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Videogames, as everyone knows, are for losers—literally. In defiance of our participation-trophy culture, videogames demand that their players fail, repeatedly. Not many games can make you cry, but scores of them can make you feel frustrated, angry and impotent. The word that we gamers use for this cocktail of sensations is “fun.” Today’s most challenging games are dubbed “masocore,” a combination of “masochist” and “hard-core.” Masocore games are nearly devoid of instructions, kill new players within seconds, and require repeated trial and error to succeed. But it’s not all pointless vexation. These games reinforce a character-building truism: “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.” And they also inculcate some practical virtues. All of that losing, it turns out, teaches you how to win, and not just in videogames. Few games illustrate this as starkly as “Dark Souls,” developed by the Japanese studio FromSoftware and published by Bandai Namco. The third entry in the series was released last month. Bandai Namco says that three million copies of “Dark Souls III” have been shipped to retailers world-wide. The series has sold 13 million copies since the release of the first “Dark Souls” in 2011. “Dark Souls III” begins with the player alone in a nearly silent cemetery. There is no music and no dialogue, just a watery path to follow through an almost colorless landscape of browns, grays and blacks. Glowing markers on the ground explain how to attack the skeletons and other undead creatures that lurk ahead. Bloodstains show where players who came before you have died. Like them, you won’t survive. A new book on “Dark Souls” is entitled, aptly, “You Died.” A writer for Wired reported dying 437 times over the 74 hours it took him to complete “Dark Souls III.” I died seven times in the first 45 minutes. The game isn’t merely hard; it’s punishing. If you fail, you can be forced to retrace your steps and again defeat previously vanquished foes. Players who don’t get back to the spot of their demise lose their accumulated progress. Yet the interaction among player, controller and screen is so well tuned that death almost always feels like the player’s fault, not the game’s. To defeat these games, players collaborate online and in person, sharing advice over the Internet much the same way schoolchildren of my generation did on the playground to master “Super Mario Bros.” In “You Died,” a former psychological-operations specialist in the U.S. Army—who has now spent, he says, 1,400 hours playing “Dark Souls”—compares the “persistence and resilience” taught by the game to the virtues that he learned during his military career. “The game demands that you fully commit, have the guts to continue on and the patience to learn from your mistakes,” he says. Another player compares the game to confronting a field of land mines, finding a manual to disarm them, then learning that the manual is in Swahili. “But ‘Dark Souls’ also gives you a Swahili dictionary,” she says, continuing the metaphor. “It expects you to listen and to learn and to improve.” The data bear out these observations. More than a decade ago, John C. Beck and Mitchell Wade, who now work at the consulting firm Accenture, surveyed 2,500 business professionals and concluded that people who played videogames as teenagers were better at business than people who didn’t. Their 2004 book “Got Game: How the Gamer Generation Is Reshaping Business Forever” found that videogame players were more likely to consider themselves experts, to want more pay for better performance and to see persistence as the secret to success. Of course, games can be fun without being edifying. In “The Art of Failure,” the Danish game theorist Jesper Juul compares videogame players who seek out defeat (by playing games that they know they will lose) to moviegoers and readers drawn to works that evoke unpleasant feelings like sadness, fear and disgust. Playing “Dark Souls,” like watching “Old Yeller,” “Psycho” or “Alien,” can be time well wasted even if it brings no practical benefits. Even those who don’t have the dexterity (or time) to master masocore games can draw a lesson from their inadequacy: that, in the real world, sometimes it’s just time to quit. I know enough about the compulsive qualities of some videogames not to let our preschool-age daughters play much of anything. But when they get a little older, I will happily let them play “Dark Souls” or another well-crafted game. They teach patience, doggedness and the rewards that come from hard work.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=241&v=N5nMb4_ghvg This is another one in Chinese ........ will make your eyes watery

Hi, Has anyone used the Valeo Life X2 H11 bulbs? If so, any feedback on this bulb? Thanks.

An uplifting story: Five years ago, a South American Magellanic penguin near death on an island beach near Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Joao Pereira de Souza, a part-time fisherman, found the bird and nursed him back to health. Now, the penguin returns every year to visit the man.

How do we tell the difference? Let's say someone don't earn much. By being frugal, he has some small savings and is perfectly ok with not owning a car or living in a condo ever. At work, he is quite happy where he is and not trying to move further up. At home, just play PC games and go for occasional movie / window shopping on weekends Is this considered contented or slack? Above is hypothetical example only

@soya, eat your heart out! Told you that I come from another dimension...kekekekek http://worldnewsdailyreport.com/german-scientists-prove-there-is-life-after-death/ GERMAN SCIENTISTS PROVE THERE IS LIFE AFTER DEATH 9397019882080 Berlin| A team of psychologists and medical doctors associated with the Technische Universität of Berlin, have announced this morning that they had proven by clinical experimentation, the existence of some form of life after death. This astonishing announcement is based on the conclusions of a study using a new type of medically supervised near-death experiences, that allow patients to be clinically dead for almost 20 minutes before being brought back to life. This controversial process that was repeated on 944 volunteers over that last four years, necessitates a complex mixture of drugs including epinephrine and dimethyltryptamine, destined to allow the body to survive the state of clinical death and the reanimation process without damage. The body of the subject was then put into a temporary comatic state induced by a mixture of other drugs which had to be filtered by ozone from his blood during the reanimation process 18 minutes later. The extremely long duration of the experience was only recently made possible by the development of a new cardiopulmonary recitation (CPR) machine called the AutoPulse. This type of equipment has already been used over the last few years, to reanimate people who had been dead for somewhere between 40 minutes to an hour. Near-death experiences have been hypothesized in various medical journals in the past, as having the characteristics of hallucinations, but Dr Ackermann and his team, on the contrary, consider them as evidence for the existence of the afterlife and of a form of dualism between mind and body. The team of scientists led by Dr Berthold Ackermann, has monitored the operations and have compiled the testimonies of the subjects. Although there are some slight variations from one individual to another, all of the subjects have some memories of their period of clinical death. and a vast majority of them described some very similar sensations. Most common memories include a feeling of detachment from the body, feelings of levitation, total serenity, security, warmth, the experience of absolute dissolution, and the presence of an overwhelming light. The scientists say that they are well aware the many of their conclusions could shock a lot of people, like the fact that the religious beliefs of the various subjects seems to have held no incidence at all, on the sensations and experiences that they described at the end of the experiment. Indeed, the volunteers counted in their ranks some members are a variety of Christian churches, Muslims, Jews, Hindus and atheists. “I know our results could disturb the beliefs of many people” says Mr Ackermann. “But in a way, we have just answered one of the greatest questions in the history of mankind, so I hope these people will be able to forgive us. Yes, there is life after death and it looks like this applies to everyone.” - See more at: http://worldnewsdailyreport.com/german-scientists-prove-there-is-life-after-death/#sthash.MjfCtf2V.dpuf

The sad incident happened last year and the report on the ST report on the state coroner's findings was published two weeks ago. MCFers who are staying in old high-rise apartment do take serious note that some of the railing gaps may be wide enough for toddlers to squeeze through. In addition there might be stupid railing or parapet designs with horizontal bars/gaps which allows toddlers or children to climb over. From Straits Times: http://www.straitstimes.com/breaking-news/...s-life-20130321 Toddler fell to death two months after maid saved his life Published on Mar 21, 2013 10:07 AM Twenty-one-month-old Eric fell to his death after squeezing through the bars of a balcony on the fourth floor of a condominium unit. -- ST PHOTO: SEAH KWANG PENG By Khushwant Singh LAST April, a toddler was saved as he was about to fall from a fourth-floor balcony. Two months later, he was not so lucky. Eric Wong Yu Hao, a year and nine months old, fell to his death after squeezing through the bars of the balcony at a Hillview Green condominium in Upper Bukit Timah. State Coroner Imran Abdul Hamid, while saying he found that the death was accidental yesterday, urged those who look after young children to check possible dangers in their homes and put in safety measures. He pointed out that there are online groups offering solutions to make homes safe. "While I don't think anyone can guarantee that the suggested solutions will be 100 per cent effective, at the very least caregivers can have the peace of mind that what could possibly be done to make the home safe for young children, has been done," he said.

But only #4 for women... http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/dec...ancy-world-rise The Global Burden of Disease Study 2010 (GBD 2010) is the largest ever systematic effort to describe the global distribution and causes of a wide array of major diseases, injuries, and health risk factors. The results show that infectious diseases, maternal and child illness, and malnutrition now cause fewer deaths and less illness than they did twenty years ago. As a result, fewer children are dying every year, but more young and middle-aged adults are dying and suffering from disease and injury, as non-communicable diseases, such as cancer and heart disease, become the dominant causes of death and disability worldwide. Since 1970, men and women worldwide have gained slightly more than ten years of life expectancy overall, but they spend more years living with injury and illness.

Singapore is a first-world country with third-world death care services: Funeral director 938LIVE reports: It is time to stop rejecting death-related establishments in housing estates, says the CEO of Ang Chin Moh Funeral Services. Mr Ang Ziqian goes "On the Record" with 938LIVE's Bharati Jagdish. By Bharati Jagdish, 938LIVE POSTED: 19 Nov 2015 15:26 F Funeral services company CEO Ang Ziqian goes "On the Record" about the challenges of the industry. SINGAPORE: CEO of Ang Chin Moh Funeral Services and founder of Ang Chin Moh foundation, Mr Ang Ziqian, has been involved in his family’s business since he was 13, from helping out in the office to working his way up to CEO. A few years ago, along with the Lien Foundation, he embarked on a campaign to encourage people to talk about issues like end-of-life care, planning their will, and their funerals. The campaign included dialogue sessions, and even included discussions at getai performances in order to de-stigmatise death. One of his aims was to encourage people to join the funeral services industry as professionals, amid a severe manpower shortage stemming from this stigma. However, infrastructural issues continue to fuel negative perceptions of the industry. As Chief Executive of the Mount Vernon Sanctuary, Mr Ang is now also dealing with the eventual demolition of the premises to make way for a housing development. Most other funeral facilities, including Ang Chin Moh, are in industrial parks. 938LIVE's Bharati Jagdish spoke to Mr Ang “On the Record” to find out why he thinks people must stop rejecting the presence of funeral facilities and death-related establishments within housing estates, and how integrating death within communities can help us. TAKING OVER THE FAMILY BUSINESS Mr Ang: The key to joining the funeral profession was to help my father. He devoted all his time, his family time, to helping grieving families. My thought then was to help him, and by doing so, I could help relieve him from this 24/7 job. I find that serving grieving families is very noble, and it is very meaningful as well. I think I have always been instilled with values to help the community. Funeral services help the community. We deal with the living, but take care of the dead with care, compassion, and dignity. Through funerals, we help the families overcome grief and manage their life, to cope and continue their life. And we help the departed transcend to the next world. Bharati: You mentioned compassion earlier. Some might say the funeral business can be rather cut and dry. There’s a list of things to do and you just do them. How does compassion come into play on your part? Mr Ang: Every funeral is unique to the family. So we do not use a one-size-fits-all solution to help every single family. We listen to them. The important thing in executing a funeral service is to listen to the hearts and the needs of the grieving families. We listen to the family on their needs and we learn about the life that the departed had. For instance, if a grandma has passed on, I will always ask questions like, "If you think about your grandmother, what do you remember?" They might say, "Oh, my grandma is a good cook, and she always liked to cook curry chicken." And this, we will note and we will make sure that one of the dishes catered in the next few days will be curry chicken. This will help to invoke memories. Beautiful memories between the next generation and the departed. Bharati: Some might ask, why make such a big show out of death? Ang Ziqian: The funeral ceremony is a ritual. It is no different from other rituals. For instance, we have baby shower, graduation ceremony, and also marriage ceremony. Rituals help us to move, from one transition of life to another. It’s not about how fancy or how simple. Funerals are unique to the family. So some families choose to remember their loved ones and funerals are reflective of a person's life journey. And if that means it needs to more elaborate than the rest, then, I think we have to do that, because that means that it's a meaningful funeral for the family. Bharati: You’ve talked about this as a noble profession. But let’s face it. It’s also about making money, isn’t it? How does it feel to be making money out of someone else’s loss? Mr Ang: You could make the same argument when it comes to hospitals – is it right for hospitals to charge the sick? Funeral service is an essential service to the community. and for this service to continue, you need to constantly invest in facilities, training and also the infrastructure in order for the company to be able to manage and sustain its costs in order to maintain this essential service. In fact, the funeral business is not as lucrative as what many may think. It is because in most businesses, we are able to project supply and demand. Are we able to project deaths this month, as compared to last year, in November? We're not able to. But nevertheless, the operational cost is very high, because, it's a 24/7 service. You have to have full-time staff rostered day after day whether or not someone passes on. So operational costs are very high. Bharati: You’ve often talked about the stigma associated with working in this business, so much so that you have a manpower shortage in the industry. As you were growing up, what did your friends say about the kind job your dad was doing, about the business your family was in? Mr Ang: When I was young, I felt that many classmates stayed away from me, because they knew what my dad was doing, and I was often ostracised. I had no friends, no one dared to shake my hand because they were worried that I would transfer the bad luck to them and their family. So since young, I've felt that nobody actually understands the funeral profession. And when you talk about funeral profession, no parent will allow their children to choose this non-mainstream profession. When I had my first girlfriend, her parents’ jaws dropped when they found out what business my family was in. I was always told to bathe with floral water, to wash my hands, feet and face, before entering the house. So this was the ritual when I met my ex-girlfriends' parents and when I went to their house, or even friends' houses. I attribute this to the taboo that we have in the cultures and traditions that we have. But I think that taboo is all about ignorance. If you have knowledge and information about a subject, it no longer is a taboo. Bharati: Considering this, did you ever feel a sense of resentment that you were born into a family that did this for a living? Mr Ang: I was not upset that I was born into this family, but there were certainly a lot of challenges growing up, because many people use their own lenses to judge you. Are you actually normal? Do you transmit bad luck? This is something that upsets me, but I think, maybe because we are born in a funeral director family, we are naturally attuned to serve community, therefore we are not so worried about how people perceive us. How our actions touch people's lives is more important. I've always told myself since young, since I've been ostracised all my life, I need to do something to change mindsets, to give information, to give knowledge to the members of public, so that everyone knows that funeral service was actually an essential service to the community. And this is important for our mental well-being as well. When someone passes on, we are the first ones to help the family overcome grief, and help the departed to transcend to the next world. A meaningful ceremony really can help the family emotionally, and that is crucial to any funeral planning. Bharati: You’ve been doing quite a bit in the last few years to remove the stigma in collaboration with other organisations – encouraging dialogue about death and dying – which of course includes end-of-life care, writing a will, planning one’s funeral – through even things like getai performances. Where are you seeing the most resistance when it comes to talking about such issues? Mr Ang: Most people have the misconception that the elderly don't want to talk about death, because this may be too harsh for them. Actually, on the contrary, it is the children who, out of love and respect, don't have the courage to bring this subject up to the elderly. And we have a lot of elderly saying, “I want to tell this to my children, but I do not know how to, how to hint to them. Whenever I want to bring this topic up, they say no, choy, choy, choy in Cantonese, and they say we shouldn't talk about this subject.” Death is the ultimate end point of life, but before that, we need to look at many aspects, like end-of-life care. And this is equally important as well. Bharati: So, the elderly say they want to talk about such things, but their kids are the ones preventing them from doing so. Have you been able to observe whether or not that conversation among family members has opened up in the last few years? Ang Ziqian: It is always easier for the elderly to bring up this subject as opposed to the younger generation. This campaign has helped both generations to talk about death. Usually, you do not talk only about death. You talk beyond death. You talk about what you like in life, what you dislike in life, what really represents you, and what are the hardships that you've gone through so far. Death actually gives us an urgency to spark family conversations. And through such conversations about death, the family actually comes together. They tend to treasure one another and tend to put those nitty-gritty fights aside, and to really learn about a family member. So death is not the end. It's the start of conversations that bring families together. Bharati: I understand that one of the reasons you decided to get involved in de-stigmatising death was to address the manpower shortages companies like yours were facing because people don’t want to be associated with such a business, but why else would you say it’s important to do this? Mr Ang: I have served more than 3,000 families over the last two decades. What really pains me is when they come to my funeral home, they often have quarrels. They fight about who the caregiver is, the caregiver stress, where the inheritance should go. There's a lot of emotional baggage. This really pains me. It makes me think about what we can do to bring this a step forward, to prevent this rather than to wait for it to happen. I think that through education, if the matriarch or patriarch has actually expressed his intention or her intention of how he wants or she wants the funeral to be, and how the assets should be divided, and what should be done, and the values that should continue to bind the family, this will solve all problems. DYING POOL OF MANPOWER Bharati: We mentioned manpower issues several times. How bad is the shortage? Mr Ang: This is a serious problem. Since the first day I joined the industry, we've been facing challenges, because of the upbringing that we have. Most parents will tell us to be doctors, lawyers, accountants, bankers. None of the parents will tell their children to choose non-mainstream options, like a funeral director. When in 2004, when I took on the role of a management staff, maybe in a year, we only had less than 10 applicants. And out of 10 applicants, maybe only one is hired. And that one will not stay more than three months. Because, some of them, when they go back home and share with their family, the family members say, “Can you not join this profession? Can you resign? Or else we will no longer be mother and son.” And there's also peer pressure. The rest of their friends are professionals like accountants, bankers, lawyers, and they are funeral directors. If Singaporeans choose not to work in this industry, and with the current situation that we are having, which is an increasingly grey population, we're going to face a problem in the future whereby when a funeral is needed, we may not have enough professionals to conduct this funeral. So if nothing is being done to attract new blood, Singaporeans to join this industry, the Ministry of Manpower will have to re-look at its policies, to how we can use foreign help to manage this. Bharati: Since your campaign started three years ago, have you seen an increase in people willing to join the industry? Mr Ang: Yeah. Now I receive on average, at least five resumes per month. And a lot of them are doing a mid-life career change. Some of them come from the nursing sector, some of them come from the engineering industry, some of them come from customer service. And I'm glad, because of the campaigns, more people have more knowledge of the industry and therefore they want to do something meaningful. Bharati: But there is still a shortage? Mr Ang: Generally, in the industry, there is a huge shortage because the average age in this industry is late fifties. So if we do not have help at this moment, in 10 years’ time when our senior generation retires, there's going to be a huge gap between the workforce and the increasing number of deaths in the country. Bharati: So, what do you hope to do in order to fix this situation going forward? Mr Ang: I mean, I can share our experience. We've changed the environment, we provide good benefits, we provide training to our staff, which I think is critical. The key thing here is to make everyone realise that it's a meaningful career. I think funeral service is a career that helps the community to overcome grief. And also as a professional serving the families, you tend to re-look at your own life and how you can impact lives around you. You tend to evaluate, and you tend to be a better person that way. Bharati: In what way do you think you have become a better person as a result of working in this industry? Mr Ang: I’ve developed a lot of empathy, a lot of care for people, and it is always people first before myself. Bharati: I understand there are no formal courses in Singapore for people who want to learn to be professionals in the funeral services industry. Mr Ang: You're absolutely right. There is no formal training in Singapore that offers courses that helps to groom you. What companies have in Singapore is we have in-house training. We engage providers from overseas who are experts in this field to train our people. In the US, funeral service is a respected profession. You need to have at least a bachelor's degree in order to enter a mortuary science college. And it is a profession that has been supported by the association, and policy-makers, and also by the members of public. The problem lies in Singapore. The funeral profession is a very neglected industry in Singapore. But is this service necessary? Yes, it is. This conversation has to come between the policy makers, academics and the funeral professionals. We need to work together to groom the next generation of funeral directors, if we want our Singaporeans to die with dignity. Bharati: You mentioned policy-makers. What do you want government to do in order to help? Mr Ang: To start a national conversation. Do we want our people to die with dignity? And if we want to, how do we address the infrastructure? How do we address manpower problems? How do we make mindsets change? Bharati: But you're already doing this on your own. Why should the government get involved? Mr Ang: There is only so much that individual philanthropic organisations can do. I would say that policy-makers have the resources, and when they set a direction and everyone can steer to that direction, it will be more rapid. The speed will be there, the support will be there. It is difficult to dance solo. DEATH AND THE COMMUNITY Bharati: I understand that infrastructure is an issue as well. For instance, you are also chief executive of the Mount Vernon Sanctuary. You’ve spent money sprucing this place up and intend to continue doing this. You’ve been given a lease extension of two years, but eventually, it will be demolished to make way for a housing estate. I understand the government has plans for a new funeral parlour to be built at the current site, but there are no details yet. As it is, funeral parlours can be located only on specifically approved sites or as ancillary services to columbarium developments. And you have an issue with this. Mr Ang: Funeral homes right now are located in industrial parks, and I'm always very ashamed to share this with foreign funeral directors. I'm always very ashamed to say that we are located in industrial parks. You need to pass the wood industry, metal industry, wrecked cars, before reaching the funeral home. This brings no dignity. It's sad that in a first-world country, we have third-world funeral services. Because of the taboo and because there is no one to engage the community to correct and eradicate taboos, therefore, the Nimby Syndrome, or "not in my backyard" syndrome develops. Bharati: We have seen a number of controversies over this, including one recently over a columbarium in a housing estate. People who were living in that area, or were about to buy flats in that area were upset that there were plans to build a columbarium nearby. Mr Ang: I think that funeral facilities should be seen as part of the infrastructure within a community. It is no different from a police station, fire station, daycare centre, preschool centres. It is infrastructure that is needed within the community. But we also have to look at this in a different light. Funeral facilities like funeral parlours, cemeteries, columbaria, are actually necessary. Because it reminds you of the reality of life. It brings more empathy in us. It humanises us. It teach us that death is the end point of life, so how can we, by recognising that, live our lives more meaningfully? Bharati: But considering that the "not-in-my-backyard" syndrome emerges when it comes to such facilities, do you blame the authorities for leaving it the way it is, where most of you are located in industrial parks? Mr Ang: First of all, I think it takes time to make a change. It takes a lot of courage to make change happen. But we all have to recognise that change is constant. If we do not make any changes at this moment, our descendants are the ones who will suffer. I think that courage needs to be mustered from all stakeholders, to make these tough conversations, these necessary conversations more palatable, to create understanding among people, and why there is a need for infrastructure, like funeral facilities, in the community. I think we need to educate. With education, eradicate taboos. When we eradicate taboos, we eradicate the NIMBY syndrome. The NIMBY syndrome is always associated with profits. For instance, if we have hospices in residential areas, some people may think that it will drive our property prices down. But is it really true? I think that in Singapore we should have funeral facilities, just like hospitals, in the North, South, East, West and Central. In the Design for Death competition, done by two foundations - Ang Chin Moh Foundation and Lien Foundation, we presented solutions that show the scarce space in Singapore can be shared between the living and the dead, not isolate it in a very far place, because one day, our descendants, or we ourselves, have to go to a very far corner of Singapore to pay our respects, and is that what we really want - isolation? I think isolation will only make the problem larger, and worse. I think we need to integrate them together. The dead and the living can cohabit within a common space. Bharati: So how do you think this can be done in Singapore, when people will protest every time someone suggests a better integration of such facilities within communities? Should policy-makers allow such infrastructure within communities in spite of protests and hope that over time, it will become normalised and hopefully the taboo surrounding death will diminish too? Mr Ang: I think we need to start a national conversation with policy-makers sharing their viewpoints and their challenges. And we, as funeral professionals, also share our viewpoints and challenges with the members of the public as well. This will create an understanding where funeral facilities can be considered as infrastructure essential to the community. It takes time for change to happen. It takes courage to make change happen. It’s always better to be proactive than reactive. So in this society, we’re a first-world country, do we want to chase the next dollar or do we want to chase how to live a meaningful life. If we do not take active steps to give dignity to ourselves, no one will. If we do not have empathy, we’re no different from robots. Bharati: How do you feel about Mount Vernon Sanctuary having to go in two years? Mr Ang: To me it's very sad, after having invested so much, because these facilities not only help the grieving families, but it also helps the mid- and small-sized funeral business owners that don't have a funeral parlour. These things will happen, but it is also a true fact that Singapore needs funeral facilities. For us, in Mount Vernon Sanctuary, we really pray every day that there will be new parcel of land out for tender to allow funeral companies that have local culture, to actually bid for it, and also to continue to serve the community. Because I think embracing the local culture and having the essence as a local company really matters a lot to the culture and traditions of Singaporeans. Bharati: I understand that lease tenures are also an issue within the industry. Mr Ang: Funeral companies, over the past many decades, have suffered from this vicious cycle. All leases are up to a maximum of three years. Naturally, funeral directors are hesitant to invest in facilities, to spruce them up, to give the dignity to the families. And when that happens, it adds to the poor perception that the members of the public have towards the funeral industry. The three-year limit was imposed by the landlords, and it offers the landlords flexibility, if they wish to terminate the lease. But this also means that there is no confidence instilled within the funeral companies, whether their lease will be renewed. There's a lot of uncertainty. Bharati: But all business owners have a limited lease, so why should funeral services firms be treated differently? Mr Ang: I think funeral service cannot be compared with other commercial companies. Funeral service is an essential service to the community. There are lot of intangibles in doing that, because now, what’s always on our minds is, "Will I get a renewal? Should I even invest?" Bharati: How long do you think the lease tenure should be? Mr Ang: I would think a minimum of 15 to 30 years. 30 years will be appropriate, but three years is actually too short. Do you realise that funeral facilities are the last place, the last opportunity for us to say our goodbyes, to show appreciation to our departed? If the funeral facilities have not been spruced up, because of the three-year short lease, this is going to be a terrible, emotional experience for the families. Bharati: In spite of this, you made an effort to spruce up your place though, in order to attract the best staff, in order to give your clients the best experience as well. You invested a lot in the Mount Vernon Sanctuary as well and you open up the parlours for other funeral companies to use as well. Mr Ang: I have done many firsts in this industry because I believe that my objective is to reach out to all bereaved families in Singapore. Bharati: Have you thought about what your own funeral would be like? Mr Ang: I have thought about what my funeral is going to be like, and this is why I am so pro-active in advocating, in changing mindsets. Actually, I hope that, when I pass on, my funeral will not be in the HDB void deck. It'll be in a place where dignity will be able to take place. There are so few funeral parlours that meet the mark and standards for wakes. That’s why everyone goes to the HDB void decks. Bharati: Why not? You said that the death-related facilities should be integrated into the community – HDB void decks are as integrated as it gets. Mr Ang: HDB void decks also pose their own challenges, because it is a common space. The noise generated also creates inconvenience, but actually with funeral facilities, dedicated funeral facilities in the neighbourhood, this will address the sound issue, this will address the dignity issue. Funerals in void decks are what we call “makeshifts” . If you are in a place, in a makeshift tent under the void deck, it is not conducive to hold a funeral. If you use this as comparison to Mount Vernon Sanctuary - it's located within a park, and the park is conducive enough for you to walk around the park to address your grief, so we need to look beyond the infrastructure. The environment is equally important, because this helps us emotionally. Bharati: So as you mentioned earlier, more funeral parlours and facilities within housing estates would certainly help. Have you thought about how people are able to stomach funerals at void decks, but not funeral services companies or parlours next to their HDB block? Mr Ang: I think they actually can’t accept both, but they don’t have a choice. The solution is clear - to allocate more land for funeral facilities - but are we ready for that? Are we prepared? Do we have the courage to do that? ON BEING AROUND DEATH ALL THE TIME Bharati: We were talking about what you’d like your own funeral to be like. Aside from the location, have you thought of any other details? Mr Ang: My family always finds that I'm so fickle-minded, because I'm constantly changing the funeral arrangements I want for myself. Before, I wanted myself to be buried, but now I've a different thought. I want one-third of my ashes to be stored in columbarium. And one-third of my ashes I want to place in a bio-degradable urn, and then let it sail through the seas. And one-third of the ashes, I want to like to make into memorial diamonds, so that I can pass to the people who love me and whom I've loved. Bharati: Why is this so important to you? Some may say why bother? You won’t be here anymore. Mr Ang: Ashes are not about myself. Ashes are something that we leave behind, so that our families will hold on to it, and they'll remember you, not only yourself, but also your memories, the legacy that you leave behind, and the value system. There's something for families to hold onto, but I think what is more important when I pass away is to pass down the values system that I have, the spirit that I have that I hope the next generation will be able to pick up. Bharati: Emotionally, have you been touched by any particular funeral you had to handle? Mr Ang: I've been touched by many, many funerals. The common denominator for all is the love between people. I can see the affection and the values being shared by the senior generation with the younger generations, and how they remember their loved ones. And this is something that brings the families together. We may leave behind our human shell, but we leave behind values. And that is something I think is very meaningful, and also very touching as well. Bharati: Tell me about maybe one funeral that was the most challenging to handle. Mr Ang: I would say deaths involving an infectious disease that is scheduled under our Infectious Diseases Act, are often challenging because firstly, we need to protect our employees, and we need to protect the diseased person, and also maintain confidentiality. Usually in such situations, only one family member that knows about the situation and keeping it from other family members, is something very challenging. Bharati: What does it feel like to be around death all the time? Mr Ang: Funeral directors are humans. We get emotional, but we cannot express it, because we have to maintain our professionalism in helping the family. Bharati: Does this job ever depress you? Mr Ang: No. Death is actually a part of life, and only when you recognise death is the end point of life, you tend to live your life more meaningfully. It makes you realise that life is so short. Death is not only meant for the sick and the elderly. Everyone has an entitlement, including the young. So with death surrounding me every day, it gives me urgency to do things. For instance, I started this foundation at a very young age, in my early 30s, because I do not know how long I will live. I want to change the industry, to change people, to make lives better for everyone. So we need not wait until the retirement age of 65 before we start to do community work. We can start at this moment. So death is actually a constant reminder to me that, "Ziqian, you need to move things faster, better, while you are young, while you have energy to do that, you need to inspire and empower people to join funeral industry.” So this has been my adrenaline every day when I wake up from my bed This has always been my peeve and I feel it is definitely timely to relook this area as the need is definitely there and the current service providers are aging and there is really going to be a gap

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sharing this article by local blogger Gintai find it very refreshing and inspiring it's so true that when a door closes on you in life, another door opens life is difficult, but don't give up

I've done all! except no 8, maybe is should try it later.. hahaha

When I was 10, time seemed to go by so slowly. I had all the time in the world to do what I wanted. January seemed to never end. Though, December did seem to pass by a little faster than January did in that year. But, it was soon January again, time for school, time for friends, time for new learning. Right now, time passed us by so fast. LKY's passing was more than a month ago. I had not much idea what happened to April. Time. It seems not to be constant, but yet, all our instruments tell us that it is. A second is always a second. A year is always a year. Or is it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNgyEmYyQF4

There are similar clauses for commercial insurance companies, she noted, but added: 'The relationship between the CPF Board and the CPF members, however, is not just a legal contract but... a social contract as the board has a social responsibility to manage CPF funds prudently in order to help Singaporeans meet their retirement needs.' She wanted to know what are the safeguards for protecting CPF members against the risk of the fund's insolvency.

SINGAPORE - The MediShield Life Scheme Bill tabled in Parliament on Monday gives wide-ranging powers to the administrator to access people's income and health status without explicit consent from them. Those who object to having such information accessed have the choice of opting out. However, those who do so will not be eligible for income-related subsidies for their premiums, nor can they be automatically given a clean bill of health. The Bill also gives the national insurance administrator the same powers as that of the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore to recover unpaid premiums, such as through employers or banks. Such powers are needed because defaults on premiums by people who can afford to pay them will mean a heavier load on other policy holders. Full premiums are payable even by Singaporeans and permanent residents living overseas for long periods. MediShield Life, which will replace the current MediShield when it starts at the end of this year, will cover everyone regardless of whether they are healthy or sick, for their entire life. Coverage will be higher with lower co-payments and no lifetime claim caps but premiums will be higher than the current scheme. Massive government aid, to the tune of $4 billion over five years, will make it highly affordable, the Government has assured. This includes the transitional subsidies which will be given to everyone, rich or poor, for the first four years. On top of that, two in three people will also get 15-50 per cent permanent subsidies on their premiums. The need to access incomes is to make it easy to identify people who qualify and the amount of subsidy they are entitled to. Additional help will be given to those who still can't afford the premiums. For the majority, the higher premiums will be entirely covered by Medisave, with the extra 1 per cent in Medisave contribution from employers that takes effect this month. People who are currently not covered by MediShield and have pre-existing illness will need to pay 30 per cent additional premiums per year for 10 years, after which they revert to paying the normal premiums for their age band. To simplify the procedure of identifying people with existing serious illnesses, such as cancer or heart disease, the administrator will have access to hospital data on all Singaporeans and permanent residents. The Bill also sets out the various penalties for defaulting on payments, providing false information, or wrongfully disclosing information obtained under the authority of the MediShield Life Scheme. For example, a defaulter who tries to leave the country without paying or providing security, as well as officials who wrongfully disclose information, can be fined $5,000, jailed for up to a year or both. The penalty for obstructing investigation into offences under the Bill is heavier with a maximum of $20,000 fine and a year's jail. The Bill also provides for a MediShield Life Council which can review the policy and parameters and recommend changes to the Health Minister to ensure that it continues to provide effective protection to citizens. The Council, which will likely comprise experts from people, private and public sectors, also has overview of the administration of the scheme. Dr Chia Shi Lu, head of the Government Parliamentary Committee for Health, said he supports the implied consent to verify personal details, as there is provision to refuse access. He said: "There has been quite a lot of feedback from Singaporeans, and particularly from the elderly, who are unhappy with government agencies repeatedly requesting personal and financial information from them in order to qualify for any number of government schemes." He and his parliamentary colleagues have often been asked why government agencies do not share information - as will now be done with MediShield Life. - See more at: Parliament: MediShield Life Scheme Bill gives wide-ranging powers to administrator - Singapore Health News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

Wonder whether it is true? http://www.chiangraitimes.com/briton-neil-hartley-recants-his-living-hell-in-a-thai-jail.html PATTAYA – Neil Hartley a British National who was held in a Thai prison for three years, after admitting offenses linked to a pharmaceuticals website selling Viagra and steroids, Neil Hartley, 61, was arrested in November 2011 at a beer bar complex in central Pattaya. He claims a Thai lawyer told him if he pleaded guilty he would be fined – but instead he was thrown in jail for three years. He was advised to admit purchase, concealment and distribution of illegal narcotics, import-export violations, pharmaceutical-license offenses and working without a work permit. Mr Hartley, who was sent home to Heysham on a flight to Manchester last Saturday, said: “There is so much corruption over there. “I went to Thailand to work with a friend, who was running a website exporting pharmaceuticals all over the world. He had been running it for six years. “I only helped with e-mails and orders. I was a scapegoat. The Thai police visited the man who ran the website and demanded thousands of pounds. “When he did not pay them, they arrested me two weeks later, while he was out of the country. “I was on remand for a month, then went to Pattaya Court, and the judge jailed me. There was nothing I could do, I was in chains and leg irons. “The British Embassy did not help me.” Reliving the moment he was sent to prison he said: “It was all men and ladyboys. “I was thrown in a van with around 60 prisoners. The guards would hit people with sticks if they said anything. They are animals. “When I arrived at the prison, Nong Palai, my cell was 10 yards by five yards, with 85 criminals inside, including murderers. There were around 1,500 people in the prison. “It had bars at either end and a concrete floor where we had to sleep. If you wanted bedding you had to pay for it. “There were two British men in when I arrived; they had stolen whiskey from a supermarket. Within a week one was dead, beaten to death.” Neil added: “The ladyboys were kept separately from us. They made a tent out of sheets and would sell sex to the prisoners at weekends so they had money to buy cigarettes. “When my mum sent me money I bought 15 blankets to stitch together to make a makeshift bed, and paid for better food – although it wasn’t much better than what we were getting. I lived on tinned sardines but at least you knew they weren’t contaminated, otherwise you got a chicken’s foot, or cold rice. “They threw us out of our cells from 7am. There was just a yard to go in. I saw a Thai man stabbed with a sharpened iron bar.” At 4pm, Mr Hartley says he and the other prisoners were put back in their humid, stinking cells. He said: “You had to pay for a bed space with cigarettes. There was a hole in the floor for a toilet – shared by all of us.” One doctor visited the prison twice a month, but Neil was unable to get medication at first without a passport as it had been seized. He said: “I thought about ending my life, but just got on with it.” Mr Hartley, who formerly worked at Pines Lakes leisure complex near Carnforth, took up the ‘job’ in Thailand when he was made redundant from Pontins. He is virtually blind in one eye, with untreated cataracts in the other. His tearful 90-year-old mother, who lives in a static caravan in Heysham, said: “He’s the only thing I have in the world – and I’m the only thing he has in the world. “This last three years has been terrible. “He says the bed I have given him was paradise compared to what he is used to. “When I first saw him I walked past him twice, I did not recognize him. He is seven stone.” His friend Peter Rowley, who used to work with him in Carnforth, picked him up from the airport after Thai authorities set him back to Britain on his release. He said: “People need to be told about the corruption over there, it is unbelievable.” A Foreign Office spokesman said: “We are aware of the arrest of a British national
on November 4, 2011, in Pattaya, Thailand and provided consular assistance.”

A 23 year-old working male's 90-second rant: Must-watch if you're a young adult! 顺水 Xu Bin is reprimanded by his father for trying to convince an old neighbour to sell his flat. This is his defense. 你以为着急赚钱的人只有我一个吗？ 你去问一下其他的年轻人，有谁不着急？ 服完兵役，念完大学23，24岁，一转眼30岁就到了。 在这短短几年时间，要结婚，要买房子，要生孩子，没钱行吗？ 现在一间组屋至少30，40万。就拿最基本的开销来说，如果你在市区工作，一天来回地铁两三趟，偶尔赶时间搭个德士 ，光是交通费每天就要$6 - $7块钱 。吃顿午餐，最省最省$5-$6块钱。去个连锁咖啡店喝杯咖啡$6-$7块钱，$6、$7块。 这还不说，为了响应政府号召，早结婚、早生孩子，那我得赶紧去交个女朋友。如果不陪吃、陪喝、陪看戏、偶尔陪出国，外加送一点名牌礼物，就算我长一副明星脸也未必有女孩子要跟我。 有一些人还要读大学，贷款、分担家里的开销呢？等到要结婚的时候，摆一桌酒席$1000块开始起跳，拍个婚纱特辑$3000-$4000块钱，这都是钱钱钱啊！ 我们这代年轻人不追求什么生活品质，就算是维持最起码的生活，不去赚一点钱行吗？你们也不想养一个儿子，等到结婚的时候跟你要钱摆喜酒，等要建立家庭的时候跟你们要钱买房子。 是，我承认我的手法是有一点极端，我有错，但是我的错是因为这个社会造成的！ Taken from Ep 15 of 118, Channel 8's 7.30pm drama!

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/erp-charges-on-fridays-to/1403436.html This is something new. I never know ERP improve quality of life. Wow..the rest of the world must be having lousy quality of life.

Dear All, I came across this article and this is an innovative way to save our lives! Maybe this is the a way MCFers can campaign to use these in all cars. However, we need to be wary of personal details being left in the car. I am not sure if address is necessary. What do you all think? http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/11540658.Police_come_up_with_imaginative_new_use_for_tax_disc_holder/?ref=mr POLICE have dreamt up a new use for the licence disc holders that every car carries on its windscreen - one which could save lives. The switch from paper tax discs for cars to the new electronic version has meant that the familiar transparent plastic envelopes have become obsolete - but PC Dave Wise and colleagues have thought up a new use for them. They have come up with an emergency contact information and medical alert card. PC Wise said: "This is a really useful replacement for your tax disc. if a driver is involved in a collision or has a medical emergency whilst at the wheel, a first responder will have easy access to vital medical information and we can quickly contact next of kin. "The way the disc folds in on itself means all the information is kept private until needed by emergency services personnel." The policing team, based in Malvern, Worcestershire, put the template for the form on their Twitter account, @MalvernCops. It can be easily printed out, cut out, filled in, folded up and placed in the holder. "We will be linking in with local ambulance and fire commanders to make them aware of this initiative so they can be on the lookout for these emergency contact discs," said PC Wise.

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/most-elderly-singaporeans/1415888.html Aside from reading this as a piece for increasing the age of retirement, but somehow the numbers don't seem to match...80% confident, 37% feel little to worry, 46% ave or poor finances? Generally on the ground, I find the elderly more negative about their futures. Sitting in older estates kopi tiam can hear alot of stories... Also wondering whats the rational in determining our life starts dropping at 65?

Seeing the recent spat among members here reminds me of some life lessons about internet forum I'd like to share with you guys. Pardon my long winded story but I hope you find it useful too: Year: 2001 Forum: Some USA based forum for comics and artists. members are usually art students posting their artworks and we critique and comment to help them improve. My role: I'm a senior member, pretty much well liked as my comments are usually fair and helpful. Made some friends from the forum and even met local members from SG and still in contact with some of them till this day. To put it simple, I had a reputation. Incident: A new member by the name of "baby4eva" (I will not forget that nick) posted an artwork that he/she drew and ask for comments. It was a simple anime-style girl. I looked and thought it looked familiar. After much research, I realised the artwork is a direct copy from a Hentai Artwork from a Japanese porn site. "Baby4eva" merely copied the character line by line and then added the clothes (The character was naked from the original pic). plagiarism is a serious thing and the forum rules states that any members found plagiarising other materials as their own will be banned from the site. I was furious cos (1)It's not a genuine artwork as it's a direct tracing and (2)It's copied from porn. Arming with evidence and the overzealous intention to uphold justice. I blasted "baby4eva" on the thread. I accused "baby4eva" for plagirism and demand her to own up and remove her artwork within 24hrs or else I will prove to everyone of my findings to expose her. But "baby4eva" did not reply, he/she simply disappeared off the radar and never replied. I was thinking I have won. I was successfully kicked out a fake member and saved the beloved forum from fake wannabes Other members became curious. Some sided me, some gave "baby4eva" benefit of doubt and some blasted me for being rude to noobs and not showing prove. So since this small group of people wanted evidence, I showed them. I posted the original picture and then overlay them to show that "baby4eva" simply traced the picture via photoshop. I posted the link of the original artwork, which points to the porn site. I did all this to shut up the naysayers. I did wrong. The next day, I logged in an got a rude shock. My post showing the evidence was removed from the post and I was given a warning by the mod and admin. First, I broke the rule of posting porn materials and linking to a porn site. Secondly I intigated a quarrel in the forum. The admin PMed me that While they appreciate members to be forthcoming and proactive in the forum, they will not tolerate instigation and vigilantism in the forums even if the other party is the offender. I roughly remember what the admin using the phrase "The last thing I want to to have members banging on the barn with torches and pitchforks. Any offence should be reported to the admin or mods." Due to my reputation, the admin gave me a chance and still allow me in the forum. But I was deeply affected by the incident. I was angry, I felt I was wronged and unfairly treated. I was just trying to make the forum a better place and got shot down by the people I supported. I remembered it was CNY that time but I did not enjoy the holiday and I did not sleep well thinking about the incident. After a week later the thread died down and I almost forgot about it. Then "Baby4eva" replied. The thread immediately became boiling hot and he/she started a drama. Acting as a girl, "Baby4eva" insist it was her own creation and any likeness was coincidental. She threw alot of dramatic flowery words and accuse me of not Showing proof(cos was deleted by the mods) and spoiling her day. When others asked her of her disappearance, she cooked up stories that she just got married and had when on a honeymoon and she was expecting good replies and accuses me of spoiling the mood. To garner support she posted pictures of her "honeymoon" to show she was a genuine member and that got her alot of supporters. There I was, witnessing a full-fledge Ang Moh drama of how they and twist and turn their mistakes and flip prata. I felt like I'm watching a bad soap opera. (This experience also armed me on the knowledge of how to deal with AMDK during the cos of my work) I did not post a reply. I don't see the point and was trying to forget this incident. But I got PMed from her supporters asking me to apologize and some, just to fark me for causing all this. Member's memories are short and when you can't even post your evidence of her offence, it's a lost cause. So in order to close the case and let the thread die, I just replied to "apologize" for "causing hurt". It felt sick. 13 years ago, "baby4eva" has kicked "pocus" ass and won the internet forum drama. That few days I couldn't sleep well, I couldn't eat well, I was grumpy. It affect my real life. A few close members and those who knew her offence PMed to console me. A few asked me not to leave the forum(they assumed I would leave). With the expection of one mod which is close to me, None of the other mods nor the admin PMed me. Aftermath: "Baby4eva"'s tricks did not last long though. After that she posted a number of her "own works", all copied from various hentai/porn anime sites. I was not involved as I did not reply to any of her thread since. Some member accused her and she whipped up the same drama mama tactics again to win sympathy. Only this time the members and mod knew her tricks and banned her, her nonsense lasted for 4 months. It was bittersweet. Conclusion: I've since left the forum an moved on. But this incident became a life lesson for me till today after 13 years. I learned that: 1) Forum are not just forums, who are we kidding. If forums were just forums we wouldn't come here everyday. But because forums are not just forums, we should treat it with respect. Just like working in office, basic ethical rules and behavour applies. 2) Treat each members like how you would treat them in real life. Do not do to other how you do not want others to do to you 3) If someone broke the rules or post offensive material, the first rules is to give benefit of doubt. You may be right but you may be wrong. 4) Report if you must, but never openly challenge someone and expect no reaction. 5) We don't own the forum, don't expect mods to be around when shet happen and don't expect them to cover you or sayang you if you got hit by shet. 6) Sometimes if you are repling to an offensive person, it's good to type in a notepad, then save and close and then paste 10 mins later. If you do that you can avoid unnessesary confrontation. 7) Benefit of Doubt 8) You can spend 4 years building a reputation as a good member and a moment of weakness to bring down the reputation and get yourself ban. If (1) is true, apply (2 to 6) 9) You may be a veteran member with 20k post count but without meeting anyone and benefiting from it, you are just a statistic to the forum. 10) If forum has too much shet post, close it and come back another day. 11) All else fails, maybe it's time to quit, go out there and smell real fresh air and experience real things instead of virtual things.

This is related to the other thread, but since it was locked, I started this new one. http://www.mycarforum.com/topic/2695744-prc-mistress-kena-caught/ http://news.asiaone.com/news/singapore/study-mama-confesses-affairs-i-did-it-easier-life

http://www.inspirationandchai.com/Regrets-of-the-Dying.html REGRETS OF THE DYING For many years I worked in palliative care. My patients were those who had gone home to die. Some incredibly special times were shared. I was with them for the last three to twelve weeks of their lives. People grow a lot when they are faced with their own mortality. I learnt never to underestimate someone's capacity for growth. Some changes were phenomenal. Each experienced a variety of emotions, as expected, denial, fear, anger, remorse, more denial and eventually acceptance. Every single patient found their peace before they departed though, every one of them. When questioned about any regrets they had or anything they would do differently, common themes surfaced again and again. Here are the most common five: 1. I wish I'd had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me. This was the most common regret of all. When people realise that their life is almost over and look back clearly on it, it is easy to see how many dreams have gone unfulfilled. Most people had not honoured even a half of their dreams and had to die knowing that it was due to choices they had made, or not made. It is very important to try and honour at least some of your dreams along the way. From the moment that you lose your health, it is too late. Health brings a freedom very few realise, until they no longer have it. 2. I wish I didn't work so hard. This came from every male patient that I nursed. They missed their children's youth and their partner's companionship. Women also spoke of this regret. But as most were from an older generation, many of the female patients had not been breadwinners. All of the men I nursed deeply regretted spending so much of their lives on the treadmill of a work existence. By simplifying your lifestyle and making conscious choices along the way, it is possible to not need the income that you think you do. And by creating more space in your life, you become happier and more open to new opportunities, ones more suited to your new lifestyle. 3. I wish I'd had the courage to express my feelings. Many people suppressed their feelings in order to keep peace with others. As a result, they settled for a mediocre existence and never became who they were truly capable of becoming. Many developed illnesses relating to the bitterness and resentment they carried as a result. We cannot control the reactions of others. However, although people may initially react when you change the way you are by speaking honestly, in the end it raises the relationship to a whole new and healthier level. Either that or it releases the unhealthy relationship from your life. Either way, you win. 4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends. Often they would not truly realise the full benefits of old friends until their dying weeks and it was not always possible to track them down. Many had become so caught up in their own lives that they had let golden friendships slip by over the years. There were many deep regrets about not giving friendships the time and effort that they deserved. Everyone misses their friends when they are dying. It is common for anyone in a busy lifestyle to let friendships slip. But when you are faced with your approaching death, the physical details of life fall away. People do want to get their financial affairs in order if possible. But it is not money or status that holds the true importance for them. They want to get things in order more for the benefit of those they love. Usually though, they are too ill and weary to ever manage this task. It is all comes down to love and relationships in the end. That is all that remains in the final weeks, love and relationships. 5. I wish that I had let myself be happier. This is a surprisingly common one. Many did not realise until the end that happiness is a choice. They had stayed stuck in old patterns and habits. The so-called 'comfort' of familiarity overflowed into their emotions, as well as their physical lives. Fear of change had them pretending to others, and to their selves, that they were content. When deep within, they longed to laugh properly and have silliness in their life again. When you are on your deathbed, what others think of you is a long way from your mind. How wonderful to be able to let go and smile again, long before you are dying. Life is a choice. It is YOUR life. Choose consciously, choose wisely, choose honestly. Choose happiness. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Based on this article, Bronnie has now released a full length book titled The Top Five Regrets of the Dying - A Life Transformed by the Dearly Departing. It is a memoir of her own life and how it was transformed through the regrets of the dying people she cared for. This inspiring book is available internationally through Hay House. Sometimes, I do feel my life is slipping me by and I just wanna quit my job and live

Who is filming his programme here..... Yahoo news: Sex bloggers get court’s nod to travel to Singapore to film life story Sex bloggers Alvin Tan and Vivian Lee succeeded in getting back their passports from the court today, pending a trial over their controversial Ramadan "greeting" last year, as they are scheduled to travel to Singapore for the filming of a programme on their life story. Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court judge Abdul Rashid Daud allowed the two to have their passports back until June 3, based on an application by their lawyer Chong Joo Tian. The prosecution led by deputy public prosecutor Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin did not object to the return of the passports, but asked that Tan and Lee, who are popularly known as “Alvivi”, not to comment on the pending case during the filming of the programme in Singapore. Chong said later that the judge also waived a pre-set condition for them to report to the police station on June 1. He said upon their return on June 3, they would have to return their passports to the court and would be required to continue reporting to the nearest police station at the beginning of each month. Last month, the Court of Appeal struck out a charge under the Penal Code against the two sex bloggers on grounds that it was not applicable to non-Muslims. The charge under Section 298 – for stirring hostility between religions – was struck out on the grounds that the law was meant to ensure the smoothness of the practice of Islam among its followers, not those of other religions. However, Tan and Lee still face two other charges under the Film Censorship Act and Sedition Act for allegedly publishing a photograph with the comment "Selamat Berbuka Puasa (dengan bak kut teh... wangi, enak, menyelerakan)" which contained a halal logo and allegedly seditious statements, and for displaying pornographic images on their blog. The duo's postings on July 11 last year triggered furious reactions from Malaysians of all races, following which they removed the posting and uploaded a new picture of them eating ketupat, rendang and curry puffs. However, the Facebook page was later removed. The trial date at the Sessions Court has yet to be fixed as the Attorney-General's Chambers is appealing against the Court of Appeal decision on Section 298 of the Penal Code. – May 12, 2014. Link: https://sg.news.yahoo.com/sex-bloggers-court-nod-travel-singapore-film-life-034958755.html Alvivi, you are not welcome here ... :angry:

1.) Just don’t drive over bumps. Please. 2.) He ALMOST got away with it. 3.) Ha! Can’t open the door, criminals. 4.) Mixer? Psht. 5.) A door is a door. Just don’t crash. 6.) Now, my clothes smell like meat, too. 7.) Brilliant. 8.) This is almost an improvement. 9.) This just screams “explosion waiting to happen.” 10.) Baby geniuses. 11.) … 20-something genius. 12.) How was drilling those holes easier than finding a button? 13.) BOOM. Couch fixed. 14.) If you wired your brakes to this, why not just fix the brakes? 15.) Awesome. 16.) EVEN BETTER. 17.) Functional AND friendly. 18.) Hey, it holds the coffee doesn’t it? 19.) Mmm, smells like Wal Mart. 20.) Man, he’s gonna be so cool playing his new CDs. 21.) Never. Ever. Use. This. Technically, their problems were temporarily solved (as long as they didn’t get hurt or arrested after these photos were taken). These people are modern day (and slightly insane) MacGyvers. Share their awesome solutions, but please, don’t try them at home.