the lost post redux

.I had written a rather long post. But somehow it was not posted nor saved. The PC decided to close all open internet explorer windows. and all that I had typed was lost. anyway here i try to re-cap what i had written in less words:

Agnes has been unwell, me too. Hope she gets well soon .hate to see her in this state.

me gonna be on leave on 17th and 19th October. also on 1st november,the 8th and 17th. Made plans to do some stuff with Noel. Been ages since we last did anything together. Also hope to get to spend some time with my dear, Agnes, as she been busy these past weeks.

Next week also happens to be Deepavali and Hari Raya. So I dun have to work, and hopefully more importantly Agnes does not have to work too. So we can spend some much needed quality time together which we have not done lately.

I also posted a list of signs that you are getting old and need to settle down. Those came rather spontaneously, so I dun think I will be able to recreate those text again.

I also re-visited the events of last night regarding my hamster. I had brought him to a vet as I had noticed one of his legs was missing and that he had a rather large bulge in his cheek pouch. I could not bear to see him in that state for much longer so we rushed him down to the 24hr vet clinic at Mt. Pleasant. Being that it was after hours we had to pay more. In the end it turned out that the hamster had lost his limb earlier. Funny that I had not noticed it until last night. The large, extended cheek pouch was not a result of the lost limb but rather of a large stash of hamster food items hoarded therein. Being that he had lost a limb it was proving near impossible to remove those items, as hammies use their fore limbs to push out all the stuff inside. It is amazing how much stuff those little fellas can store in there. Being that he has no fore right limb he is slightly disadvantaged at feeding time and during altercations. I am deciding between caging him separately or placing him back with his mum and siblings.

ACRES is gonna set up a wildlife rescue centre at Sungei Tengah. This project is gonna cost upwards of $1 million. So ACRES is gonna need your support. If you wish to donate pls go here.
I do applaud ACRES for putting their money where their mouth is. They have in recent times been a thorn in the side of the various local zoological institutions, especially regarding the welfare of the animals which 'perform' in the various animal shows, and even more recently the brouhaha regarding the polar bears. It would indeed be ironic if they came under fire for the living conditions of the animals under their care once the rescue centre is operational.
On a lighter note, ACRES is having their Born to be Wild event at the atrium outside Plaza Singapura on the 3rd and 4th of November. You can read more about it here. Do go down to show your support.

Free to be Wild

.

long lost

.I had already written a long post and had not saved it here. Now it is gone...dun you just hate technology sometimes....
.

the article in the Today paper

As some of you know by now Agnes is pursuing her Masters in the hope of getting a better job after she graduates:

The life sciences conundrum
After the hype, grads now realise that there's no place for them in the industry

Loh Chee Kong
cheekong@mediacorp.com.sg

IN 2002, when Singapore universities had barely begun producing their own life sciences graduates, Mr Philip Yeo, chairman of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*Star), famously rattled those undergraduates when he said that they would only be qualified to wash test tubes.
.
But four years on, armed with their Bachelor's degree, some of these graduates are learning the truth of his words the hard way. Many from the first cohort have ended up in junior research positions or manufacturing and sales jobs in the industry — positions that do not require a life sciences degree. Others find themselves completely out of the field.
.
Said Edmund Lim, 27, who graduated two years ago, and now works as a property agent: "One of my classmates is working illegally in Australia, peddling psychotropic drugs to clubbers. Many of my classmates have gone into teaching. Others are in pharmaceutical or equipment sales."
.
Another life sciences graduate, who declined to be named, found a job recently at a tuition centre, after failing to land research-related positions for over a year despite numerous job applications.
.
Already an established base for pharmaceutical manufacturing, Singapore has been trying, in the past five years, to move beyond manufacturing to more high-end research that is "value-added".
.
According to the industry's annual reviews compiled by A*Star and the Economic Development Board's Biomedical Sciences Group (EDB BMSG), an average of a thousand new jobs were created annually for the past five years. Last year, there were 10,200 manufacturing jobs in the industry, almost doubling the 5,700 jobs created in the then-fledgling sector in 2001. By 2015, EDB targets the number of such jobs to hit 15,000.
.
But the booming figures mask a Catch-22 situation: The current shortage of PhD holders in the biomedical sciences cluster is hampering Singapore's bid to attract multinational companies to move their high-end research projects here. Without a PhD, most of Singapore's life sciences graduates are only qualified to work as research assistants.
.
And both graduates and diploma holders vie for these positions that could pay less than $2,000 a month. In the industry's manufacturing sector, life sciences graduates compete against their peers from other general sciences and engineering disciplines. They face even stiffer competition in the sales sector, where paper qualifications take on less significance.
.
A*Star's Biomedical Research Council oversees and coordinates public sector biomedical research and development activities. On the surplus of life sciences graduates, its executive director Dr Beh Swan Gin told Today: "It is not a situation that can be easily communicated, as there are many factors involved. Simply put, a PhD is essential for progress as a researcher. And there are still not enough Singaporeans pursuing PhD studies."
.
Adding that the local universities should not pander to the students' demand for the subject, Dr Beh said: "The job market of today and tomorrow, is the market the universities should focus on. The manufacturing and commercial jobs have always been there, albeit there are more of these now. NUS (National University of Singapore) and NTU (Nanyang Technological University) should get better data on the demand for life science graduates at the Bachelor's degree level."
.
In 2001, NUS' Science Faculty rolled out an integrated life sciences curriculum and NTU started its School of Biological Sciences (SBS) a year later. Meanwhile, the polytechnics also introduced more life sciences courses. Thousands of students jumped on the bandwagon, with demand outstripping the supply of places in these courses.
.
Professor Tan Eng Chye, NUS' Dean of Science — who believes that it could take another five years for the industry to establish itself — acknowledged that his school's intake of life sciences undergraduates was "a bit too high".
.
"When we started offering a major in life sciences in 2001, 550 students took up the programme. For the subsequent intakes, the number stabilised at about 450. But we would be more comfortable with about a hundred less," said Prof Tan, who added that many students were "unrealistic" about their job prospects.
.
Said Prof Tan: "A lot of students were probably all hyped up to look for R&D jobs. And when they can't get such jobs, they could be disappointed. If they want to do research, they should further their studies."
.
Nonetheless, some headhunters, like Kelly Services' Lita Nithiyanandan, predict that it is "only a matter of time" before these "highly valued" graduates find willing employers. Said Ms Nithiyanandan: "As most of these multinational life sciences companies have recently set up or moved their R&D centres to Singapore, they require senior and experienced research professionals at this stage to streamline operations and get compounds approved fast for clinical trials. Once these centres are more established they will definitely need fresh graduates for researching new compounds."
.
She added: "Overall, Singapore's biomedical scene is evolving as a mature hub for Asia Pacific. This would create opportunities across the board for skill sets through the value chain from fresh graduates to mid-level research and analysts to high-end PhD professionals."

Vivo Lion City

Went to VivoCity today after work. it is big. Kinda reminds me of the new Marina Square. Best part is the free and ample parking. Many of the shops are not opened yet, but by looking of the list of tenants it will be a great place to hangout when it opens officially in December. The quirky sculptures were a nice touch. I like the sky garden too. You can get a good view of Sentosa Island.

Vivocity Tenants List

Whilst I was there, I watched Scoop,starring Woody Allen, Scarlett Johansson and Hugh Jackman. I must say I rather like this. Woody Allen is back at doing what he does best. Scarlett Johansson played a geeky undercover journalist, but still found her sexy, channelling Woody Allen.

Rating: 4 geeky glasses out of 5

My next movie: The Departed

England lost 2-0 to Croatia!!
After the drab draw with Macedonia, England needed to redeem themselves in this match. In the end they got their asses handed to them.

North Korea's nuclear tests have made asia a less safe to be. No idea where this road we are on will end. This may lead to nuclear proliferation in the region. And what will the 'new' UN do with this situation? What will Russia and China do to censure North Korea? Only time will tell...

There is a virus going round. Many people seem to be down with the cough and bad diarrhoea....

Kerzner, CapitaLand bid for Sentosa IR to go ahead despite CEO's death.
With his passing, questions are being raised as to whether the project will be affected. But so far the news out of Kerzner International is that their bid is still on track. Kerzner and CapitaLand are vying with two other consortiums for the Sentosa integrated resort. The first is Malaysia's Genting International, which has teamed up with the theme park giant Universal Studios. Another consortium is made up of US-based Eighth Wonder with Australia's Publishing and Broadcasting, Hong Kong's Melco International Development, and Isle of Capri Casinos.
Think no matter who wins, we all win. But I especially like the Genting bid because of the Universal Studios factor.

A small aircraft,incidentally piloted by a big baseball star, slams into a building in New York City, recalling the horrific September 11 attacks. It sparks off heightened security all over the US.

My Israel Trip details

- I depart on Monday morning,20th November, on El Al airlines. There will be a stopover in Hong Kong.

- arrive at Ben Gurion early Tuesday morning.

- On Tuesday night I depart from Tel Aviv. I reach back in Singapore on Wednesday evening, 29th November.

- I between I have 8 full touring days

Finding love in dark places

With our going to view The Premiere showflats on Saturday with mum in tow, it seems like the countdown to matrimonial bliss has officially begun. We are discussing the kind of house to get and even the type of pets we will keep. Mind you all of this even before I have even formally proposed to Agnes.

Settled my payment for my Israel trip in November earlier today before service. At the lift I ran into Poh and Lyn. And after service met up with them again. At least we got to chat a little after service. When I met them before service it was at the lift and there was little in the way of being able to chat. I thought we could meet up when we got up to the 4th floor but that was not to be.
I even had to advice father-to-be Yew Kwang to take better care of his wife. As she was being left behind in the crowd as he merrily chatted with me. In her pregnant state she is not as mobile as she used to be, which is not saying a lot.

Rusty, my Syrian now eats from my hand and even lets me stroke him. Such bliss. We still have a long way to go, but it warms my heart to finally be able to interact with him in this manner. It was the reason I wanted a syrian in the first place.

The aircon compressor is on the blink. Not the kind of thing you want in this hazy humid weather. *cough*

I have a bank full of coins. Gonna turn them in for cold, hard cash if ever I have a chance. But first I am gonna have to sort them out.

Also gonna have to repair my transition glasses. I noe Agnes is not too fond of them, but I spent a great deal on them, and it would be a waste to just leave them unused.

Still thinking what venture I will go into for my business. I know that whatever I set out to do it will be a resounding success. But what?

Anyway on a lighter note below are some stuff I would like to try my hand at doing:

a waiter- I dunno. Just seems like fun taking orders and serving patrons their food. The tips do help too.

work in a hotel- it is probably hard work, but I find working in a hotel fun. Dealing with the people who stay there, setting up rooms and clearing up after they go. Sure must be lots of fun stuff that goes on that we never hear about, what with so many hotel rooms.

a nurse- the hours and shift work suck. But surely the satisfaction and gratitude makes it worthwhile,non? But death and sickness also becomes an veeryday sort of thing.

dog groomer- I love animals and would not put it past myself to once again work with animals down the line. Making a scruffy dog look at least presentable sounds like a load of fun.

a baker- baking cakes and pastries. Yum yum!

A rock star- guess every guy goes through a phase in his life when he wishes he was a rock god.

a food critic- get paid to eat and not having to pay. You get probably the best food around at no cost. And after all is said and done you describe in no uncertain terms how bad it really is. What is there not to like?

A policeman- I applied twice to get in before my NS and both times I did not get in. I guess this job is not unlike the nurse job above. But with less death and sickness.

a masseusse- wonder what is is like to be actually able to use your hands to make another human being feel better.

a taxi driver- I love to drive. And to be able to drive and get paid for it. And meet all these people from all walks of life. Coolness!

A tour guide- I love exploring new and exciting places. I love the that feeling when you makes someone's experience all the more memorable due to something you said or something you did. Memories that last a lifetime.

a repair guy- a mechanic, a technician, a plumber or something along those lines. I like repairing stuff and taking stuff apart. So working in job where I make faulty devices work sounds like a jolly good idea.

a celebrity blogger- write crap and get paid for it. I have no idea how it works but some people can actually make a living off just blogging.

Random expounding

The Haze
...is back in case you did not realise it. PSI reading last night hit a high of about 150! And the Indonesian government says they can do little or nothing about it. Wonder how that is when satellite pictures show exactly where the fires that are the cause of the haze are. The governments around them have pledged to do all they can to help Indonesia deal with the problem. What more needs to be done to stop this from happening again?

The Premiere
Agnes and I (and not forgetting Agnes's mummy dearest) went down to Tampines to view the show flats for the 'snazzy' new concept in public housing, The Premiere. As the first DBSS (Design, Build and Sell Scheme) flats things just got a little more interesting. As we got there the queues were snaking all the way out onto the main road. The road conditions were no better as cars parked illegally along the roads. It was a surprise no one was booked for illegal parking. After all the hype in the news, The Premiere had a lot to live up to. It promised condo style living at slightly above normal HDB prices. As expected queues started forming an hour before the doors were even opened at 10 am.
We got there around 3.30. Agnes and mum joined the queue as I drove on to find a parking 'lot'. I then joined them at the queue. It was just like going to a viewing of a condo. There were only 2 show flats available. The actual viewing was not unlike herding cattle. People were moving here and there in each and every direction. It made the flats look rather small. I guess the general consensus was that the flats are rather small even by normal HDB standards let alone for the prices we were expected to cough up for (no pun intended,see above entry). Agnes mum did provides lots of practical advice. Made it seem like she been moving in and out of HDB flats all her life!
In the end we decided that it was not worthwhile investing in such a home. For the same prices we could get a maisonnette or an executive flat.

England draw 0-0 with mighty Macedonia
After 3 rather impressive wins, the bubble finally burst in England's match against Macedonia at Fortress Old Trafford. Of major concern in the ineffectual form of boy wonder Wayne Rooney.

Movies I wanna catch

Scoop


Stars Scarlett Johansson and Hugh Jackman. After the debacle that was Match Point I swore off Woody Allen films. But in this one he returns to form with another delicious tale.

Miami Vice

Should be a good one, this updating of the old 80's detective series.

Little Miss Sunshine

The Hoover family treks from Albuquerque to the Little Miss Sunshine pageant in Redondo Beach, California, to fulfill the deepest wish of 7-year-old Olive, an ordinary little girl with big dreams. Along the way the family must deal with crushed dreams, heartbreaks, and a broken-down VW bus, leading up to the surreal Little Miss Sunshine competition itself. On their travels through this bizarre landscape, the Hoovers learn to trust and support each other along the path of life, no matter what the challenge.

nuff' said

Islandwide gastric flu scare in schools
This is after four schools had staff and students coming down with possible gastric flu. This even affected some of those taking their PSLE.

Japan's new PM holds talks in China
Hope this be the start of better ties in the region between Japan and China/ South Korea.