Mums top list of child abusers - Yahoo! Singapore (News)

Kuala Lumpur (The Star/ANN) - In a surprising finding, the highest number of child abusers turn out to be the hand that rocks the cradle the victim's mother.

Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Heng Seai Kie said statistics from the past three years had revealed that most child abusers were parents themselves and in particular, mothers.

"Mothers make up 25.4% of perpetrators in child abuse cases while 18.9% are fathers.

"Together, parents comprise 44.3% of child abusers in incidents recorded nationwide last year," she said in her speech at the third national conference of the Association of Registered Child Care Providers Malaysia here yesterday.

Heng said the third largest number of child abusers at 11% of the total number of cases were the lovers of teenage victims.

Children are defined by the ministry as those aged below 18.

Parents should learn to strike a balance between work and parental responsibilities, she said.

Heng also revealed that child abuse statistics from Selangor and Kuala Lumpur were constantly above 50% of the total number of cases in the country.

On another matter, she said the ministry hoped to increase the percentage of children enrolled inchild care centres from the current 4% to 25% by 2020.

"This is in line with the Government's policy of encouraging the participation of women in the workforce.

"One of our objectives is to increase the number of women from the current 41% to at least 55% of the total workforce by 2015," said Heng, adding that a major challenge facing women who wanted a career was their responsibility towards their children.

She added that to set up more child care centres, the Government had offered incentives to corporate bodies and government agencies to establish such facilities at the workplace.

Heng said a RM200,000 incentive was given to government agencies while private companies were offered a tax deduction of 10% from their annual income for 10 years by the Finance Ministry to set up child care centres.

Early Child Care and Education Council assistant treasurer Shamsinah Shariff said it would encourage housing developers to set aside land to build child care centres and kindergartens at residential areas.

Researchers come up with new definition of 'cool' - Yahoo! Singapore (News)

How cool are you? According to a new study, what used to be defined as cool -- detached, rebellious, inscrutable -- is no longer what constitutes cool today

What does it mean to be cool these days? Is it still the James Dean-like bad boy who flouts the law? What about the impenetrable colleague at work who oozes mystery and intrigue, or the fearless thrill-seeking adventurer friend? According to a team of psychologists, today's definition of cool is less about being a rebel without a cause, and more about being friendly and warm.

That's the conclusion of a new study which set out to find the contemporary definition of ‘cool,' a concept traditionally associated with characteristics like emotional control, rebelliousness, toughness and detachment.

Think the likes of James Dean or Miles Davis, researchers say.

But after analyzing the survey results of 1,000 participants from the Vancouver area, researchers from the University of Rochester found that respondents judged a person's ‘cool' factor by traits like likeability, friendliness, attractiveness, confidence, and success. The study was published in the Journal of Individual Differences. 

"If anything, sociability is considered to be cool, being nice is considered to be cool," said lead author Ilan Dar-Nimrod in a statement.

For their study -- described as the first systematic, quantitative approach to understanding what makes up a ‘cool personality' -- researchers organized results into three areas. In the first, respondents generated characteristics they perceived to be cool. In the second, participants rated dozens of traits on coolness and social desirability, while for the third, respondents rated their own friends.

The most popular adjectives to come up focused on positive, socially desirable traits like friendliness, competence, trendiness and attractiveness.

Meanwhile, in a nod to the old adage beauty is more than skin deep, another study found that both men and women who exhibited positive traits like honesty and helpfulness are perceived to be better looking compared to those who were rude.

"Madagascar 3" cruises to North America box office win - Yahoo! Singapore (Entertainment)

Directors Tom McGrath (L), Conrad Vernon and Eric Darnell (R) arrive for the premiere of "Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted", in New York June 7, 2012. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The third animated "Madagascar" film stampeded past sci-fi thriller "Prometheus" to top U.S. and Canadian box office charts with nearly $60.4 million in ticket sales over the weekend.

"Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted" also performed well in its debut in 28 international markets, bringing global ticket sales to $135.8 million in its opening weekend, according to distributorParamount Pictures.

Anne Globe, chief marketing officer with the film's production company DreamWorks Animation, said the family-friendly movie attracted many young viewers with over a quarter of tickets sold for children under 12 years of age and more than half its total audiences comprised of viewers under 25.

The "Madagascar" franchise about the wacky misadventures of escaped zoo animals has grossed more than $1 billion around the world since the first film debuted in 2005.

Paramount had projected a $45 million U.S. and Canadian opening for "Madagascar 3," and it roundly beat that forecast. But the new sequel's debut fell slightly short of the last "Madagascar" movie, which opened in November 2008 with $63 million from U.S. and Canadian theaters.

Still, it has received more critical praise than the previous two "Madagascar" films, racking up a 76-percent positive rating on critic aggregation site Rottentomatoes.com.

When asked about the possibility of a fourth installment in the series, Globe said DreamWorks was too busy enjoying its current success to give much thought to the future.

"It's too early to tell. There hasn't been a lot of discussion about that," she said.

In the new film, the animal pack joins a European traveling circus to try to get back to New York. Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, Jada Pinkett Smith and David Schwimmer provide voices for the lead characters. The 3D movie cost $145 million to make.

"PROMETHEUS" POWER

In second place, "Prometheus" starring Charlize Theron, pulled in $50 million. The 3D effects-filled film from "Alien" director Ridley Scott tells the story of a team of explorers who discover a clue to the origins of mankind. Noomi Rapace and Michael Fassbender also star.

Ahead of the weekend, Fox projected a $30 million domestic opening for "Prometheus," which cost $130 million to produce.

Chris Aronson, executive vice president for domestic distribution at Fox, said he was surprised at the film's success.

"It's just blown away our expectations," he said, attributing the performance to "word of mouth (publicity), a great film by Ridley Scott and a terrific (advertising) campaign."

The film also garnered more female viewers than expected, Aronson added, with women filling 43 percent of theater seats.

"Prometheus" opened overseas one week ago and picked up $39.2 million in international markets this weekend. The movie's global total ticket sales now stand at $141.5 million.

Last week's box office winner, action-filled "Snow White and the Huntsman," slipped to third place with $23 million. The dark take on the classic fairy tale, also starring Theron, has pulled in $83.5 million around the world since its debut.

Rounding out the top five on domestic charts were the third "Men in Black" comedy, which took in $13.5 million, and Marvel superhero hit "The Avengers," which brought in $10.8 million.

News Corp unit 20th Century Fox distributed "Prometheus" while "Snow White" was released by Universal Studios, a unit of Comcast Corp. Sony Corp's movie studio released "Men in Black 3," and Walt Disney Co distributed "The Avengers."

(Additional reporting by Andrea; Burzynski, editing by Bob Tourtellotte, Maureen Bavdek and Gary Crosse)

A third of S’pore will be ‘grey’ in 2050: report - Yahoo! Singapore (News)

Almost a third the people in Singapore will be over 65 years old by 2050. (Yahoo! file photo)


A “silver tsunami” lies in Singapore’s future, as almost a third the people in the city-state will be over 65 years old in a few decades.

According to a report by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) commissioned by Manulife Asset Management, the pensioner population in most countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will triple in less than 40 years. 

Entitled “Saving up: The changing shape of retirement funding in a greying ASEAN”, the report revealed that the ageing phenomenon is worst in Singapore. Almost 32 per cent of residents will be over 65 years old in 2050, as compared to 9 per cent in 2010. It will be by far the highest percentage among member nations. 

As a result of the ageing population, there would be a considerable strain on retirement funding, according to the report. 

It forecast that by 2050, dependency ratios would increase almost five-fold. Every 100 workers will support 58 pensioners, as compared to just 12 pensioners in 2010. 

In addition, less than half of Singaporeans have signed up for a pension scheme currently, hinting at a future where significant numbers of people may enter old age with little financial support.  

This highlights the pressing need for an alternative savings mechanism to help people better prepare for their retirement with additional financial schemes, according to EIU.

How To Deal With A Youger Boss - Yahoo! Singapore (Finance)

In early 2009, when Forbes combined its online and magazine staffs, I found myself reporting to a younger boss for the first time in my 30-year career. It wasn't easy. I knew my boss was smart and digitally savvy, but I chafed in the deputy role. I admit it: I felt both superior and a touch disdainful, just because of the age difference.

I credit both of us for weathering those rocky first months together. My boss had to put up with not only my grumpy moods but also my cluelessness about basic dot-com skills like search engine optimization, linking and effective web headlines. Her communication style, of frequent e-mails and instant messaging, was totally different from my familiar mode of dropping by and chatting face-to- face with a boss. [More from Forbes: 10 questions you'd better ask your boss]

According to human resource and career consultants, older workers are reporting to younger bosses more and more these days. A 2010 survey by the jobs website CareerBuilder found that 43% of workers 35 and older said they currently work for a younger boss. CareerBuilder used Harris Interactive to administer the online survey of 5,000 workers.

Technological changes have a lot to do with the trend. In my field, the rise of online content and social media means that we dinosaurs need to figure out how to get along with younger, wiser superiors.

To that end, I interviewed two consultants who have carved out a specialty in this area, and a psychologist, Billie A. Pivnick, who teaches in the clinical psychology doctoral program atColumbia University's Teacher's College. [More from Forbes: How to fire your boss]

Robin Throckmorton, co-author of Bridging the Generation Gap: How to Get Radio Babies, Boomers, Gen Xers and Gen Yers to Work Together and Achieve More, encourages older workers to take the initiative and have a conversation with their boss about the boss's favored mode of communication. (One demerit for me: My boss asked me to set up an instant messaging account. I felt overwhelmed and never did.)

Claire Raines, co-author of Generations at Work: Managing the Clash of Veterans, Boomers, Xers, and Nexters in Your Workplace, agrees that older workers should adapt to a younger boss's communication style rather than try to fight or change it. Older workers have a lot to learn about things like the difference between texting and e-mail.

A tip: Young people assume that a missed cellphone call serves the same purpose as a voicemail message asking for a call back. It makes sense. Who wants to sit there forever while a tedious automated voice drones, "Please wait for the tone before recording your message …"

Even when older workers make an effort to learn new modes of communication, they shouldn't expect reciprocity, Raines advises. You need to adopt your boss's habits. Don't expect her to learn yours. [More from Forbes: American's best bosses]

Throckmorton and Raines agree that older workers shouldn't assume that their age wins them respect from a younger supervisor. "You have to earn that respect," says Throckmorton. Another common misplaced assumption: that the young boss wants or needs parenting or mentoring. Older workers have a tendency to hover, Throckmorton observes. "That doesn't work," she notes.

As a psychologist, Pivnick says the relationship between a younger boss and an older underling raises issues of dominance and submission. Her advice: "Redefine submission to mean surrender." Older workers should work to accept the situation and let go of any resentments. Instead, strategize for success. Observe your boss's management style and try to flow with it. Figure out ways to make your boss look good. If she's ultra competitive, do your best to work as a team player. If your boss is a clueless type who got there because she's the founder's granddaughter or she has a close relationship with a board member, she's going to need you to show her the ropes. Do your best, Pivnick suggests, and hope that her gratitude will get you a promotion. [More from Forbes: The 10 highest paid CEOs]

After six months, I was reassigned to a boss who is older than I am. I admit the relationship has been much easier for me than reporting to someone younger. As for my younger boss, it so happens she  landed a fabulous job at another media company that was a big step up the ladder for her.

Spain's weak banks need 40 billion euros: IMF - Yahoo! Singapore (News)

People hold placardds reading "Enough with Bank abuses" during a demonstration June 2, in Coruna. Spain's weak banks need at least 40 billion euros (US$50 billion) in new capital to strengthen against severe financial shocks, the International Monetary Fund said

Spain's weak banks need at least 40 billion euros (US$50 billion) in new capital to strengthen against severe financial shocks, the International Monetary Fund said.

Stress tests performed by the IMF on the country's battered banking sector indicated the top two banks, BBVA and Banco Santander, were solid.

People demonstrate against banking abuses on June 02, in Madrid. Spain's weak banks need at least 40 billion euros (US$50 billion) in new capital to strengthen against severe financial shocks, the International Monetary Fund said

But the rest of the banking sector could not measure up to official banking capitalization standards in the case of a sharp continuing contraction of the Spanish economy.

"Under the adverse scenario, the largest banks would be sufficiently capitalized to withstand further deterioration, while several banks would need to increase capital buffers by about 40 billion euros in aggregate to comply with the Basel III transition schedule," the IMF said in a statement.

A man takes part in a protest in front of a bank in Barcelona on June 6. Spain's weak banks need at least 40 billion euros (US$50 billion) in new capital to strengthen against severe financial shocks, the International Monetary Fund said

But that would not be enough to cover other restructuring costs and loan portfolio downgrades, the statement said.

"Going forward, it will be critical to communicate clearly the strategy for providing a credible backstop for capital shortfalls -- a backstop that experience shows it is better to overestimate than underestimate," said Ceyla Pazarbasioglu, deputy director of the IMF's Monetary and Capital Markets Department and leader of the IMF's stress test team.

Speaking on background, an IMF official said the banks would likely need a lot more to ensure there was a "credible backstop" in worst-case scenarios.

"In our view the stress tests are a good indicator but they are basically a floor for what you would probably need," the official said.

Often, the official said, in order to convince markets of the strength of the banks they would need a buffer of 1.5 to two times the level of new capital mandated under the stress test.

"Usually you come up with a buffer ... large enough to convince markets so that people don't say, oh well, what if this happens, what if the growth is even worse?"

The stress test results were originally scheduled to be released on Monday, but were moved ahead as European diplomats said Spain was likely Saturday to begin crafting a deal for a EU rescue of its banks.

The banks are hobbled with heavy losses mainly on real estate, with analysts predicting their asset values will continue to decline, and their recourse to commercial markets for capital have dried up.

As the banks rely heavily on short-term liquidity funding from the European Central Bank, Madrid's own ability to provide them with long-term capital has also come under heavy strain.

Ratings agency Moody's warned Friday that even if there is a more direct rescue of the banks, it could possibly downgrade Spain's credit rating due to the "increased risk to the country's creditors."

The IMF tests challenged the banks to meet standards under the internationally-agreed Basel III capital rules, in a severe recession scenario over the next two years -- a 4.1 percent contraction this year and a 1.6 percent contraction in 2013.

Details of how each of the banks performed were not released, but the total needed to measure up to the standards in the study was 37.1 billion euros.

The official said the IMF rounded the estimate up to 40 billion euros, adding that "stress tests.. are not a science, they are indicative."

The IMF Executive Board, after reviewing the stress test report, commended Spain for moving quickly to consolidate the banking sector and launch into financial sector reforms.

But, with Spain and the euro area still under crisis conditions, they urged Spain's authorities "to act swiftly and spare no effort to restore confidence in the financial system and to preserve financial stability."

"The stress tests do not attempt to represent the full scope of capital needs given, for example, possible costs associated with restructuring," they said in a statement.

"The immediate priorities are to strengthen capital buffers and formulate a strategy to deal with banks' legacy assets, guided by an in-depth due diligence of banks' loan portfolios."

PM Lee: The greatest danger for Singapore - Yahoo! Singapore (News)

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  PM Lee warns Singapore cannot afford to slow down and lessen its focus on economic growth. (Yahoo! Singapore file photo/ Alvin Ho)

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong warned on Friday that Singapore cannot afford to “slow down” in its pursuit of economic growth.

Speaking at Economic Society of Singapore's annual dinner, he said that would be the greatest danger for Singapore.

“If we are content to just be above average in the league of cities, we will fail. That is the greatest danger if we tell ourselves to slow down, enjoy life today and not worry about tomorrow,” he said.

Instead PM Lee said that now more than ever, in the face of growing competition and the lessons from the US and Europe, Singapore could not afford to be less competitive.

"Being near the front also means we must have a successful, growing economy. There is no other way we can achieve this. We cannot do it by spending what we have inherited from the older generation. We certainly cannot do it by pumping oil or gas from the ground," he said.

"We can only do it if our economy is prospering and creating wealth that we can invest in our city and our people, to make life better for all of us," he added.

[For full transcript of PM Lee's speech, go here]

He painted a grim picture of a Singapore with slow growth -- new investments will be fewer, good jobs will be scarcer and unemployment will be higher.

Singapore would also face a brain drain when enterprising and talented Singaporeans were lured away by more lucrative opportunities and incomes in more competitive cities. In such a scenario, the low-income workers will be hardest hit, he said.

SPEND ON PUBLIC WELFARE?

During his speech, PM Lee however acknowledged growing murmurs that Singapore’s economic success meant she could afford to focus on looking after the less well-off and spend more on public welfare.

"I respect these views. I agree fully that material goals are not everything in life. But we are not going for growth at all costs, nor have we done so... We must always maintain the balance between economic and non-economic objectives, and ensure that the fruits of growth are invested for social purposes which benefit the wider population," he said.

PM Lee also added that it is crucial that growth continues to benefit all in the next twenty years, especially when there is worldwide income inequality coupled with Singapore’s ageing population.

Responding to critics who say not enough is done for the underprivileged, PM Lee said "the reality is that we do much more than we acknowledged or get credit for."

"We have equipped people with the skills and ability to do well for themselves... Over a lifetime, a low-income household will receive more than S$500,000 from the government," he said.

"In fact, households in the lowest income quintile (20 per cent) have on average more than S$200,000 of equity in their HDB flat! This is the direct result of government policy and government grants. It is unmatched by any other country," he added.

'SCANDINAVIAN MODEL WON'T WORK'

PM Lee also said emulating countries with similar population sizes and pro-welfare policies such as Norway or Denmark would not work.

"We face a fundamental choice as a society -- do we want low taxes and targeted welfare benefits; or high taxes on all and comprehensive welfare? Singapore has chosen the first; the Scandinavians the second," he said.

Explaining that such countries are rich in natural resources, have relatively homogeneous societies and are situated in a peaceful and affluent continent that serves as their hinterland, PM Lee said these countries are willing to pay high taxes in exchange for high social protections for all.

While Singapore's personal income tax rate for the very wealthy stands at 20 per cent, those in similar tax brackets in Scandinavia pay anywhere from 40 to 57 per cent, according to data from the Ministry of Finance and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

"I do not believe that Singaporeans would be willing to pay the taxes that Scandinavians pay, or that our economy could be competitive at such heavy tax rates," said PM Lee.

For Singapore to rank among the top cities in 20 years' time and achieve social objectives, PM Lee also stressed that political support for the government was key.

"Only when citizens accept the political system as legitimate, and economic order as fair, will they give the government of the support and the mandate to run Singapore in their best interests. And only with this mandate can the government do the best for Singapore and all of us," he said.

Average Woman Thinks About Fashion 91 Times a Day -- Do You? - Yahoo! Singapore (News)

How often do you think about fashion? Try 91 times a day. At least that's what researchers found after conducting a recent poll of 1,000 British women between the ages of 18 and 25. (To put that number in perspective, women think about sex only 10 times a day.)



Related: What Stylish Girls Are Buying 

The researchers asked the women to count the number of times they shopped (online or in-person), daydreamed about shopping, checked out the outfits of others, or just thought about clothing and accessories. You may think you don't obsess over fashion nearly as much as these 1,000 women, but if you really think about it, 91 times a day isn't all that crazy in the scheme of things.

After all, fashion is everywhere --from magazines and TV to the Internet and billboards. As a result, we think about it a lot. Says fashion expert Mark Heyes, "When you look at it logically, the figure makes sense. Compared to 15 or 20 years ago, fashion is so engrained in our culture nowadays -- it's all around us and is rarely more than a glance away."

Related: 12 Ways to Wear a Belt

So what type of fashion are women daydreaming about the most? The study found that 38 percent of the time women think about dresses. We would've guessed shoes or handbags, but apparently accessories don't actually enter our mind as much as dresses do.

Now we want to know: Do you think about fashion 91 times a day? More? Less? Leave your comment below.

100 Tons of 'Alien' Sea Life Wash Up With Tsunami Dock - Yahoo! Singapore (News)

The dock that washed ashore in Oregon is 66 feet long and covered with an estimated ton of marine life.

A Japanese dock that ripped from its moorings during the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami and washed ashore in Oregon this week brought with it an estimated 100 tons of sea life.

Oregon State University (OSU) scientists said Thursday that there are about 13 pounds of organisms per square foot on the 66-foot-long dock, which has been traced to the Northeast coast of Japan. Tests show that the dock is not contaminated with radiation from the Fukushima nuclear plant meltdown after the tsunami, but it did bring with it the danger of invasive species.

"This float is an island unlike any transoceanic debris we have ever seen," John Chapman, an OSU marine invasive species specialist, said in a statement. "Drifting boats lack such dense fouling communities, and few of these species are already on this coast. Nearly all of the species we've looked at were established on the float before the tsunami; few came after it was at sea." [Images: Japanese Tsunami Dock On Shore]

Among the hitchhikers are urchins, starfish, anemones, flealike crustaceans called amphipods, worms, mussels, limpets, snails, filter feeders called solitary tunicates, algae, and four to six species of barnacles, Chapman and his colleagues reported.

Estimates from the Japanese government and NASA suggest the monstrous tsunami swept up 5 million tons of debris, with about 70 percent sinking to the seafloor; the rest (1.5 million tons), like this huge dock, have been floating across the ocean. And although tsunami debris has likely been washing up on the west coast for months, the researchers were shocked to see such a rich raft of lifemake it all the way across the open Pacific, where food is scarce, to Newport, Ore. 

"It is as if the float drifted over here by hugging the coasts, but that is of course impossible," Chapman said. "Life on the open ocean, while drifting, may be more gentle for these organisms than we initially suspected. Invertebrates can survive for months without food and the most abundant algae species may not have had the normal compliment of herbivores. Still, it is surprising."

Oregon state officials are organizing volunteers to scrape the dock clean of the organisms, which will be bagged and disposed of. Many of the species are not native to Oregon's shores, and could damage the state's ecosystem if they become established there.

For example, a brown algae called Undaria pinnatifida was present over much of the dock, according to Jessica Miller, an ecologist at Oregon State. The algae is native to the western Pacific, but has established itself in southern California.

"To my knowledge it has not been reported north of Monterey, Calif., so this is something we need to watch out for," Miller said in a statement.

Likewise, small shore crabs found on the dock are similar enough to ones that live in Oregon that they could find a home on the state's coast. Oysters, clams, limpets, snails, musssels, sea stars and worms could also move in, Miller said.

These little creatures can have a big impact. The invasive zebra mussel, for example has grown so densely in some lakes and streams in the United States that no other species can survive. They even clog intakes for drinking water and for hydroelectric companies.

It's too soon to say whether any of the species on the dock bailed before reaching the beach, according to the Oregon State biologists. 

"We have no evidence so far that anything from this float has established on our shores," said Chapman. "That will take time. However, we are vulnerable. One new introduced species is discovered in Yaquina Bay, only two miles away, every year. We hope that none of these species we are finding on this float will be among the new discoveries in years to come."

Construction worker dies after hit-and-run ECP crash - Yahoo! Singapore (News)

The hit-and-run accident killed one and injured three when a black Audi crashed into a lorry on 23 May. (Yahoo! file photo)


A construction worker died in hospital on Wednesday night after being thrown off his lorry during a hit-and-run accident along the East Coast Park (ECP) expressway, reported local media.

36-year old Bangladeshi worker, Md Hazrat Ali, was flung from the lorry he was in after a black Audi rammed into the vehicle from the back in the crash which took place in the early hours of 23 May.

Md Hazrat hit his head after falling into a drain and fell into a coma. He died from his injuries this week in Changi General hospital, reported the Shin Min Daily News.

The impact of the crash had resulted in the lorry being pushed towards the drain by the side of the road, where Md Hazrat and another fellow construction worker seated at the back fell out of the vehicle.

Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) told Yahoo! Singapore the accident which occurred on 23 May took place at the East Coast Parkway (ECP) towards Changi just before Marine Parade exit. They received a call at 2.26 a.m. and dispatched a red rhino and two ambulances.

SCDF found four persons at the scene – three male Bangladeshis and one male Chinese worker. They were all sent to Changi General Hospital for treatment. Apart from Md Hazrat, the other three were subsequently discharged after being treated.

Witnesses told the Chinese daily the Audi driver was seen to have fled the scene and was seen sobbing at the foot of a nearby void deck. After reportedly turning himself in, the 38-year old was arrested on suspicion of drink driving and is now out on bail.

Shin Min reported that Md Hazrat Ali’s body will be sent back to his hometown in Bangladesh on Saturday.

5 ways to deal with a breakup - Yahoo! Singapore (News)

Oh breakups, you don’t half make us feel grim. Our hearts hurt, we’ve cried the equivalent to a large river, and we haven’t slept for weeks. But don’t panic – ladies, move away from that waterproof mascara, and gentlemen, put down the pint and listen up. Here are five tips to help you banish the breakup blues:

Breakup tip 1:  Stay away, and think of the bad times

 “I’ll nip to her house to see if she’s remembered to feed the fish”, “I must go and check that he managed to get back from the gym okay”. No, no, no, no, NO!  If your relationship ended for a good reason, don’t sit there thinking of excuses as to why you ‘must’ go and see him/her, in the hope that you’ll fall into each other’s arms and have a passionate, slow-motion embrace. If you have any thoughts such as those above, this is the one time you can ditch the “think positive” mantra that people rave on about, and go all out on the “everything’s going wrong” train of thought. It’s common to mourn the end of your relationship by thinking of all those good times you had together, but these thoughts don’t counteract the fact that your relationship wasn’t going well. Whenever you have thoughts about getting back together – and you know deep down that you aren’t right for each other – remind yourself why you broke up and think of all the annoying habits your ex partner had. You’ll be grateful for your new-found freedom in no time.  

Breakup tip 2: Make positive changes to your life

Whilst there’s no doubt that breakups aren’t pleasant, they can serve as catalysts for all sorts of positive changes to your life. Now that you’re single, use it as a rare opportunity to break out of the mould you may feel like you’ve been cast in after spending prolonged amounts of time with this one person. You’re now free to reinvent yourself into whomever you fancy without needing to ask for anyone else’s opinion. If you fancy an image change, put some money aside to treat yourself to a new wardrobe or a new hairstyle, and don’t forget to give your home a little post-breakup boost too – get rid of any items that remind you of your ex and change around the furniture in any rooms that you spent a lot of time together in.

Hairdresser holding up mirror for woman with new haircut

Breakup tip 3: Avoid binging on booze

Whatever you do, don’t seek refuge in alcohol because, as much as your favourite tipple may cheer you up, it can make your emotions come crashing back down twice as fast. You’re more likely to drink more than usual after a breakupto help you relax and forget about your worries, but alcohol makes more problems than it brings about solutions. One minute you’re having a quiet drink over a meal with your friends, and the next you’re knocking back tequila slammers like there’s no tomorrow. You wake up with a banging headache and a ‘sent messages’ folder (all to your ex) longer than the list of drinks you managed to chug back the night before. Avoid alcohol at all costs. Don’t keep it in the fridge, don’t walk past the shop, and don’t even look at the pub on your way home from work.

Breakup tip 4: Remember there are other people with broken hearts

While it won’t solve all of your problems, it can be comforting to know that there are other people out there going through a breakup too. The chances are that they too are being told by well-meaning friends and family that there are “plenty more fish in the sea” as they sob into their pillow thinking “I know, but I want that fish”. Remember that it’s not the end of the world, and there are always people worse off than you.

Breakup tip 5: Understand what’s normal

Don’t panic if you feel as though you never want to go near a member of the opposite sex again, you never walk to walk past the men’s section in the clothing store again, and you never, for the rest of your life, want to even think of a man again. These feelings are completely natural when you’ve just come out of a serious relationship – it’s your body’s way of protecting you from any further heartache. One day, you’ll realise you have butterflies in your stomach, and you’re feeling slightly giddy over another person. Unfortunately, as the saying goes, you’ve got to take the rough with the smooth, and before you can experience those joyous sensations again, you must go through the hard part first. Breaking up is never easy to do, but once you’re at that ‘rock bottom’ stage things can only go up. It will all be worth it once you’re settled down with someone you’re much happier with. 

Top 5 breakup foods - Yahoo! Singapore (News)

Ice cream

Ice cream is one of the world's most popular comfort foods. However, the frozen dessert is packed with calories, meaning that working your way through litres of the stuff will more likely leave you feeling guilty, bloated and sluggish than comforted.

Indulge your cravings without the guilt by replacing ice cream with a low fat tub of frozen yoghurt - or fruit sorbet, if you are feeling particularly saintly. With the many flavours of frozen yoghurt available today, switching your frozen treat does not have to mean compromising on taste. For an added health boost, try sprinkling some walnuts on your dessert to up your intake of omega-3 fatty acids, which can help improve your mood.

Chocolate

Chocolate is another food frequently in demand following a breakup. Unfortunately, chocolate - like many of our favourite treats - is high in fat and sugar. However, if you find yourself craving chocolate following a breakup, there is no need to completely deny yourself.

Chocolate contains relaxing magnesium, soothing anandamide and mood-boostingphenylethylamine, making chocolate a good mood food. To safeguard your health, try snacking on dark chocolate instead of milk, and limit your intake to a few squares a day. Alternatively, try switching your chocolate bar for some chocolate-covered strawberries or raisins to up the nutritional value of your snack.

Crisps and chips

Family-sized bags of potato or tortilla chips are all too tempting to tuck into in the face of a breakup. However, not only are crisps packed with fat, calories and salt, but they have next to no nutritional value, so munching on them is unlikely to leave you feeling great.

To satisfy cravings while improving your health and waistline, try swapping crisps for some lightly seasoned popcorn; a healthy wholegrain snack that is lower in fat than crisps, higher in fibre, and packed with antioxidants and nutrients. Popcorn also contains B vitamins, which have greatmood-boosting properties.

Pizza

Few of us feel like cooking when we are down, so pizzas and takeaways might seem like a good meal option following a breakup. However, while the odd slice of pizza is unlikely to do you any harm, making pizza a regular part of your diet is likely to take its toll on your health, mood and appearance.

Fortunately, pizza is a "junk food" that actually has many healthy elements when done right, so next time you are tempted by a pizza, try forcing yourself out in the kitchen to prepare a healthy version instead. To make a healthier pizza, try replacing the dough with some wholegrain ciabatta or pitta bread, and pile on the veg. While it is also wise to go easy on the mozzarella, a bit of cheese could actually do you good due to its high levels of tryptophan ; an amino acid which boosts serotonin.

Cakes and cookies

If cakes and cookies are your weakness, it may be worth switching to some lower fat alternatives to help you stay in shape while braving your breakup. To replace the cookies, opt for some chocolate or caramel flavoured rice or corn cakes, which are lower in fat, calories and cholesterol. Alternatively, try some dried fruit oatcakes, or a healthy fruit and seed bar.

If you are craving something sweet but slightly more stodgy, try replacing cakes with hot-cross buns, malt loaf or sweet bagels, which are lower in fat than cake (so long as you go easy on the margarine!) and also have a higher nutritional value. Alternatively, try some pure fruit spread on toast or crumpets for an easy, healthy and comforting sweet snack.

'Dead' boy sits up in coffin, asks for water and dies again in Brazil - Yahoo! Singapore (News)

Wearing face masks to prevent infections, people carry a coffin containing the body of a landslides victim at a cemetery in Nova Friburgo, Brazil, Saturday, Jan. 15, 2011. Survivors of mudslides that killed more than 500 people are growing frustrated, saying Brazil's government has fallen short in rescuing victims still stranded on remote hillsides and finding the bodies of the dead.

Melbourne, June 7 (ANI): A two-year-old Brazilian boy, who was declared dead, sat up in his coffin and asked for water before laying back down again lifeless.

According to Website ORM, Kelvin Santos stopped breathing during treatment for pneumonia at a hospital in Belem, northern Brazil, News.com.au reported.

The boy was declared dead at 7.40pm on Friday and his body was handed over to his family in a plastic bag.

The child's devastated family took him home where grieving relatives held a wake throughout the night as the boy's body laid in an open coffin.

But just an hour before his funeral was to take place on Saturday, the boy apparently sat up in his coffin and said asked his father for water.

"Daddy, can I have some water," the child said.

"Everybody started to scream, we couldn't believe our eyes. Then we thought a miracle had taken place and our boy had come back to life," the boy's father, Antonio Santos said.

"Then Kelvin just laid back down, the way he was. We couldn't wake him. He was dead again.....

Mr Santos rushed his son back to the Aberlardo Santos hospital in Belem,where the doctors reexamined the boy and confirmed that he had no signs of life.

"They assured me that he really was dead and gave me no explanation for what we had just seen and heard," Santos said.

The boy's family decided to delay the funeral for an hour hoping that he would wake up again, but ended up burying him at 5 pm the same day in a local cemetery.

Santos, who is convinced that his son was victim of medical malpractice, has now registered a complaint with the police who have launched an investigation.

"Fifteen minutes after rushing him away for resuscitation, they came and told me he was dead and handed me his body. Perhaps they didn't examine him properly. Dead people don't just wake up and talk. I'm determined to find out the truth," Santos said. (ANI) 

6 foods to help you have great sex - Yahoo! Singapore (News)

They say sex is a great stressbuster. They are right because love-making has been found to relive the pressure of the burdens of life, ease stress, soothe chronic aches and pains, spur creativity and rev up the energy levels.

Experts say that anything that makes you feel good, alive and physically excited will make you feel as if you've shed years. And all these things are associated with sex.

You are probably aware of the basics of terrific sex, but let us suggest you a few aphrodisiacs which can add zing to your sex life.

Figs have been found to be brimming with minerals like magnesium, manganese and zinc and alsoVitamin E. All of them can do wonders to spice up your sex life.

The flashy-red watermelons contain a substance called citrulline, which sends the body the signals to release arginine, which relaxes blood vessels. This produces an effect similar to Viagra. And need we give you details about what Viagra does?

You've tried whiskly, you've tried wine but didn't feel the buzz. Pick a bottle of champagne and feel the difference. It enters the bloodstream faster than the wine does, so make sure you don't drink too much of it. Many champagnes have been found to have the same amount of antioxidants as red wine.

The Red Hot Chilli Peppers can bring out the hotness in you. They help recreate the symptoms of arousal: flushed cheeks, a quiver on your tongue, and more kissable lips. They also up the heat in the body.

Cheese releases 10 times more endorphins than the great ol' aphrodisiac - Chocolate. It will help you set the right mood.

Chocolate has been your trusted friend when it comes to having a great sex. You just need to maintain the bond. Its aphrodisiac property has been ascribed to two chemicals. One, tryptophan, which is the building block of serotonin, a brain chemical involved in sexual arousal. And two, phenyethylamine, a stimulant.

So the kind of food we gorge upon can do wonders with our sex life. Right food can make you positively sexual. (MensXP.com)

Is 'Sticker Lady's' work vandalism or art? - Yahoo! Singapore (News)

Many Singaporeans are unhappy over the recent arrest of street artist Samantha Lo.

The 25-year-old is believed to have painted “MY GRANDFATHER ROAD” on several roads here, and to have created circular, black-and-white stickers with captions such as “Press to time travel”, “Anyhow press police catch” and “Press to Nirvana” that have been found around Lau Pa Sat and Robinson Road.

An online petition to the authorities calling for Lo's release has also been put up on www.change.org, a website that claims “to promote social change by the use of online petitions”. By Wednesday afternoon, more 11,000 people had put their names to the petition.

A Facebook event page has also been created to get more people to sign the petition.

Stephanie Choy, the creator of the Facebook page, wrote that she had started the page because “I am not happy by the constant censorship of art in Singapore”.

While users on Facebook and Twitter debate on whether Lo should have been charged or not, we’d like to get your opinion on what constitutes art vis-à-vis vandalism.

Let us know in the poll and comments below.

Man says sorry for pushing elderly woman off bus - Yahoo! Singapore (News)

Man says sorry for pushing elderly woman off bus (Youtube video screengrab)

A man who pushed an old woman down a bus along Upper Thomson Road on Tuesday has apologized for his actions, saying he suffers from depression.

Alex Ong, a 25-year-old man, was travelling onboard bus service 167 when he suddenly flew into a rage at an elderly woman for pressing the bell at the last-minute along Upper Thomson Road.

During an ugly spat and shouting match that ensued, he physically threatened to slap the woman, who is 76, before going on to push her down the bus.

The whole scene, which was captured on video and uploaded on YouTube, lasted about two minutes. As of Thursday afternoon, the video has been seen 1,600 times. 

Ong has since given his statement to the police regarding the incident and apologized to the woman who dropped the matter.

“Do any of you really, truly know what it is like to be in my shoes? Really?” Ong said on his Facebook wall at around 2pm on Thursday, before adding “People are already threatening to physically assault me over Facebook”

In an earlier post on Tuesday, Ong posted his side of the story on Facebook.

He explained that he has been diagnosed with medical conditions such as obsessive compulsive disorder, clinical depression and autism – spectrum disorder.

“I do not represent a society of decaying morals. I’m a product of a society that has abused me, neglected me, and ultimately, misunderstood me,” the former Canberra secondary school student said.

Ong also explained on his blog that he had “never intended to injure the lady, that everything happened as a culmination of a lot of anger that has been simmering inside me.” He set up the blog a day after the incident with the intention of clearing his name.

He also explained that his anger stemmed from not being able to find a good job and constant abuse and bullying since young.

His remorseful Facebook posts have garnered a mixed reaction from other Facebook users.

“Under no circumstances should a gentleman lay hands on a woman, not to mention that she is an elderly one whom he should be even more considerate towards,” said Desmond Wong, 22 , a business student from Singapore Management University.

On the other hand, several people have empathised with him.

“I understand, dude. I don’t think what you did was right, but I understand why you did it” said Malcolm Ang in response to Ong’s Facebook post.

Watch the video here: