too far in his passion without any form of restraints. I believe that there are many car enthusiasts like L in Singapore, with money and boldness to spare. Owning a ride of our dreams and doing it up to suit our tastes is a good and personal thing. There is no right or wrong in it. It is only when one goes beyond the established boundaries of safety that the grim reaper starts lurking near us. It a a cliche to tell anyone not to indulge in impromptu "street fun" at all, but all I wish to say is "know your own limits, and the limits of your car". Any life lost on the roads is never for a worthy cause.

WHY LIAM HARKER WON'T WALK ALONE Paul Rogers 18 April 2008 A passionate young Liverpool supporter dying of cancer was today presented with a shirt signed by his Anfield heroes on the day doctors admitted that there is nothing more they can do to save his life. Seventeen-year-old Liam Harker from Darlington only found out he was suffering from stomach cancer six weeks ago after he was admitted to the Royal Victoria Infirmary Hospital in Newcastle. After being treated with an intensive course of radiotherapy, Liam was told on April 3 that he had beaten the cancer as the tumour had started to shrink. Things took a serious turn for the worse the following day when Liam became very ill however. X-Rays revealed that the cancer had not only returned, it had spread throughout his body. It was at this moment that his parents were told that more radiotherapy would only help prolong his life by a matter of weeks. Last Friday, Liam was told he had just two weeks left to live and was allowed home to die. Macmillan nurses are on hand round the clock to help him and his family at this incredibly difficult time. Upon arriving home, Liam's wish to his dad was to spend his final days in a shirt signed by the players he idolises. He also asked his dad to bury him in a Liverpool shirt when he dies as he's lived and breathed Liverpool Football Club all his life. When news reached the club of Liam's plight, the youngster's dad was contacted and Liam was invited down to Melwood on Monday to not only pick up a signed shirt but also be taken on a tour of Melwood and meet not just the players but also Rafael Benitez. Unfortunately, Liam was advised by doctors that he wouldn't be able to make the trip to Liverpool due to his worsening condition as even short trips between his home and the hospital in Newcastle for radiotherapy sessions take too much out of the youngster. However, while Liam couldn't make the trip to Melwood to pick up the shirt, today one arrived special delivery at his home in the North East from Liverpool complete with the autographs of all his heroes. The shirt and other gifts from the club arrived on the day that doctors took the decision to stop Liam's treatment as they believe his brave fight against cancer is drawing to a close. Now Liverpool fans on the independent website Red and White Kop are desperately trying to organise a banner to display on the Kop in Liam's name in time for the Champions League semi-final against Chelsea on Tuesday night. The hope is that Liam can hang on until at least Tuesday to see the flag at home on television. Got this from the official website.....I hope he hangs in there to see this on Tue nite .... sob.... Liam Harker, YNWA!