Invasion of the Facebook oldies

29 Sep 2007, ST

By Deanna Lee

I'M EMBARRASSED to say that after reading Newsweek's recent cover story on Facebook... I joined. The majority of the social networking site's new members are people over 35: oldies like me.

Still, it's uncool - and supposedly 'old school' - to join because of pieces in 'old media' like Newsweek. And what's the point of joining Facebook if not to be cool?

In my defence, I work in new media, plus I come from a Web-savvy family. My 72-year-old father recently answered the phone saying: 'Can't talk, in Second Life (the online virtual world)!'

And I'm delighted with my first 'friendships'. It's great to see people I'd known professionally in a more informal light, with family photos and droll daily updates. Who knew an oldie journalist I really admire could recommend new tunes by The Hysterics and Rilo Kiley?

Less delightful was the reaction of my younger friends. Alex, my 23-year-old consigliere on all things new media, wrote: 'As one of the first 10,000 users of Facebook, I'm officially uncomfortable with John Pomfret (a respected Washington Post reporter) et al... having profiles.'

He was jokingly referring to some of my new Facebook friends, but here's the point: Young people do feel somewhat uncomfortable with established and 'establishment' people - a.k.a. older people - on their social networking site.

A 20-year-old friend then forwarded me an article called 'omg my mum joined facebook!' Hmm... not so subtle.

So, to all my young friends, let me first say: We're not trying to encroach on your territory.

We oldies arguably need ways to stay in touch with one another more than you do. For us, having any social life is a challenge, with kids, workaholism and so on. Already I'm back in touch with friends now living in China, Lebanon and Britain. And, like you, we love meeting new friends and networking.

Some say LinkedIn is good networking for oldies. But that's a professional network and, frankly, not much fun. Facebook is more like a 'play network'. Any chance for a middle-aged mum to 'play' is well worth it.

Now, I know youngsters are concerned about what we'll see about you. But take it from me, we don't necessarily want to see it either.

A number of my young colleagues are on Facebook, but it's doubtful I'll 'friend' them. Do I really want to know whom they're getting blitzed with this weekend? No. Do I want them to know whom I'm getting blitzed with this weekend (Okay, all the things I'm not doing this weekend)? No.

So don't worry about not wanting to be my Facebook friend if it makes you feel awkward.

My young friend Eric is a sort of new media guru who blogs for CBS News and Huffington Post. He says: 'If a boss Facebook-friended me, I would be put in a hard position. You don't want to say no, because that would be bad, but you don't really want to say yes either. So I could compromise, and say yes, but 'block' some of my profile.'

I could do that too (after I learn how to), but doesn't that kind of defeat the purpose? It also feels funny - I can tell when I've been blocked from certain areas of others' lives... er, profiles. Should I feel offended? Should I do the same to others?

Clearly, there's a social networking etiquette still being worked out, especially now that, as the home page says, 'anyone can join' - not just college students.

Here's an even dicier issue: What about 'friending' your friends' kids or even your own? If you ask me, any parent who's just on Facebook to learn about their kids is both missing out on most of the fun, and probably overstepping some parenting boundaries.

I believe kids have to be able to work through many social issues, online and off, in their own ways and time. This is particularly important now Facebook includes high schoolers. Maybe this is easy for me to say since my daughter's not that old yet (she'll probably call me on this later).

Eric, it turns out, is friends on Facebook with friends of his mother. But, he says: 'You have to know mums gossip with mums. It's almost like breathing for them.'

So here's my message to young people - let us have fun too. After all, you'll be 'old' one day, and probably still on something like Facebook.

And to oldies - if you join, join for yourselves, not to keep tabs on your kids.

Oh, and remember... it's really uncool to 'poke'.

The writer is vice-president of communications at the Asia Society.

Don't let go!

29 Sep 2007, ST

This flying fox or zip-line across a body of water is a first for Singapore and allows the public to take part in a treetop adventure course at Bedok Reservoir Park.

At $18 for a shorter children's course and $25 for adults, Forest Adventure, which started last month, is a 1-1/2 hour series of activities; up ladders into sturdy trees, across swings up to 7m high, rope bridges and trapezes, and down the flying fox up to 180m across.


ST PHOTO: ASHLEIGH SIM

Managing director Stephanie Besse, 40, who invested about $800,000 in the project, said it was an idea she pitched to the National Parks Board (NParks). 'NParks and PUB picked Bedok Reservoir Park because it's a place they wanted to develop for recreation, and it has strong mature trees which we need for safety reasons.'

Seven instructors, who have undergone various certification courses, conduct a half-hour safety lesson before anyone gets off the ground, and ensure safety standards are adhered to. Those interested in signing up can visit www.forestadventure.com.sg

Under-wonders

27 Sep 2007, ST, Urban

Instead of hitting the gym, some busy men are wearing body-transforming undergarments to turn from chunk to hunk. NOELLE LOH reports

When it comes to looking great in a tight pair of jeans, it's a cinch for some urban males. Literally.

Body-conscious guys are donning undergarments to help them compress bulging bellies and to fill out those bits that don't, er, bulge enough.

Instead of the usual boring boxers and briefs, they are girding their loins with items ranging from waist cinchers to padded briefs to butt-lifters.

The use of underwear to tweak a physique used to be a trick embraced by women. But now, with fashion trends for both sexes requiring slimmer silhouettes, it's become a guy thing too.

But think of it more in macho terms, as Transformers for the testosterone crowd - to borrow the title of the cult American animated series inspired by a line of Japanese robot toys.

German underwear manufacturer Triumph International stocks a line of men's girdles, while Japanese competitor Wacoal has introduced a line of tummy-tightening briefs. Unfortunately, both are available only in Japan.

But there are two local independent retailers - New Urban Male and SportsmenAsia.com - that local chappies can go to for some help.


IT'S A CINCH: According to Ken Hong, director of SportsmenAsia.com, this generic slimming wrap for men helps to support the back, maintain good posture and prevent sagging of the abdominal area. $38.90 from SportsmenAsia.com, cotton shorts, $49.90, from New Urban Male

New Urban Male, a multi-label fashion and lifestyle store, has been stocking such underwear since it first started business at its Heeren outlet in May 2003.

Among the body-sculpting intimates on sale are AussieBum Wonderjocks, which e-zine Trend Hunter calls the equivalent of the Wonderbra in men's undies, and sling support briefs from New York-based brand C-IN2.

Wonderjocks depend on a fabric cup to 'lift and promote' essential bits, while the sling support briefs make use of an adjustable elastic sling that encircles the scrotum to lift it forward.


RIGHT ON TARGET: These cotton briefs with sling support by New York brand C-IN2 have an adjustable elastic sling that forms a ring around the scrotum and lifts it forward.
$39.90 from New Urban Male, padded jacket, $329, from Calvin Klein Jeans

Over at Chinatown Point, men's underwear specialist store SportsmenAsia has also been catering to what company director Ken Hong calls an 'untapped demand' for the past year.


TRICK OF THE EYE: Three-dimensional underwear by Japanese company Vaux helps accentuate the male profile with strategically placed seams.
$109.90 from SportsmenAsia.com, denim jacket, $407, from Energie, embroidered trucker cap, $130.03, from Ed Hardy


Its array of men's underwear brands includes those that offer 'lift-up' effects and 'three-dimensional support'. The shop also sells a slimming wrap that helps prevent sagging of the tummy and 'far infrared' spandex shorts that claim not only to burn excess fat but also to shape attractive curves and are 'truly the killer of bulgy abdomens'.

Amusing as these products might sound, their sales are no laughing matter.


RAISING THE FLAG: These Italia boxer briefs by American brand Andrew Christian come with a built-in adjustable c-ring in front to enhance the male profile and a square-seamed back that provides added support for the rear.
$39.90 from SportsmenAsia.com, zip-up bomber jacker, $239, from Industrie at Tangs Orchard

'Such body-transforming underwear makes up 10 to 20 per cent of our monthly sales even though they are not cheap,' says Hong.

For example, the three-dimensional briefs by Japanese company Vaux - said to be designed to 'accentuate the male profile' - cost $109.90, while the Far Infrared undies are $39.90 a pair. Prices are comparable to high-end women's lingerie.

Average monthly sales at SportsmenAsia.com hit a six-figure sum, Hong reveals.

New Urban Male, too, sees a 'constant demand' for its body shapers for men, with its C-IN2 sling support range always sold out, says company director Chua Shenzi.

'Basically, the guys who are buying these items are looking to enhance or to improve their physical assets both front and back,' Chua says. 'Most were pretty shy when we first started the business, but now that these products are more common, customers are more at ease with the idea.'

Customers are usually a well-heeled bunch, made up mostly of professionals, managers, executives and businessmen (PMEBs) with spending power.

'Based on their spending habits, I dare say that these customers definitely earn high incomes,' Hong says.


BUTT OUT: These padded butt briefs by American company Go Softwear give the rear a boost with sewn-in foam pads in the back.
$62.90 from New Urban Male, nylon jacket, $149, from FCUK

Explaining how padded undies are a quick fix if you can't hit the gym, he adds: 'The gym culture among relatively young PMEBs is still very strong, so these select few really have very busy schedules and no time to work out.'

Equity analyst Liang Wei, 26, works a 12-hour day on average, but has no intention of getting into a pair of wonder briefs or tummy tuckers anytime soon.

'Those things look really uncomfortable. I would rather look unfit than wear one of them,' he says.

But Hong wants to convince sceptics like Liang otherwise. 'With the exception of Infrared, all the body-transforming underwear that I sell are fashionable and comfortable. I believe men buy them because they can look and feel sexy in them. And when something looks sexy and feels comfortable, it sells.'

Which might explain lingerie giants Wacoal and Triumph's foray into the niche 'transformers' market in Japan last year.

A Wacoal spokesman says the company drew inspiration for its 'Completely Nude' tightening briefs from women's needs.


UNDER WRAPS: This pair of perforated tights are said to contain "far infrared" powers, which come from the rays of the sun, and help lift the butt and restrain the abdomen while burning excess fat. $39.90 from SportsmenAsia.com

'The product development of men's underwear was based on what women want in lingerie - to wear comfortable underwear and look more attractive at the same time,' she says.

Using a netted lining, the tightening briefs help compress a wearer's body by 2 to 3cm. However, she adds that although sales in Japan are growing fast, there are currently no plans to bring the line of control underwear for men here.

'The Singapore market for this category is too small for business.'

--------------------------------

WHERE TO GET TRANSFORMERS

New Urban Male
04-08 The Heeren, tel: 6378-8329

C-ring briefs that enhance one's natural assets - thanks to an elastic pouch-shaped ring of fabric - from American company Go Softwear. Wonder Jocks from Australian label AussieBum and sling support underwear from American men's underwear company C-IN2.

Price range: Between $39.90 and $69.90

SportsmenAsia.com
03-36 Chinatown Point, tel: 6327-4088

Over five different brands, mostly from Japan and the United States. Includes Toot 432 briefs, which have a deep-seamed front pouch and Y-seamed back that provide a 'lift-up' effect, and Japanese label Good Men Wear's jock strap, a daring update on the traditional jockstrap design to provide firm support for the butt.

Price range: Between $39.90 and $109.90.

Life's a trip, or is it a dead end?

28 Sep 2007, ST

MEN-WOMEN HAPPINESS GAP

By David Leonhardt

LAST year, a team of researchers added a novel twist to something known as a time-use survey. Instead of simply asking people what they had done during the day, as pollsters have been doing since the 1960s, the researchers also asked how people felt during each activity. Were they happy? Interested? Tired? Stressed?

Not surprisingly, men and women often gave similar answers about what they liked to do (hanging out with friends) and did not like (paying bills). But there were also some activities that produced very different reactions from the two sexes - and one of them really stands out: Men apparently enjoy being with their parents, while women find time with their mum and dad to be slightly less pleasant than doing laundry.

Mr Alan Krueger, a Princeton economist working with four psychologists on the time-use research team, figures there is a simple explanation for the difference. For a woman, time with her parents is often like work, whether it is helping them pay bills or plan a family gathering.

'For men, it tends to be sitting on the sofa and watching football with their dad,' said Mr Krueger, who, when not crunching data, happens to enjoy watching the New York Giants with his father.

This intriguing - if unsettling - finding is part of a larger story: There appears to be a growing happiness gap between men and women.

Two new research papers, using very different methods, have both come to this conclusion. Ms Betsey Stevenson and Mr Justin Wolfers, economists at the University of Pennsylvania (and a couple), have looked at the traditional happiness data, in which people are simply asked how satisfied they are with their overall lives. In the early 1970s, women reported being slightly happier than men. Today, the two have switched places.

Mr Krueger, analysing time-use studies of the past four decades, has found an even starker pattern. Since the 1960s, men have gradually cut back on activities they find unpleasant. They now work less and relax more.

Over the same time span, women have replaced housework with paid work - and so are spending almost as much time doing things they do not enjoy as in the past. Forty years ago, a typical woman spent about 23 hours a week in an activity considered unpleasant, or 40 more minutes than a typical man. Today, with men working less, the gap is 90 minutes.

These trends are reminiscent of the idea of The Second Shift, a 1989 book by the sociologist Arlie Hochschild, arguing that modern women effectively had to hold down two jobs - the first shift at the office and the second at home.

But researchers who have looked at time-use data say the second-shift theory misses an important detail. Women are not actually working more than they were 30 or 40 years ago. They are instead doing different kinds of work. They are spending more time on paid work and less on cleaning and cooking.

What has changed - and what seems to be the most likely explanation for the happiness trends - is that women now have a much longer to-do list than they once did (including helping their ageing parents). They cannot possibly get it all done, and many end up feeling as if they are somehow falling short.

Dr Krueger's data, for instance, shows the average time devoted to dusting has fallen significantly in recent decades. There have not been any dust-related technological breakthroughs, so houses are probably just dirtier than they used to be.

Ms Stevenson recently had drinks with a business school graduate who came up with a nice way of summarising the problem. Her mother's goals in life, the student said, were to have a beautiful garden, a well-kept house and well-adjusted children who did well in school.

'I sort of want all those things, too,' the student said, as Ms Stevenson recalled, 'but I also want to have a great career and have an impact on the broader world.'

There also seems to be a happiness gap between boys and girls in high school. As life has gotten better over the past generation - less crime, longer-living grandparents and cooler gadgets - male high school seniors have become happier. About 25 per cent say they are very satisfied with their lives, up from 16 per cent in 1976. Roughly 22 per cent of senior girls now give that answer, unchanged from the 1970s.

When Ms Stevenson and I were talking recently about possible explanations, she mentioned her 'hottie theory'.

It is based on an April article in the New York Times by Ms Sara Rimer, about a group of incredibly impressive teenage girls in Newton, Massachusetts. The girls were getting better grades than the boys, playing varsity sports, helping to run the student government and doing community service. Yet one girl who had gotten a perfect 2,400 on her SAT noted that she and her friends still felt pressure to be 'effortlessly hot'.

As Ms Stevenson, who is 36, said: 'When I was in high school, it was clear being a hottie was the most important thing, and it's not that it's any less important today. It's that other things have become more important. And, frankly, people spent a lot of time trying to be a hottie when I was in high school. So I don't know where they find the time today.'

The two new papers - the Krueger paper will be published in the Brookings Papers on Economic Activity and the Stevenson-Wolfers one is still in draft form - are part of a burst of happiness research in recent years. There is no question that the research has its limitations.

Happiness, of course, is highly subjective.

NEW YORK TIMES

Songs from my spirit

27 Sep 2007, ST

Singer Kenny Loggins shares how he learnt to listen to his soul while performing on stage

By Loh Keng Fatt

YOU have probably hummed along to the pop songs of American singer Kenny Loggins, such as Footloose and Danger Zone.

But success, it seems, doesn't mean that the now 59-year-old lived a life of sunshine and roses.

His tale of spiritual loneliness is one of 55 stories collected from successful folks, from Stephen Covey to Dave Barry, in a compendium called You've Got To Read This Book!.

The two people behind this book are Jack Canfield, who co-created the famous Chicken Soup For The Soul series, and Gay Hendricks, who has also written inspirational books. Here's an excerpt from Loggins' account.

'I READ it twice through. Siddhartha was the only time I felt calm - actually, the only time my hands stopped shaking - so I just sat there in bed and read and read. That's mostly what I remember from that period of my life; just devouring the book.

When I finished Siddhartha the second time, I reached for another book. Paramahansa Yogananda's Autobiography Of A Yogi was next on the stack: another story of someone in search of a higher truth. I don't remember if I'd purchased these books or someone had loaned them to me but there they were by my bed, waiting to ignite my spiritual path.

The combined impact of the two books was compelling. I realised that although I'd had success on a level that I thought would make me happy and complete, when I was left with just myself, I'd come unglued.

Reading those books made it clear to me that I needed a stronger spiritual dimension. They described a peace that I was searching for and inspired me to take action to find it. I called a friend who taught meditation, and not long after, I got out of bed and learnt to meditate.

It immediately affected my writing. The meditation, the books and the breakdown itself all made me much more empathetic; there was a new level of compassion in my music.

I knew what a rough time was and I knew what peace was, and this new awareness imbued many of the songs I wrote after that - from Celebrate Me Home all the way through Conviction Of The Heart, from the Leap Of Faith album.

If you look at the songs from that period, you can trace the evolution of someone feeling more and more connected to other people and to life.

Reading Siddhartha and Autobiography Of A Yogi helped me see everything in my life - performing, writing songs, relationships - in a more spiritual light.

In the beginning of Siddhartha, the main character leaves home, seeking enlightenment. After a long search, trying every conceivable avenue, he becomes disillusioned, bitter and finally gives up.

At one point, he actually runs from the traditional sources of enlightenment. He ends up living by a stream, and it's the sound of the stream that triggers a spiritual transformation and opens his heart.

Every morning and every night Siddhartha hears the stream, and it speaks to him. The stream becomes both his path and his enlightenment.

Now I see that my stream is my music which has become my primary spiritual practice. I still meditate today as a way to calm down, to catch my breath.

It has kept me grounded through all the ups and downs I've experienced in the last 30-plus years. Yet the main thing I've leaned on in times of trouble has been my music.

My songs have become messages to myself from my spirit. Every time I perform, I get onstage and sing them not only to the audience but also to myself.

I go into my centre - and into the moment. Going into each moment, which singing and performing forces me to do, is like a meditation.

I have to be clear about the note I'm singing, the word I'm singing, right now. Whenever my mind starts to wander, I have to bring it back to the note, to the feeling within the note, and the word.

Through this practice, the stage has become the place where I best communicate with my higher self and with others. I've become aware of an internal voice that speaks to me when I am out there.

It constantly focuses me back on 'this moment, this moment, this moment, this note, this note, this note'.

The pivotal element of performing has become how present I can be, and from that place, how much I can allow my heart and my spirit to be available each night I go on stage.

I remember the night I first realised the power of this experience. I was about two songs into the show and I couldn't seem to make the connection.

The audience response was okay but bland. All of a sudden, to my right, I saw two eyes lit up like lights. I looked over... and saw a young girl, about 10 years old, whose face was radiant. She was just pouring love at me. I looked in her eyes, and my heart opened.'

# You've Got To Read This Book! will soon be sold at $25 in bookstores.

A free phone line, but the operator eavesdrops

26 Sep 2007, New Paper

YOU'VE seen those ads next to your Gmail inbox.

They are ads related to the content of your e-mail as Google, the company behind Gmail, scans e-mails to deliver ads.

Will people be as willing to let a company listen in on their phone conversations to do the same?

Pudding Media, a start-up in San Jose, California, introduced an Internet phone service yesterday that will be supported by advertising, related to what people are talking about in their calls.

The phone service is similar to Skype's online service - consumers plug a headset and a microphone into their computers, dial a number and chat away.

But unlike Internet phone services that charge by the length of the calls, Pudding Media offers calling without any toll charges, reported The New York Times.

The trade-off is that Pudding Media is eavesdropping on phone calls in order to display ads on the screen that are related to the conversation.

Voice recognition software monitors the calls, selects ads based on what it hears and pushes the ads to the subscriber's computer screen while he or she is still talking.

A conversation about movies, for example, will elicit movie reviews and ads for new films that the caller will see during the conversation.

It also filters out certain explicit words, for instance 'keywords with profanity and things you wouldn't want a 13-year-old to hear'.

Not surprisingly, such a service has raised more than a few eyebrows.

Said an advertising industry expert: 'We really have to look at the situation, because we're getting more intrusive with each passing technology.'

However, the company said that scanning the words used in phone calls was not substantially different from what Google does with e-mail.

Said Mr Ariel Maislos, CEO of Pudding Media: 'The trade-off of getting personalised content versus privacy is aconcept that is accepted in theworld.'

Net report that early retirement leads to longer life is a hoax

26 Sep 2007, New Paper

Don't let fake study go to your HEAD

By Leong Ching

THE 'study' sounds logical and is seductive - quit earlier, live longer.

Reason: Less stress.

A complex title and a string of academic qualifications after the authors' name seemed to add credibility.

But Optimum Strategies for Creativity and Longevity by Sing Lin, who has a PhD, is a hoax that has lasted long and travelled well.

It emerged again on Sunday, forcing no less than Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to expose the hoax in his dialogue with 500 grassroots leaders.

The 'study' was cited by a member of the audience to question the wisdom of delaying retirement.

The 'study', which claims to have been conducted on Boeing employees, is illustrated with a chart showing that people who retired at the age of 50 had an average life span of 86.

People who retire at 65 lived only till 66.

'An important conclusion from this study is that for every year one works beyond age 55, one loses two years of life span on average,' it said.

At the dialogue, PM Lee was quick to debunk the myth. 'I can tell you for sure that it is not true... there is no such study. It's a hoax.'

Ms Cham Hui Fong, NTUC's director of industrial relations, read it with amusement.

'It was a practical joke which has been circulating for many years! Somehow, many tend to believe that if you retire and relax, you will live longer.

'It does not and cannot mean that if one does not work at all, he will live forever.'

Ms Cham has been in the labour movement for 16 years and is not easily taken in by such surveys.

She was nominated to be an MP by the union movement and is known for her fiery speeches as an NMP.

CONVINCING LOGIC

But, for the ordinary man, there is a beguiling logic to the arguments of the fake study.

It said: 'If you are not able to get out of the pressure cooker or the high-speed battleground at the age of 55, and 'have' to keep on working hard until the age of 65 or older, then you probably will die within 18 months of retirement.

'By working very hard in the pressure cooker for 10 more years beyond the age of 55, you give up at least 20 years of your life span on average.'

Stress has been blamed for a wide range of health problems - from ulcers to cancers.

Instinctively, people feel that they will lead a 'better life' if they did not have to wake up to a high-stress job every morning.

That dream scenario would have been a life like Mr Gerard Ee's when he retired young - at 56.

But that retirement lasted two weeks. He returned to 'work' - but without a salary.

The former accountant from Ernst & Young was appointed the chairman of the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) at its lowest point when its former CEO TT Durai stepped down in July 2005.

Today, he still oversees the now-thriving NKF and also chairs The Third Age, an organisation for seniors.

'My retirement from E&Y was purely contractual,' he said. 'After 30 years as a practising accountant, it was time to move on and do other things. Thus, retirement is not 'stopping' and certainly not ceasing to 'live' to one's fullest.'

But not many people have the luxury of stepping out of the corporate life like him.

Would workers have a better life if they took a job with less stress, with a smaller title and smaller pay?

Mr Ee said: 'This is a major issue and will remain one until people adopt the paradigms of the 21st century. It is not the title but rather what is it that you have - a competitive advantage - over others.'

You are paid according to the value you produce.

Mr Ee pointed out: 'A brilliant 70-year-old who can produce millions in profit in equity trade will be paid accordingly and be in great demand by the fund managers.

'A 40-year-old engineer who has not kept up to date with the latest processes will be paid yesterday's wages and be easily replaced by the younger engineer who is more up to date.'

The accountant in him said: 'It is a simple formula - no one gets paid for nothing. Thus, first determine how much money you want or need - then there is a price to pay.'

The price, he said, could be in different ways - less time with the family, more stress at work, and for the unfortunate few, poorer physical health.

Perhaps the best thing the 'Boeing hoax' can teach us is that while the facts are wrong, the principle of work-life balance is an important one.

Ms Cham said: '(This applies) not just to older workers but everyone. The older ones will probably appreciate a better balance after spending so much time at work.

'But to retire totally can be trying for some who prefer to phase in gradual retirement.'

How the 'kiss of life' gives the gift of life

26 Sep 2007, ST, Mind Your Body

CPR is key in saving the lives of people in cardiac arrest. Elaine Young finds out why more people should be trained in it

Three weeks ago, 44-year-old Mr Neo Tze Siong made the news when his life was saved by three strangers who gave him cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) after he had had a heart attack.

A few days later, however, 10-year-old Jonathan Chow Kin Mun's life ended after he fell into a pool, even though he had received CPR from his father.

Why did CPR work for one and not the other?

Unlike the image portrayed on medical dramas, survival with the 'kiss of life' is not guaranteed.

But it is crucial to improving one's chances of surviving should the heart stop suddenly.

According to Singapore General Hospital, each year in Singapore, about 2,400 people develop acute heart attacks, 1,000 suffer from sudden cardiac arrest out of the hospital and another 400 have sudden cardiac arrest after reaching the hospital.

But only one in five people who suffers a cardiac arrest receives CPR, noted Mr Robin Tan, chief trainer at SGH's Life Support Training Centre.

The total survival rate for pre-hospital collapses is about 2.6 per cent.

If the victim is to have a chance, the Chain of Survival, developed in 1990 by the American Heart Association (AHA) must be swiftly followed. This protocol addressed the fact that most sudden cardiac arrest episodes occur outside a hospital, with death occurring within minutes. There are four links in the chain: early recognition and access, early CPR, early defibrillation and early advanced care in hospital.

To be effective, each link in the chain has to be executed quickly. With each minute that passes, the chance of survival decreases by up to 10 per cent.

The most common reason for a person to die suddenly from cardiac arrest is heart disease. Other causes of cardiac arrest include foreign body obstructions in the airway, drowning, stroke, suffocation, smoke inhalation and electrocution.

During a heart attack, the heart continues to pump blood, but part of the organ does not receive any blood because of a clot which suddenly and completely blocks blood flow to the heart.

If the person who has a heart attack collapses, is not breathing and has no pulse, then it is a cardiac arrest. This is when the heart rhythm becomes rapid or chaotic, so it cannot pump oxygenated blood efficiently to the brain, lungs, and other organs. This is known as ventricular fibrillation. The victim quickly stops breathing and loses consciousness.

'A person who has sudden cardiac arrest has very little time before brain damage occurs - approximately four minutes - so time is of the essence,' said Dr Lim Chong Hee, senior consultant at the department of cardiothoracic surgery at the National Heart Centre of Singapore.

The idea of CPR is to get the circulation going 'artificially', he explains. This includes providing mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and chest compression.

Chest compression mimics heart contractions and mouth-to-mouth mimics breathing, by delivering oxygen to the lungs via the mouth.

CPR is the second link in the Chain of Survival. It is the link that can buy life-saving time between the first (early access to emergency care) and third link (early defibrillation).

To defibrillate the heart is to give it an electric shock which stops it, so it can restart.

According to the AHA, few attempts at resuscitation are successful if CPR and defibrillation are not provided within minutes of the collapse.

Said Dr Lim: 'CPR can restore normal heart rhythm, especially when you are able to institute defibrillation.'

There are some risks to CPR: Even if done correctly, it could result in complications such as fractured ribs. It should also not be attempted if the person is still breathing and has a pulse, but mistakes are minimised if the rescuer is properly trained in CPR.

It is also not as effective without defibrillation but it helps to buy time by getting blood to the brain and other organs before emergency paramedics arrive, said Dr Lim.

All emergency civil defence ambulances are equipped with automatic external defibrillators (AEDs), which are portable electric shock devices. At the moment, these are not widely available - at about $3,000 per kit, that is perhaps no surprise - but this is another goal for the Singapore Heart Foundation.

Said Mr Muhammad Khair, executive officer of community education with the foundation: 'These machines are already in clinics, hospitals and ambulances but we would like to see them in every shopping centre, HDB void deck and MRT station.'

In tandem with getting more AEDs into the community, the foundation wants to see half the Singapore population - up from the current two in 10 - trained in CPR and in the use of AEDs over the next three years.

About 30,000 people, mainly health-care professionals and emergency workers, receive CPR training here every year. But that includes those who take the refresher course after two years.

This number is woefully small, considering 90 per cent of sudden attacks occur either at home or in public places, so a person's best chance of survival could be from a family member or stranger.

Said Dr Lim: 'CPR training is easily accessible and should be promoted as public education.'

Dr Patrick Tan from the Singapore Red Cross Medical Commission concurs: 'The public mindset must change from apathy and the belief that learning CPR and AED is other people's responsibility.

'Everyone should make it a point to learn CPR and AED. Don't wait for an emergency to happen and regret not knowing what to do to save a life.'

-----------------------------------

Chances of survival

The chances of survival range from zero to 43per cent, depending on the type and speed of attention:


No care after collapse
0%

No CPR and delayed defibrillation
(after 10 minutes)
0 to 2%

CPR from a non-medical person
(bystander or family member)begun within two minutes,but delayed defibrillation
2 to 8%

CPR and defibrillationwithin eight minutes
20%

CPR and defibrillationwithin four minutes; paramedichelp within eight minutes
43%

------------------------------------












The general sequence of CPR (not all steps are shown): First, establish unresponsiveness by tapping the casualty on the shoulder.

Then, check for foreign objects in mouth, and flick any out with index finger. Check for breathing and feel for the flow of air from the casualty’s nose moving past your cheek. If victim is not breathing, give two short breaths and allow for lung deflation between breaths.

Finally, interlace fingers as shown, use body weight to compress chest. Perform 30 compressions.

-----------------------------------

CPR courses

The National Resuscitation Council was established in 1998. It is the accreditation body for all cardiac life support training centres in Singapore.

The National Heart Centre website (www.nhc.com.sg) lists all the accredited CPR Training Centres. Here are some heartsaver courses on offer for the public:


>>Changi General Hospital
Training Centre
Duration: 4.5 hours
Cost: $52.50
Course outline: CPR guide. Theory and practical test.
Inquiries: Call 6850-2360 or go to website www.cgh.com.sg


>>Singapore General Hospital
Life Support Training Centre
Duration: 3 hours
Cost: $53.50
Course outline: CPR guide. Participants can go on to do the four-hour AED course on the afternoon of the same day. Theory and practical test.
Inquiries: Call 6326-6884 or e-mail lstc@sgh.com or go to website www.sgh.com.sg


>>Singapore Red Cross Society
Training Centre
Duration: 8 hours (includes 120 minutes for lunch/breaks)
Cost: $90
Course outline: CPR guide. Theory and practical test.
Inquiries: Call 6336-0269 or go to website www.redcross.org.sg

How can a gout patient go vegetarian?

26 Sep 2007, ST, Mind Your Body

How can a gout patient go vegetarian?

Q The many benefits of going vegetarian/vegan have been extolled in recent times, and from what I read and hear, many vegetarians switch to soy-based and/or nuts-based food as a source of protein.

For those suffering from gout, however, neither soy nor nuts are good alternatives as both exacerbate the pain experienced in one's joints. In this case, how can a vegetarian diet be achieved and still ensure sufficient protein?

AProteins are one of the most important nutrients required in suitable amounts for healthy growth and development of the body. Although plant proteins may not contain all the essential amino acids, a simple form of protein, a complete vegetarian diet with a variety of grains, beans and pulses can complement and make up for the specific amino acid deficiency.

For instance, grains are deficient in amino acid lysine whilst pulses are deficient in amino acid methionine and consuming both grains and pulses will make up for each other's deficiencies.

Since gout is a medical condition in which uric acid crystals get deposited in the joints causing inflammation and pain, in relation to dietary intake, foods that are rich in purines should be avoided - that is, sweetbreads, anchovies, sardines, shellfish, brains, meat extracts and meat gravy.

Aside from avoiding high purine foods, maintaining a healthy body weight is important for gout patients as well. Do consult a dietitian for personalised dietary advice and management.

ASHU SHARMA, DIETITIAN AND MEMBER OF THE SINGAPORE NUTRITION AND DIETETICS ASSOCIATION

Lack of sleep may be deadly, says study

26 Sep 2007, ST

People who sleep less than five hours are twice as likely to die of heart disease

LONDON - People who do not get enough sleep face more than double the risk of dying of heart disease, according to a British study released on Monday.

Although the reasons are unclear, researchers said lack of sleep appeared to be linked to increased blood pressure, which is known to raise the risk of heart attacks and stroke.

A 17-year analysis of 10,000 government workers showed those who cut their sleep from seven hours a night to five or less faced a 1.7-fold increased risk of death from all causes and more than double the risk of cardiovascular death.

The findings highlight a danger in busy modern lifestyles, according to professor of cardiovascular medicine at the University of Warwick's medical school Francesco Cappuccio.

Speaking to the annual conference of the British Sleep Society in Cambridge, he said: 'A third of the population of the United Kingdom and over 40 per cent in the United States regularly sleep less than five hours a night, so it is not a trivial problem.

'The current pressures in society to cut out sleep, in order to squeeze in more, may not be a good idea - particularly if you go below five hours.'

Previous research has highlighted the potential health risks of shift work and disrupted sleep.

But the study by Prof Cappuccio and colleagues, which was supported by British government and US funding, is the first to link duration of sleep and mortality rates.

The study looked at sleep patterns of participants aged 35 to 55 at two points in their lives - 1985 to 1988 and 1992 to 1993 - and then tracked their mortality rates until 2004.

The results were adjusted to take account of other possible risk factors such as initial age, sex, smoking and alcohol consumption, body mass index, blood pressure and cholesterol.

The correlation with cardiovascular risk in those who slept less in the 1990s than in the 1980s was clear but, curiously, there was also a higher mortality rate in people who increased their sleep to more than nine hours.

In this case, however, there was no cardiovascular link.

Prof Cappuccio said it was possible that longer sleeping could be related to other health problems such as depression or cancer-related fatigue.

'In terms of prevention, our findings indicate that consistently sleeping around seven hours per night is optimal for health,' he said.

Reuters

6 in 10 S'poreans bored with their sex lives: Survey

26 Sep 2007, ST

Findings of the latest Durex Sexual Wellbeing survey put couples here behind their counterparts in China, Malaysia and Thailand

MORE than half of Singaporeans yawn between the sheets - not because they are sleepy but because they are bored with their bedroom romps.

This is the finding of the latest Durex Sexual Wellbeing survey, which indicated that only 42 per cent of 1,000 Singaporean respondents - either single or married and aged between 20 and 65 - consider their sex lives exciting.

This puts them behind their counterparts in China, Malaysia and Thailand where, respectively, 64 per cent, 62 per cent and 43 per cent of the respondents report satisfactory sex lives.

The annual survey was conducted in August and September last year in 26 countries from France to Japan.

More than 26,000 people were questioned on health, general well-being, education, beliefs, sex and relationships and social circumstances.

Durex, owned by healthcare company SSL International, is the world's leading condom maker, accounting for 26 per cent of the global US$416 million (S$624 million) market.

The results, released yesterday, did reveal one area in which Singaporeans scored highest in the world.

Almost nine out of 10 Singaporeans, compared to eight out of 10 globally, have masturbated at some time. Four in 10 do it once a week.

Two-thirds of Singaporeans have sex at least once a week, but 63 per cent of those think that is not often enough.

But less-than-thrilled Singaporeans are not taking things lying down.

Asked to list things that would improve their sex lives, they mentioned more romance and better communication with partners.

For the record, the folks in Greece are the most eager to jump into bed - 87 per cent of them have sex at least once weekly.

Nigerians are happiest with their sex lives, with 78 per cent of them reporting that it is exciting.

The Japanese are the most miserable with just 10 per cent reporting the same.

----------------------------------

Durex findings

Sexually active Singaporeans aged 20 to 65, either single or married, who:

# Feel their sex lives lack excitement: 58 per cent

# Have sex at least once a week: 67 per cent

# Would like to have sex more than once a week: 63 per cent

# Think oral sex boosts libido: 60 per cent

# Masturbate once a week: 39 per cent

# Wish for more romance in their sex lives: 54 per cent

# Wish for better communication with their partners: 50 per cent

# Use vibrators: 16 per cent

# The average Singaporean male has had eight partners compared to the global average of 13. Austrian men are the most amorous with 29 partners.

# The average Singaporean female has had three partners compared to the global average of seven. New Zealand women take the cake with 20.

Show and sell

25 Sep 2007, ST Digital Life

Make your shots earn money for you as online stock photos. MIKE LEE has the 101 guide

1. Research online stock photo agencies

Word-of-mouth is still ever reliable; most enthusiasts would probably have heard of Shutterstock (www.shutterstock.com) or iStockPhoto (www.istockphoto.com). For readers new to contributing to online stock photo agencies, these two agencies will be a starting point for research.

You can obtain lists of stock photo agencies from websites of associations such as the Picture Agency Council of America (www.stockindustry.org).

Also search for and read discussions about online stock photo agencies on various photography forums; dpreview.com and clubsnap.org are some good places to suss out.

Consider what people are saying about an agency's reputation - particularly how they honour payments to foreign contributors. This is important as you do not want your efforts to go unpaid.

Also read the contributor's sections to get an idea of payment schemes (like how payments are made and image sales royalty percentages), as well as contractual terms and legalese (do they require exclusive distribution rights, indemnification and so on).

Some agencies may also have specific technical requirements. For instance, some may require pictures to be made from cameras with 16-megapixel resolution and above.

Once you are comfortable with a few agencies, surf around their websites, and browse their picture collections to get an idea of the imagery accepted.

Large agencies like Shutterstock has a library of more than 2 million images ranging from happy teens at the beach to a man in a suit pouring coffee down his throat.

On the other hand, small boutique outfits may suit the specialist photographer better, as they target a niche or genre, such as food, animals or transport, which you may specialise in.

2. Register as contributor

Just fill up an online form - provide preliminary details such as your name and e-mail address, plus contacts such as your snail mail and phone number. No worries: this is to facilitate payment after image sales.

The contributor's registration sections are usually placed somewhat discreetly. This is because most sites are designed to cater to the photo buyers first. Look for links labelled 'For Photographers', 'Sell Photos' and the like.

On shutterstock.com, for example, the link 'Photographers - We sell your stock images' is found at the bottom of the homepage.

3. Gather stock photos from archive for first submission

Registration completed, you need to submit your first batch of images. The agency will review your first submission - 10 for the initial lot for Shutterstock.com - to ascertain if your images meet their guidelines, before allowing you full contribution rights.

Choose photos that best fit the agency's content requirements. Edit your images as necessary. For instance, photoshop out the dust and scratches.

4. Upload stock photos

You check back periodically at the contributor's section to see if your first submission passed review, and finally... congrats! Upload more images to grow your stock collection. This is pretty straightforward, though have some patience if your images are large. (Take a coffee break!)

5. Keyword the images

You must keyword your stock photos. This is because buyers use keyword searches to seek photos and good keywording increases the chances of buyers finding your photos.

Check out how the established contributors do it. For example, the top-selling photo on shutterstock.com is of a couple having fun. Other than 'couple' and 'fun' as keywords, the other words tagged are - 'affectionate', 'laughing', 'unity', 'vacation', 'vitality' and so on.

Some buyers look for photos to illustrate abstract concepts. So, keywords should not just describe the obvious content of the photo.

6. Market your stock

You can also publicise links to your stock gallery to increase visitorship. For a start, simply copy and paste the web address of your stock gallery onto your homepage, blog or e-mail signature, for instance.

As you get the hang of things, continue to add new images, market your collection, and tweak keywords to increase the visibility of your stock images!

-----------------------------------

Take stock of these terms

Micro-stock and rights-managed stock are the two main stock distribution methods used. In brief, micro-stock is economical. At Shutterstock, photographers earn US$0.25 (S$0.38) per image download and buyers can download 750 images a month for US$199. So, you will have to make up for earnings in volume or bulk sales.

Rights-managed stock pay more - ranging from tens to tens of thousands dollars, if your image is picked for an advertising campaign, for instance. Rights-managed stock sell less frequently, one obvious reason being they are more costly.

Imagery with fresh perspectives are more valuable. Remember that the buyer has probably had to sift through 1,001 similar photos of the Eiffel Tower already before getting to yours. So, if you were to submit a shot of that tourist attraction, be sure it is not the been-there-done-that type of exposure.

Agencies periodically release a 'wants list', which gives contributors an idea of what is in demand. Also anticipate seasonal demand, for instance, Christmas imagery in the months running up to the holiday.

Search the agencies' help section or Google for information about model releases. You will need one signed by the subject(s) in a people stock photo intended for commercial usage (for example, advertisements and brochures for businesses versus editorial usage).

Where to get help cutting red tape

26 Sep 2007, ST

LIKE other businessmen, I am sometimes frustrated by government rules that do not make sense or are too hard to comply with.

Who can help?

You can approach the Pro-Enterprise Panel (PEP), which was set up with the sole mission of helping cut red tape.

The PEP, a dedicated feedback channel, actively reviews and improves rules and regulations that hinder businesses.

Led by Mr Peter Ho, head of the Civil Service, the PEP comprises mainly business champions from the private sector, such as Mr Dennis Foo, chief executive of St James, and Mr Lawrence Leow, president of the Association of Small and Medium Enterprises.

The strong private sector representation ensures that sufficient consideration from a pro-business perspective applies in the evaluation.

Here is a simple example of how the PEP has helped cut red tape:

A company suggested that there was no need for holders of a Long Term Social Visit Pass to have two similar medical check-ups within a short period - the first when applying for the pass itself and the second when applying for a work permit.

The PEP raised the issue with the Ministry of Manpower and the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority, which accepted the suggestion to streamline the process by linking their systems and sharing medical records.

The change meant savings for businesses, as they no longer have to incur the cost of two medical check-ups.

The PEP has reviewed more than 1,600 suggestions from businesses, of which 54 per cent have been accepted for implementation.

As a result, unnecessary licences have been removed, obsolete laws repealed, regulatory processes streamlined and access to government assistance schemes improved.

To give your suggestions on how to cut red tape or for more information, visit www.pep.gov.sg.

You may also contact Ms Ng Hwee Hong at 6332 7035 or via e-mail at ng_hwee_hong@mti.gov.sg.

Answers are provided by the Pro-Enterprise Panel.

Psst... I'm a Facestalker. Are you?

24 Sep 2007, ST

Checking up on your ex frequently on Facebook qualifies you as a stalker - albeit a cyber one

By Suzanne Sng

I RECENTLY learnt a new hot lingo term - Facestalking.

To my horror, I realised I was guilty of it, that is, stalking someone via Facebook, the social networking website which everyone and his dog is on right now.

On Facebook, you can connect with friends both old and new, prove you are Miss Popularity by adding an insane number of acquaintances, invite them to parties, buy them virtual rounds of tequila, poke them and even throw a sheep or two at them and show off your new man by posting lovey-dovey photos.

You can list your relationship status as a cryptic 'It's complicated', your religious affiliation as a Hare Krishna and your favourite movie as Titanic for all to see, including any potential Facestalkers.

According to the Urban Dictionary, an online dictionary of slang, to Facestalk is to look at pictures, read profile information and/or repeatedly check the status of an individual on Facebook. This person can range from a good friend to someone you have never actually met.

This cyber form of stalking is nowhere close to the dangerous bunny-boiling level of Fatal Attraction, though.

It's human nature to be kaypoh, especially since Facebook (and Friendster, MySpace, Google and the like) makes it so accessible and, more importantly, anonymous.

Almost everyone indulges in it, although the extent varies. Admitting to the act of snooping is a different matter.

Sheepishly, I'll confess to popping now and then to the profile page of an ex from a bygone era and clicking on the photos of him, his wife and kid. More than just prurient interest, I marvel at how he's matured from a complete commitment phobe to a family man.

I have a happily married girl friend who still can't help keeping tabs on her ex, even though they are no longer on speaking terms. Looking at his shenanigans from her laptop screen, she feels vindicated that she has moved on with her life while he is still dating an endless parade of floozies.

Checking on your current squeeze's Facebook is also another form of Facestalking.

While it seems fairly innocent and harmless to, say, monitor the hunky dude that your girlfriend just added as a friend, it can very quickly escalate to something nasty if there is a lack of trust and communication.

Similarly, Facestalking the hottie you met at the club last night is well and fine - you can ascertain her relationship status, for one - but taking it to extremes and bombarding her with naughty gifts and messages isn't hot. Unless, of course, she reciprocates.

A more extreme case is a sweet friend who recently broke up with her boyfriend and spent her working hours scrutinising his photos and comments for evidence of a new gal.

'Everytime the fool was tagged in a picture, I'd scurry to the album to see which new girls he'd been snapped being chummy with and whether this one particular girl was popping up still,' she confesses, adding that at her lowest point, she was obsessively checking on him three times or more every hour.

'I checked on him tons when we first broke up. It was the only point of contact and since I couldn't bring myself to talk to him, checking his page was the only way to do it.'

'I must be coming across like a psycho,' she blurts out, begging me not to reveal her identity.

'I haven't checked his Facebook in two weeks now. It's like an addiction that you have to be weaned off,' she adds.

Another heartbroken friend still frequents her ex's page to check when he is going to take down photos of them together. It makes her agitated - and at the same time hopeful - every time she looks because he still has them there even though the break-up was more than six months ago.

A girl friend owns up to snooping around: 'It makes me feel better when I happen to accidentally stumble on his page all the time.'

She even goes one step further and says candidly: 'I'm just trying to get as many people onto my Facebook so as to give the impression that I'm so popular and doing so well even after the unfortunate incident of our collision that ended in cut-up photos and shredded shirts.'

That works, of course, only if the guy is also Facestalking her.

And while men, in general, are less likely to agonise and analyse every tiny detail on an ex's Facebook, they too are not above poking around for updates.

A guy friend reveals, to my surprise because he doesn't seem to be the nostalgic sort, that he's gone to his ex's page when she added him out of the blue after they swore never to speak to each other ever again.

'I do it on and off just to see what she's up to. After all, we're 'friends' wat,' is his justification.

He adds: 'I don't think boys put out that much info on their Facebook accounts as girls do. Boys seem to have more of the kind of music they're into and perhaps movies. They are more inclined to put pictures of fish, Bart Simpson, Megatron, etc.

'More of my girl friends post where they're going to be, what they're doing and photos. Boys, meanwhile, throw sheep at you.'

At times, I feel so thwarted when all I can dig up is a bunch of question marks about someone from the past. No photos of them with beer bellies, no information on the crucial girlfriend/wife/kid status, no indication whatsoever about how they are doing.

It's the virtual version of a friend sighting the ex and reporting back to you, except you can do it yourself.

Regardless of how well you are doing without him, you will be curious to know. At least I know I would.

More than mere curiosity, itchy fingers and a tinge of nostalgia, there is the satisfaction of knowing that someone I once cared deeply for is alive and well - yes, even if it is without me.

Talk is cheap if you won't put your name to what you say

24 Sep 2007, ST

By Debbie Yong

I MAY be a rookie reporter, but I already have a pet peeve on the job: anonymity.

Recently, I wrote an article about a news picture sent to Stomp, The Straits Times' online interactive portal for citizen journalism.

The source of one entry, Mr K, had captured what he thought was a molester in action on the MRT. He also wrote about how he hoped his posting would help warn fellow commuters and scare off potential crooks.

Impressed by his initiative and good citizenry, I waxed lyrical to my editor about citizen journalism becoming the moral compass and policing force of the next generation.

Then my bubble burst.

When I called Mr K back for his full name, the once-chatty source clammed up. He refused to reveal his identity despite it being a must for credible news reporting.

Had he a valid reason to withhold his identity, such as for the protection of minors, perhaps I might have understood. But despite my coaxing, he only retorted: 'If you want my name, then I don't want you to publish the article at all.'

What about his original motive of helping others, I asked? What was he afraid of?

'I don't care. The media is unreliable,' was all he said.

I felt betrayed by his cop-out. I also resented his approach, which, unfortunately, is the style of some from the Web generation.

Bloggers and forum users do not hesitate to blame mainstream media for not giving them a voice. But when they do get a platform, some go hush suddenly.

If you believe in something, say it. And if you can say it, why not put your name to it?

The fear of backlash should make you refine your opinion, not cower under pseudonyms and initials.

But despite the rants some of my senior colleagues have against the Web generation, I still believe good can come of it, like 'crowdsourced' journalism, among other things.

The term, coined by American journalist Jeff Howe last June, refers to the speed and mass of the community which can be enlisted in collecting information early in the reporting process.

The professional reporter can then step in later to fill in the structure and verify facts.

But those like Mr K have to come around to the idea first. Just as journalists have bylines to hold them accountable, so too, should citizens who want to make a stand.

Even so, Mr K is not alone. Most people, in fact, are afraid of backlash.

But that is exactly why I love getting a byline. As a new reporter, any feedback - positive or negative - is much appreciated. If there is disagreement, all the better; bring out the coffee, let's discuss it.

Another colleague says citizen journalism will need time to take off.

But why wait when we can start now?

The Great Billy Workout

23 Sep 2007, ST

More than 400 people flock to DJ Billy Wang's early morning workout sessions at Kampong Java Park

By Adeline Chia

IT IS 5.30am on a Thursday in Kampong Java Park. The area is lit by the glow of street lamps and the nearby Kandang Kerbau Hospital, but a convivial buzz uncommon in other places at this ungodly hour is building.

Scores of people are busy stretching and jogging while others mill around and chat. On the ground is a curious sight: towels, mats, newspapers and bags placed neatly in lines.

Welcome to the Great Billy Workout, a mass-exercise programme led by popular radio DJ Billy Wang, 44, better known as Dongfang Billy. Dongfang means Oriental in Chinese.

Since July, some 400 people from all over Singapore have been flocking to the park for his hour-long workout from Mondays to Fridays. Saturdays draw even more enthusiasts. There is no workout on Sundays.

The workout starts at 6am but early birds stream in from 5am. All come with a strip of stretchy cloth, a flexible tool used in many of the exercises.

At 5.15am, Wang arrives without fanfare, greets some of the people and proceeds to jog 10 laps around the lake.

At 6am on the dot, streaming with perspiration, he takes his place in front of the crowd and everyone else slips into his own spot quickly.

Following his lead, they move in unison in the leafy surrounds. While the mood is no-nonsense, there is a feeling of camaraderie as some of the crowd repeat his instructions to those at the back who can't hear.

But no instructions are really needed: Everyone knows the moves by heart.

The Taiwan-born DJ, who is now a Singaporean, is an advocate for cancer prevention and cure. In 1993, he was diagnosed with leukaemia but battled it into remission. In 2003, he founded CareCancer Society (Singapore) which helps cancer patients and their families.

He travels regularly to pick up cancer prevention tips. He says he started the workout to keep himself fit and lose weight, as well as to step up his cancer prevention outreach activities.

'In July, I told my listeners about the exercise, and so many showed up. I was really touched,' says the host of a radio programme on MediaCorp Radio's Love 97.2.

He learnt the Kampong Java routine from a Japanese naturopathy centre in Osaka last year. It supposedly stimulates the flow of lymph in the body. The lymphatic system is responsible for helping fluid and waste leave the body and for regulating the immune system.

He says: 'The Japanese masters told me, 'There is no copyright to this exercise. Take it overseas and teach others'.'

The crowd comprises middle-aged aunties, the elderly, some young ones, a handful of cancer sufferers and those wanting to lose weight.

The exercise involves stretching the arms, back and legs, usually done while pulling the cloth strip tight with the hands.

At one point, participants sit down and slap their faces, heads and bellies 150 times each to stimulate blood circulation. Near the end of the routine, they stand in a line, massage the person in front of them and finish with shouting 'Oh yeah, ni zhen bang!' (Mandarin for you are great) to their neighbours.

'Slimming down and fighting cancer can be done only in a group. We need to motivate each other,' says the 1.8m-tall Wang, who has gone from 88.6kg to a trim 71kg.

He is not the only one seeing the benefits. Retiree Angel Tan, 57, says: 'Following his food recipes on his show and his exercise, I went from an XL to S or M.'

Madam Lin Ai Lin, 58, who used to suffer from knee and ankle pains, says she can walk four flights of stairs without sweating. The retiree adds: 'I've lost 10kg since I started.'

But some take offence when LifeStyle suggests that his star power might be a vital attraction. Housewife Yoyo Chia, 45, retorts: 'I'm not exercising because I'm chasing Billy. It's the morning and you're sleeping like a log while I'm here working up a sweat. So who benefits?'

At 7am, when the gentle morning sun spills into the park, most people hurry off to work, breakfast or back home to prepare themselves to listen to Wang's radio programme from 10am to 1pm.

As for Wang, it's back to his nearby Thomson Road penthouse for a shower and a breakfast of vegetables and fruit before the bachelor heads to the MediaCorp studio for work.

Of his hectic schedule, he says: 'Am I tired? Of course. But when I see the faces of those who show up, it's definitely worth my time.'

---------------------------------

Work out at home, too

CAN'T make it down to Billy Wang's early morning workouts? You can do the exercises at home.

All you need is a thin, stretchy strip of cloth about 1.5m long, preferably cut from a T-shirt.

The moves are said to stimulate the lymphatic system by stretching different parts of the body.

This is a selection of poses from the workout, and they are not in the order done at the park.



# With legs two shoulder-widths apart, roll the cloth until they are a handspan apart. Bend forward and hold for eight counts. Do eight sets.



# Hold the cloth above your head. Then bend to the right to stretch the body. Count to eight. Do four sets. Repeat with the opposite side.



# Wrap the cloth around your hands and lift them above your head, shoulder- width apart. Keep feet together and head facing up. Hold for eight counts. Do eight sets.



# Stretch the cloth around biceps with hands in fists pushing at the small of your back. Bend backwards with knees bent and look up. Hold for eight counts. Do eight sets.



# With legs two shoulder-widths apart, stretch out arms and hold the cloth behind your back. Turn the body to the right. Count to eight. Do four sets. Switch sides.


# A DVD has been made of the workout but it will be given only to ticket-holders of 365 Let Love Begin - Top 10 Cancer Fighter Awards at Singapore Expo's Max Pavilion on Oct13 from 2 to 10.30pm.

Tickets at $28, $48, $68, $88 and $100 from www.tdc. sg or call 6296-2929.

Weird & wonderful

23 Sep 2007, ST

'Exotic' vegetables and fruit are coming on the market

By Huang Lijie

CHEF Jimmy Chok could not contain his excitement when he saw broccolini - a cross between broccoli and Chinese kale - sitting on the shelf recently at the Cold Storage supermarket in Holland Village.

He says: 'I'd read about the vegetable and seen it in books. But I never had the chance to get hold of it and cook it myself. It's not commonly known here so stores don't usually carry it.'

The 37-year-old executive chef at The Academy Bistro in the Supreme Court took a few packets of it home and sauteed the 'sweet and tender' vegetable with garlic and butter.

Indeed, fruit and vegetable importers and retailers have been introducing newfangled produce, such as purple cauliflower and yellow-skin watermelons to the market here in recent years.

For importers like Ban Choon Marketing, bringing in novel fruit and vegetables such as black mission figs from Turkey and broccolini is a way to stand out from the crowd.

Retailers, on the other hand, are stocking their shelves with these 'exotic' produce in response to changing consumer demands, and to cater to the ever-growing expatriate market here.

FairPrice, a chain of 79 supermarkets islandwide, now carries such items as blood oranges from Australia, Yukon Gold potatoes from the United States and even square watermelons from Japan in some of its outlets.

A spokesman says: 'Our customers today are well-travelled and exposed to diverse cultures. Hence, they are better able to appreciate fruits and vegetables that are not commonly found in Singapore.'

And Singaporeans' appetite for exotic mushrooms prompted Dr K.K. Tan, 60, chief executive officer of the year-old mushroom farm Mycofarm, to cultivate foreign strains such as the willow mushroom, which is common in Europe, and sell them fresh.

He says that only the dried version was available here before. The mushrooms, with their spindly stems, are fragile and do not ship well fresh.

Mr Tony Ng, 29, fruit and vegetable department manager of Cold Storage at Great World City, says he began offering Kyoho grapes, deep purple and with a fragrant wine-like taste, at the outlet after Japanese expatriate customers asked for them.

He says: 'Even if some of the exotic fruit and vegetables, such as artichokes, don't sell as well, I continue to carry them at the store because I want to ensure that customers who are interested in buying these produce will not be disappointed.'

To grow the local appetite for novel produce, importers and retailers have been reaching out to consumers by offering in-store product sampling. Brief write-ups are also displayed to create awareness.

These efforts are paying off, given the 5 to 10 per cent annual increase in volumes of imports of novel produce, according to the fruit and vegetable importers LifeStyle spoke with.

FairPrice, for example, recently sold out its entire stock of 3,000 Diana watermelons - a Taiwanese breed of yellow-rind red flesh watermelons named after Princess Diana - a week after the fruit hit shelves here for the first time.

And while these exotic items are more expensive than local fruit and vegetables - from a few dollars for items such as yellow dragonfruit and pearl onions, to a few hundred dollars for the square watermelons from Japan - it has not kept people from buying them.

Housewife Felicia Tan, 44, who recently bought yellow dragonfruit and Kyoho grapes from FairPrice Finest in Bukit Timah Plaza, says: 'I don't mind paying for the novel experience and I plan on buying more of these fruits because they're much sweeter than the ordinary dragonfruit and grapes.'

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Fruits

Here is LifeStyle's guide to 20 unusual fruit and vegetables to try out the next time you're at the supermarket:


1. Diana watermelon

Origin: Taiwan
Cost: $2.90/kg at major FairPrice outlets, but currently all sold out

Season: End August to early September
Yum factor: It took octogenarian Chen Wun Yu, a famed Taiwanese horticulturalist, 12 years to cultivate this oblong watermelon, which has a thin yellow rind and sweet and juicy red flesh.


2. Gooseberries

Origin: Holland
Cost: $3.50/punnet at major FairPrice outlets

Season: Year round
Yum factor: This tart berry is full of tiny seeds. While you can eat it on its own, this versatile fruit can also be made into jams or used in sauces for savoury meat dishes.


3. October sun pluot

Origin: USA
Cost: $5.60/kg at major FairPrice outlets

Season: September to November
Yum factor: Pluots are hybrids of plums and apricots and are sweet. This medium-sized fruit has a yellow-green skin with hints of a red blush and crunchy yellow flesh.


4. Baby kiwis

Origin: Australia/New Zealand
Cost: Currently unavailable

Season: Early October to mid-November
Yum factor: These sweet kiwis are the size of small grapes, and the exterior is fuzz-free. Just pop the whole thing in your mouth.


5. Black mission figs

Origin: Temperate regions, stocks are currently from Turkey
Cost: $1.89/100g at Cold Storage, Great World City

Season: August to November
Yum factor: Larger than normal figs, these figs are prized as the cream of the crop because of their nectarine-sweet red flesh. Eat them on their own or use for tart fillings and jams.


6. Kyoho grapes

Origin: Nagano, Japan
Cost: On promotion for $11.90/400g pack at Cold Storage, Parkway Parade till today

Season: July to September
Yum factor: These large plump grapes boast a sweet, wine-like taste.


7. Princess grapes

Origin: USA
Cost: 59 cents/100g at Cold Storage, Great World City

Season: June to November
Yum factor: Unlike the more common Thompson variety, these light green seedless grapes are generally larger, wider and more cylindrical, and have a slight wine-like flavour.


8. Blood oranges

Origin: Australia
Cost: 87 cents/100g at Cold Storage, Great World City

Season:
December to May
Yum factor: The flesh is a deep red colour, reminiscent of blood, and its rind often carries a blush of red. Juicy and sweet, they are slightly less acidic than the usual variety of oranges.


9. The perfect melon

Origin: Nicaragua, Honduras and the US
Cost: $7.95 at Cold Storage, Great World City

Season: August to May
Yum factor: These cantaloupes are hand-picked at peak maturity to ensure that the fruit is the sweetest possible.


10. White chaunsa mango

Origin: Pakistan
Cost: $3.90/kg at FairPrice Finest

Season: July to September
Yum factor: The flesh is such a faint shade of yellow, it's almost white. It also has a honey-like sweetness and it is almost fibreless, unlike most conventional mangoes.

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Vegetables


1. Fennel

Origin: Australia/Holland
Cost: $12/kg at FairPrice Finest

Season: Nearly year round
Cook it: Sweet, mild, crunchy with a slight liqorice flavour, the bulb can be sliced up and sauteed in olive oil or braised. Chop up the feathery fronds and use to flavour soups and stews, or garnish the finished fennel dish.


2. Purple potatoes

Origin: USA
Cost: $3/kg at select FairPrice outlets

Season: End of September to December
Cook it: These potatoes have a naturally creamy flavour and are perfect mashed. Alternatively, use it to make potato chips.


3. Willow mushrooms

Origin: Singapore
Cost: $3.15/punnet at Cold Storage outlets

Season: Year round
Cook it: Firm in texture with a mildly nutty flavour, this fungi works well in stir-frys, or saute them in butter.


4. Broccolini

Origin: USA
Cost: Stocks unavailable at the moment

Season: Year round
Cook it: These tender vegetables are a cross between broccoli and Chinese kale and can be sauteed, steamed or roasted.


5. Celeriac/Celery root

Origin: Holland
Cost: $14.50/kg at FairPrice Finest

Season: Year round
Cook it: This gnarly root belongs to the same plant family as conventional celery. The flavour is a cross between celery and parsley and its texture is similar to that of potatoes. Add raw, julienned strips to salad or use in soups and stews.


6. Savoy Cabbage

Origin: Holland/Australia
Cost: $10.80/kg at FairPrice Finest

Season: Nearly year round
Cook it: Because of its mild flavour, this cabbage is versatile and can be steamed, stir-fried or used in soups and salads.


7. Sugar Loaf Cabbage

Origin: Australia
Cost: 65 cents/100g at Cold Storage Great World City

Season: Nearly year round
Cook it: This cone-shaped cabbage is sweeter than normal cabbages. Best shredded and eaten raw in a salad.


8. Pearl Onions

Origin: USA
Cost: $7 for a 283g pack at FairPrice Finest

Season: Nearly year round
Cook it: Smaller than normal onions, these have a milder and sweeter flavour and can be pickled, roasted or creamed. They are also an ingredient in the classic French chicken stew, coq au vin.


9. Carnival cauliflower

Origin: USA
Cost: Currently not in stock

Season: Year round
Cook it:
The orange variety is rich in the beta carotene which gives carrots their orange colour, and has a creamy taste that makes it ideal for soups. The purple variety has a slightly spicy taste and can be oven roasted. The mild green variety can be used in stir-fries.


10. Purple Flesh Sweet Potato

Origin: Vietnam
Cost: $2/1kg pack at major FairPrice outlets

Season: Year round
Cook it: These spuds are full of antioxidants. Cook this purple root the way you would a normal sweet potato, by grilling, frying or steaming it.

Cookie Cuties

23 Sep 2007, ST

Making cookies this weekend? Here are some creative shapes for your sweet bites

By Brenda Goh


These cutters make 3D cookies by cutting out shapes which you can fit together after baking.
$59.85 from Chong Trading


Chase rainy days away by baking umbrella-shaped cookies.
$3.50 from The Bake It Yourself Store, 182 Bukit Timah Road, Tel: 6100-2253


Let Junior have some fun by getting him to help you make train-shaped cookies.
$2.25 from Chong Trading


Give in to your sweet tooth: Bake cookies shaped like candy.
$1.80 from Ghim Hin Lee, Block 10 Haig Road 01-363/365, Tel: 6742-8388


Whip up a batch of apple-shaped cookies with this cutter. But eating one too many may not keep the doctor away.
$18.50 from Pantry Magic


Make a batch of pretty butterfly-shaped cookies in different sizes.
$18.50 from Pantry Magic, 43 Jalan Merah Saga 01-80 Chip Bee Gardens, Tel: 6471-0566


Celebrating your baby's birthday? Treat your guests to rattle-shaped cookies.
$3.50 from Chong Trading


Personalise your cookies with this unusual cutter which allows you to cut out four guitar- shapes at one go.
$3 from Ghim Hin Lee


Stamp a design on your cookie with this ceramic cookie stamp.
Cookie stamp, $19.80 from The Bake It Yourself Store

No sauce needed

23 Sep 2007, ST

At The Steakhouse, you can savour meats so tasty that they can just be enjoyed on their own

By Wong Ah Yoke

MEAT lovers are spoilt for choice these days.

Hot on the heels of The Prime Society in Dempsey Hill (reviewed in this column two weeks ago) is another steak restaurant which opened in Clarke Quay early last month.


-- PHOTOS: THE STEAKHOUSE

Called simply The Steakhouse, it specialises in Black Angus Beef from Australia. Black Angus is a breed of cow that originated from Scotland and is known for its tenderness and flavour.

The meat at The Steakhouse is certainly good. I would rate it above that at The Prime Society, but not as great as what you get at Morton's of Chicago, which uses USDA Prime from America.

But to be fair, average prices are lower than Morton's, as well as Prime Society's.

Steakhouse's fillet mignon ($44 for 300g), which apparently comes from a 200-day grain-fed cow, is appropriately tender and juicy.



But I prefer a fatter cut like the New York striploin ($48 for 300g), as the well-distributed fat releases bursts of flavour when you chew on the meat.

The only downside is that the cut sometimes comes with a fatty rind attached to a sinewy stub that can be pretty tough on the jaws.

My piece of meat at The Steakhouse is one of those, but it is otherwise tasty and the rest of it, tender enough.

All the steaks come with a choice of sauce, with flavours such as pepper, mushroom, mustard or herb butter.

These are served on the side, so by all means pick one. But my advice is to try your steak without the sauce. That way, you really get to savour the beef.

A unique design concept for the restaurant is that the steaks are grilled in the middle of the dimmed dining room. The grill is set in a round stone island underneath a huge hood to suck up the smells.

Your steak goes straight from the grill to the table once it is done, staying nice and warm on the plate.

Steaks may be the focus here but non-beef eaters need not fight shy of the place. There are other meats on the menu that are just as good, such as the pan-roasted Australian pork chop ($26). It is a chunky piece of meat that is delightfully tender. The marinade, with its herb and honey flavours, gives it an aromatic top note, but it is the flavourful juices of the pork that linger on the palate.

The meat is served with brandy Pommery mustard cream sauce, but as with the steaks, I like it better on its own.

The oven roasted lamb rack ($42) is nicely tender but I would prefer it more seared. Sizzled fat always tastes good, and cooking the meat a wee bit longer would, perhaps, have rid it of its somewhat strong smell.

Among the non-meat offerings, I would suggest the watermelon salad ($12) as a starter.

It is a pretty dish with cubes of lightly pan-grilled watermelon topped with a herb-tomato concasse. The sweet-savoury flavours are interesting, and the dish makes a good precursor to the meats.

Or, if you have less adventurous tastebuds, go for a more traditional warm baby spinach salad ($16). The chef is a tad over-generous with the olive oil, but the combination of greens, sliced mushrooms and bacon bits is classic.

You can give the crab cakes ($22) a miss though, until the chef finds a better recipe. What you get now are four small lumps composed of dry flakes of crab with little flavour.

A good crab cake needs to be crisp on the outside and moist inside, with the shellfish supported by a delicate blend of herbs and seasonings as well as, perhaps, some chopped vegetables and a dollop of mayonnaise.

Desserts here include perennial favourites such as tiramisu and bread and butter pudding. But if you are feeling the weight of the steaks after your main course, the prune sorbet ($12) is just the thing to end the meal with.

It's only slightly sweetened and the tinge of tartness, coupled with the icy sensation, are perfect for a clean finish.

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THE STEAKHOUSE
3B River Valley Road, 01-14 Clarke Quay, Tel: 6332-1010
Open: 6 to 11pm Sundays to Wednesdays,
6pm to midnight Thursdays to Saturdays.

Food: ****
Service: ****
Ambience: *** 1/2
Price: Budget from $70 per person for a three-course dinner without drinks