Honda shuts down Swindon plant for 4 months
Workers at Honda's Swindon factory made the last cars on Friday before a four-month shutdown caused by a sharp fall in worldwide sales. Honda shuts down Swindon plant for 4 months.
Production at the Japanese giant's plant will be halted until June 1, with 4,200 workers receiving full pay for the first two months, reduced to 60 percent for the rest of the shutdown.
Honda has insisted it intends to maintain its Swindon workforce until the Jazz model is due to go into production there later this year.
The shutdown came on a grim day of news for Honda as Japan's second-largest carmaker said its net profit plunged 89 percent in the fiscal third quarter and it slashed its annual earnings forecast by more than half.
It made a net profit of 20.24 billion yen (157 million pounds) for the three months to December, down from 200 billion yen a year earlier.
Japanese car firms have been slashing production and laying off workers to cope with the global economic crisis, which has seen demand for vehicles collapse as potential buyers find finance drying up amid the credit crunch.
In Britain, Nissan has cut 1,200 jobs from its 5,000-strong workforce at its plant in Sunderland in northeast England.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Friday, January 30, 2009
NIKE EXPO SALE - UP TO 60% DISCOUNT
The Nike Warehouse Sale is happening next week from 5-8 Feb 2009 (Thursday - Sunday). Attached is the communication piece. Please help spread the news to your family and friends
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Black Thongs, Leather Pants, & Angel Wings
When you look at this picture, what do you see? Pride? You see an emaciated boy waving a rainbow flag. You see his meaty butt cheeks, strangely disproportional to his toothpick legs. You see a black thong shoved in his crack like a coin in a couch cushion.
Of course, that's not all you can see. It's only what you choose to see. It's what you choose to focus on. That's all anyone wants to focus on at a pride parade – the butts. The nakedness. The showiness. The feathers. The glitter. The surface.
Now look closer. In the background of the photo, to the immediate left of thongboy's head, stands a tiny Asian woman. She's staring at the boy's jiggling crotch-pouch, wearing a horrified expression – the bulge in his Speedo causing her eyes to bulge in shock. Her mouth is wide open, practically lock-jawed. A folded magazine rests atop her head, preventing exposure from the sun – and the shame.
When I finally discovered her in the picture, standing meek and unnoticed inthe background, I realized the tiny Asian woman … is me. Moreover, that tiny Asian woman represents an entire subset of the gay community, mortified and embarrassed by the lewdness of pride parades. Only instead of hiding a face of disapproval under a magazine, I've decided to expose it by writing in one.
The ultimate goal of the parades is to instill a definite sense of self-worth within the gay community, which continues to face oppression and inequality. And yet, many people participating in the parade itself seem to be working against this goal, pushing our progression backwards as the parade marches ahead.
The photo, which I took at a New York City pride parade this summer, illustrates this point. It's a perfect example of false pride. Though the bony boy is "proudly" waving the rainbow flag, a symbol of unity, his conceptualization of pride is deeply cracked – not unlike his own ass.
Not only is his nakedness and showiness pushing social conservatives further to the right, it's causing normal, non-diva gays to disassociate from the celebration.
There are thousands of people who march at the parades (fully-clothed) in support of marital freedom, adoption rights, and equality in the workplace. Unfortunately, because the media focus all of their attention on drag dressers and Harley-riding lesbians, the more conservative demonstrations at the parade are ignored. Their voices are muted by the loud colors and boisterous costumes of the dancing queens, who feel that egotism and whorishness are traits to be proud of.
"It's time to stop parading and start marching," gay columnist Roger Downey says in a June issue of Seattle Weekly. "Sure, let's say it loud: We're gay and proud. Now let's accomplish something we can be proud of."
In Christian theology, pride is said to be the deadliest of all the sins, a trait from which all of the other sins essentially spawn. At the parade in Manhattan, I was reminded of how figuratively fatal pride can be.
THE DEATH OF SOCIAL ACCEPTANCE
I'm on the corner of 50th Street and 5th Avenue – buying a bag of warm nuts from a guy who looks like the Indian version of Alec Baldwin. My friend Kate is across the street buying a hot dog. When she comes back, I notice that – together – it's like we're eating an entire crotch. Appropriate foods for a gay pride parade.
We've just finished shopping at a three-story H&M, and our legs are tired after squirming into countless ill-fitting pairs of skinny jeans. We sit on a bench and watch the floats.
One of the first to pass by is filled with "leather daddies." A group of old men sporting assless leather chaps and shiny dog collars are dancing in locked cages. They're shaking flaps of loose skin to the beat of Britney Spears' "Toxic."
"With a taste of a poison paradise. I'm addicted to you, don't you know that you're toxic?"…
In retrospect, the song seems strangely metaphorical. The leather-clad men in dog collars seemed to be completely unaware of their own toxicity, oblivious of the chemically dangerous effect their actions have on the public perception of the parade.
After all, if the parade is supposed to promote acceptance and equality for the gay community, how could these tacky displays of sexual depravity be thought of as anything other than "toxic?" Is this what we want straight people to see us as? Is this really what we're proud of?
IU senior Peter Hart went to a pride parade in Chicago this year. We discussed the embarrassment of leather daddies over a delicious Grand Slam Breakfast at Denny's.
"They're the reason straight people hate us," he said, balancing a jiggling piece of scrambled egg on his fork. "They're worried that we're all secretly like that – leather-bound, boawearing, sex-crazed freaks.
"I wish the parade were just a whole bunch of gay people dressed normally, nicely," he continued. "Like in suits and dresses and stuff . Nice shoes and cummerbunds … I know it might be really boring in comparison, but it would have such a good message."
At this point in the gay pride movement, the gay community should be focused on moving forward, charging ahead. The fact is if we spend our time dancing in cages, we're not really going anywhere – we're simply locking ourselves out of social acceptance.
MURDERING OUR OWN SELF-IMAGE
I crumble my empty sack o' nuts into a ball and toss it into a trashcan. After making the shot, I focus my attention on an incoming fl oat, which is filled with steroid-pumped men slathered with liquid glitter. They're wearing angel wings, which are strapped tightly to their broad, tanned backs.
Together, they flock towards us – rubbing their bodies sensually from nips to hips.
I'm always worried about how the straight community is affected by what they see at the parades – if it's just throwing more fuel on the Christian fundamentalists' fi re. It wasn't until this past summer, while watching the fallen angels, that I began to wonder about how the parade may be affecting how we see ourselves.
A study published last year in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology shows that gay men report high levels of "body dissatisfaction, body-related stress, eating disorders, and poor body image." Regale this fact to any gay man on campus, and he's bound to give you a hearty laugh. It's like telling Rosie O'Donnell that butter is awesome – the fact is pretty well understood.
Cut to Read Center, fourth floor, freshman year. I walk into the communal restroom to find a gay friend of mine hunched over the toilet, removing the recently eaten chicken dinner from his tummy.
"Are you sick?" I ask him, holding a cupped hand over my mouth.
"No," he says, flushing his purged poultry. "I'm just fat." A growing number of body-conscious gays are tossing their chicken wings to fit into their angel wings. In April, MSNBC published a study on eating disorders within the gay community. Th e results, which were compiled by Columbia University, showed that an estimated 15 percent of gay men suffer from an eating disorder – proving that, once again, this "sinful" obsession with bodily perfection can become deadly.
RESURRECTING OUR PRIDE
Kate and I are winding through a maze of tourists, trying to find an entrance to the subway system. As I'm doing this, I walk straight into a large sheet of pink poster board. On the board is a message that reads: "Together 50 Years, Still Not Married."
Holding it is an elderly man, dressed adorably in J. Crew slacks and a blue ball cap. I apologize to the man, who slightly tips his hat in acceptance. When I finally catch up to Kate, I swivel my head around to look back at the man. He's holding the sign with one hand and his partner's hand with the other. The two men are watching the fl oats together, smiling – the glossy number "50" glistening slightly in the sunlight.
Forget black thongs, leather pants, and angel wings.
"That," I think to myself, "is something to be proud of."
Article printed from INside: http://www.idsnews.com/inside
URL to article: http://www.idsnews.com/inside/
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Thursday, January 22, 2009
STORY BEHIND YOUR DATE OF BIRTH
If U were born on the 1st, 10th, 19th, 28th of any month U r number 1....
If U were born on the 2nd, 11th, 20th, 29th of any month then U r number 2...
If U were born on the 3rd, 12th, 21st, 30th of any month then U r number 3...
If U were born on the 4th, 13th, 22nd, 31st of any month then U r number 4...
If U were born on the 5th, 14th, 23rd of any month then U r number 5...
If U were born on the 6th,15th,24th of any month then U r number 6...
If U were born on the 7th,16th,25th of any month then U r number 7...
If U were born on the 8th,17th,26th of any month then U r number 8...
If U were born on the 9th,18th,27th of any month then U r number 9...
Number 1
You are smart, straight talking, funny, stubborn, hardworking, honest,
Jealous on competing basis, kind hearted, angry, friendly, authorities,
Famous person...always want to be and regarded as first on people
Position, they are often like to be independent, will never be under
Others, self confident people!
You are most likely to fall in love in the younger age, but will get
Marry when you mature! You are likely to have problems with people who have opposite views
And you are most likely to take revenge over your
Enemies in a long time basis. You are a spender, but you will have a good profession in the future.
If you are guy you will be very popular that everybody will have mental attraction and respect at you.
You can go anywhere from the local shop to the heart of the parliament because you are positive and
Well talented in numerous issues!! But in your life you will always have some people who will work hard
To bring you & your name down. This is undercover!! Coz of your smart behavior you will be hated by some
People too...
Your family life is very cool, you will have a very nice partner &
Wonderful children... You are pioneer, independent & original...
Your best match is 4,6,8 good match is 3,5,7 !!!
Number 2
No matter what, you will be loved by every one coz your ruler is the
Moon and every one loves the Moon. Well.. You are a person who day dream a lot,
You have very low-self confidence, you need back up for every move in your life, you
Are very much unpredictable. Means you do change according to time and circumstances,
Kind a selfish, have a very strong sense of musical, artistic talent, verbal communication.
Your attitudes are like the Moon, comes to gloom and fade away so everybody can expect
Changes in you. You can be a next Mahatma Gandhi who does peace love or you can be a
Hitler who wants to destroy the man kind and peace (I mean in the community and your own home).
If you really have a deep thought about your own believe in God you can
Feel the difference which will make you stronger! Most of the time your
Words are a kind of would be happening true! So without any knowledge
You can predict the situation. You will become poets, writers, any
Artistic business people!
You are not strong in love, so you will be there and here till you get
Marry.. If U r a girl you will be a responsible woman in the whole
Family. If U r a man you will involve in fights & arguments in the family or
Vice-versa. Means you will sacrifice your life for the goodness sake of
Your family...You are gentle , intuitive with a broad vision, a power
Behind the scenes, well balanced People!!!
Your best match is 2 ,5 ,9 no other people can put up with you !!!
Number 3
You are a person of hard hearted, selfish most of the times, religious,
Loves to climb up in your life. You always tend to have lots of problems
Within your family in the early stages but you will put up with everything..
You have the strong word power, pretty happy face.. So wherever you go always
You have got what you wanted!!! And from the birth always wanted to work hard in order
To achieve something.. You will not get
Anything without hard work! When you reach a man/ woman age you want other younger
Once to listen to you because you want younger people to respect people older than them.
You do set so many examples to others. Generally you are not a cool person. It's not easy
thing dealing with you. A tough player you are! But once you like someone's attitud! e then
here you go, what can I say? It will be a lasting friendship. You always have respect from others.
Your life seems to have lots of worries and problems but sure they won't be long.. You will always
have brilliant kids!!! You love the money a bit too much so temptation will push you to endless
trying and trying.. If you are a guy then it's over. Looking after your family and help friends, so you
will spend a life time just being generous and kind (except 21st born men). And number 3s you will
be such an example of how to be in the culture & life!!! If you are girl then you have good character
and culture & hardworking attitude. You always follow.. You are a freedom lover, creative, ambition
focused, a person who brings beauty , hope & joy to this world!!!
Your best match 6 ,9. Good match 1 ,3 ,5 !!!
Number 4
You are very stubborn too, very hard working but unlucky in important
matters in life, very cool, helpful, you have rough word power.. Might
put lots of people away from you, you may cause nuisance to others if you are a man,
and you often understands others and their problems well. If you are a girl you are very
good with studies and arts. If you are a guy you spend most of the time after girl friends
(almost) at times, you will have sort of too much fun life with mates & girls. Your friends will
spend your time & money and get away with their life and you will become empty handed and
don't know what to do... So be careful!! You love to spend anyway!!! Your good will is you are
always there to help family and friends. Tell you what you people are little gem! s, specially the girls..
You always fall in love in younger age as well. You often live with disappointments, for an example
you have got a degree in some thing... but you will be unemployed.. or will do very ordinary jobs.
But you will take care of your family very well...All you need to be careful of people who will take
advantage of your kind heart. And beware of your relations too.. You are radical, patient, persistent,
a bit old-fashioned, you live with foundation & order...
Your best Match 1, 8. Good match 5 ,6 , 7 !!!
Number 5
You are very popular within the community, you can get things done by
just chatting..to even enemies! You have a pretty good business mind, you are often
have no-idea what is today is like, or tomorrow is like, you are a person who does anything
when your head thinks "lets do this". You will be famous if you open up a business,
get involve in share dealings, music etc.. Very popular with sense of humor ,you are
the one your friends and families will always ask for help, and you are the one actually
get money on credit and help your friends. You will have more than 1 relationship,
but when u get settle down you will be a bit selfish anyway. Coz your other half will
have a pretty good amount of control in you, be careful! You tend to go for other relationships!
Contacts even you are married at times 'coz your popularity.. You are someone who get along
with anyone coz the number 5 is the middle number.. Changes & freedom lovers you are! You are
an explorer with magic on your face. You learn your life through experience and it's your best teacher!!!
Your best match 1 ,2 ,9. Good match 6 ,8 !!!
Number 6
Ooopppss..you are born to enjoy.. You don't care about others. I mean
you are always want to enjoy your life time, you are a person.. You will be
very good in either education or work wise or business management! You are talented,
kind (but with only people who you think are nice), very
beautiful girls and guys, popular and more than lucky with anything in
your lives. All the goodness does come with you. Your mind and body is just made perfect for love.
You are lovable by any other numbers. But if you are a number 6 man, you will experience kind of
looks from most girls and will involve in more than few relationships until you get married. If you are girl,
most of you will get marry/engaged early. You are ! a caring
person towards your family & friends . If you miss the half-way mark then you are about to suffer physically
and mentally. Generally you will lead a very good inner-home happiness with nothing short of. You are a person of compassion, comfort & fairness, domestic responsibility, good
judgment, and after all you can heal this world wounds to make peace for every life coz you have the great
power of caring talent to make this world of love one step further...
Your best match 1, 6, 9. Good match 4, 5!!!
Number 7
You have got the attraction to anyone out there, you are realistic,
very confident, happy, such a talented individual with your education,
music, arts, singing, and most importantly acting too. You have real problems
with bad temper! If you are a girl, you are popular with the subjects listed above.
You give up things for your parents. I mean you value your family status a lot, you will be
in the top rank when you reach a certain age. If you are a guy you are popular with girls,
you are a very talented too. Most of the number 7s face lots of problems with their marriage life.
Only a very few are happy. You have everything in your life, but still always number 7s have some sort of unfullfilness, such worries all their lifetime. It's probably the Lord given you al! l sort of over the
standard humans talents and you are about to suffer in family life. So you need to get ready looking
for a partner rather than waiting. If you don't, then you might end-up single. So take care with this issue,
ok? You are wonderful, friendly, artistic, happy person.. You are born to
contribute lots to this world!!!
Your best match is 2. Good matches are 1,4 !!!
Number 8
You are a very strong personality, there's no one out there will
understand you. You are very good at pointing your finger at some thing and say "this is what".
You are more likely to suffer from the early ages. I mean poverty. If your times are not good
you might lose either of your
parent and end up looking after your entire family. You often suffer all the way in life.
The problems will not allow you to study further, but you will
learn the life in a very practical way. You are the one who will fight
for justice and may die in the war too. You are normally very reserved with handful of
friends and most of the time live life lonely and always
prepared to help others. Well. once you get married (which is often
late) then your bad lucks will go away a bit and you! u become safe. You will face un-expected
problems such as : the error, government, poisonous animals, accidents. You are some one with
great discipline, persistence, courage, strength which will take you to success. You are a great part
of a family team. You are a fighter!
Your Best match 1 ,4, 8. Good match 5 !!!
Number 9
Hey....you guys are the incompatibles people in the world. You are so
strong, physically and mentally... You are often have big-aims. You will work
hard and hard to get there.
Normally you suffer in the early age from family problems and generally you
will have fighting life.. But when you
achieve what you have done, it's always a big task you have done! You are so much respected in
the community, you are a person who can make a challenge and successfully finish the matter off.
You are very naughty in your younger age, often beaten up by your parents and involve in fights
and you seemed to have lots of injuries in your life time. But when u grow you become calm and macho type.
Love is not an easy matter for you. You are good in engineering or banking jobs coz people always trust you.
Your family life is very good, but will have worries over your children.
Your such qualities are humanitarian, patient, very wise & compassionate.
You are born to achieve targets and serve every one all equally without any prejudice.
You are totally a role model to anybody in the world for a great inspiration.
Your Best match 3, 5, 6, 9. Good match 2
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Singapore in worst-ever recession after Q4 slump
SINGAPORE, Jan 21 - Singapore's economy shrank the most on record in the last quarter of 2008 and the government forecast a 5 percent contraction this year and a possible fall in consumer prices, which may prompt a one-off currency devaluation.
A government declaration that the economy was suffering its worst ever recession and official forecasts of a continued slump suggested to analysts the central bank could push down the centre of the trading band for the Singapore dollar, effectively devaluing it to help the key export sector.
The grim figures, largely a reflection of Singapore's exposure to the slump in global trade, also pave the way for an expansionary budget on Thursday as the government scrambles to shelter the economy from the worst global financial crisis in decades.
"The Singapore economy is going through its sharpest, deepest and most protracted recession," the Trade Ministry's Second Permanent Secretary Ravi Menon told journalists.
Government data showed gross domestic product shrank in the fourth quarter at a deeper-than-expected and seasonally adjusted rate of 16.9 percent, the biggest fall on record and the third consecutive quarterly contraction. Provisional figures had reported a 12.5 percent slump.
From a year earlier, gross domestic product fell 3.7 percent.
That left 2008 growth at just 1.2 percent, an abrupt turnaround from a 7.7 percent expansion in 2007 when the stock market <.FTSTI>, financial services and property prices were booming.
The government downgraded its view of the economy for the second time in just three weeks, reflecting the rapid deterioration in the global economy that has seen much of the developed world slip into recession.
Singapore now sees GDP falling between 2 percent and 5 percent this year, which would be the worst performance on record, with consumer prices flat to down 1 percent.
"The official acknowledgement of deflation risks keeps alive a strong possibility that an eventual downward band re-centring could be on the cards in April," said Kit Wei Zheng at Citigroup, adding it could also restore some cost competitiveness.
However, the central bank said on Wednesday its monetary policy stance was intact after it moved to zero appreciation for the currency in October to counter the global financial crisis.
It said it had no plans to review policy before a scheduled meeting in April.
Singapore manages monetary policy by adjusting the value of its currency in a secret trade-weighted band.
A sustained slide in prices can be damaging for an economy if it leads to a fall in demand as buyers hold back from making purchases in anticipation of yet lower prices.
However, Prakriti Sofat, an economist at HSBC, said in a note that the risk of sustained deflation in Singapore was remote since consumer prices would fall as the boost from high food and other commodity prices drops out of the annual price comparison.
The Singapore dollar fell to 1-� month low of 1.512 against the U.S. dollar after the GDP data, compared with 1.51 before the data.
It was trading at 1.5044 at 0516 GMT. The central bank said it saw no reason for a persistent weakening of the currency after it fell from a record high in July.
For key central bank and government quotes [ID:nSP422528]
JOB LOSSES
"I'm bearish for the Singapore dollar," said Irene Cheung, currency strategist at Royal Bank of Scotland in Singapore.
"I expect monetary policy to remain accommodative -- they should have recentred the band earlier, but they might still do it -- the sooner the better."
The government expects non-oil domestic exports, which make up around 70 percent of the Southeast Asian city-state's economy, to shrink 9 percent to 11 percent this year, while total trade, which includes entreport activities, may plunge 17-19 percent.
Its manufacturing industry contracted by 10.7 percent in the fourth quarter from the previous year, while services industries recorded no growth. Financial services in Southeast Asia's banking capital fell 1.8 percent.
Singapore last reported three straight quarters of economic contraction in 2001 after the dotcom bubble burst in the United States, badly hurting the island's big electronics sector.
Reflecting the downturn in Singapore, sales of watches and jewellery, popular tourist buys, have fallen. German fashion label Hugo Boss has a 50 percent sale on its suits this month and a night club is offering beer for a dollar to entice customers.
Economists expect the government to unveil fiscal stimulus measures on Thursday in its annual budget and a senior government minister said this week it might tap its multi-billion-dollar reserves for the first time to tackle the slump.
Stimulus measures could include infrastructure spending, tax rebates, training and targeted help for the poor.
"The results show the further deterioration from the global downturn and Singapore is hardly immune from it. I believe there will be emphasis for fiscal measures for the Singapore budget tomorrow, stimulus measures and bolstering for a safety net," said David Cohen of Action Economics. (Additional reporting by Kevin Lim and Saeed Azhar; Editing by Neil Fullick)
A government declaration that the economy was suffering its worst ever recession and official forecasts of a continued slump suggested to analysts the central bank could push down the centre of the trading band for the Singapore dollar, effectively devaluing it to help the key export sector.
The grim figures, largely a reflection of Singapore's exposure to the slump in global trade, also pave the way for an expansionary budget on Thursday as the government scrambles to shelter the economy from the worst global financial crisis in decades.
"The Singapore economy is going through its sharpest, deepest and most protracted recession," the Trade Ministry's Second Permanent Secretary Ravi Menon told journalists.
Government data showed gross domestic product shrank in the fourth quarter at a deeper-than-expected and seasonally adjusted rate of 16.9 percent, the biggest fall on record and the third consecutive quarterly contraction. Provisional figures had reported a 12.5 percent slump.
From a year earlier, gross domestic product fell 3.7 percent.
That left 2008 growth at just 1.2 percent, an abrupt turnaround from a 7.7 percent expansion in 2007 when the stock market <.FTSTI>, financial services and property prices were booming.
The government downgraded its view of the economy for the second time in just three weeks, reflecting the rapid deterioration in the global economy that has seen much of the developed world slip into recession.
Singapore now sees GDP falling between 2 percent and 5 percent this year, which would be the worst performance on record, with consumer prices flat to down 1 percent.
"The official acknowledgement of deflation risks keeps alive a strong possibility that an eventual downward band re-centring could be on the cards in April," said Kit Wei Zheng at Citigroup, adding it could also restore some cost competitiveness.
However, the central bank said on Wednesday its monetary policy stance was intact after it moved to zero appreciation for the currency in October to counter the global financial crisis.
It said it had no plans to review policy before a scheduled meeting in April.
Singapore manages monetary policy by adjusting the value of its currency in a secret trade-weighted band.
A sustained slide in prices can be damaging for an economy if it leads to a fall in demand as buyers hold back from making purchases in anticipation of yet lower prices.
However, Prakriti Sofat, an economist at HSBC, said in a note that the risk of sustained deflation in Singapore was remote since consumer prices would fall as the boost from high food and other commodity prices drops out of the annual price comparison.
The Singapore dollar
It was trading at 1.5044 at 0516 GMT. The central bank said it saw no reason for a persistent weakening of the currency after it fell from a record high in July.
For key central bank and government quotes [ID:nSP422528]
JOB LOSSES
"I'm bearish for the Singapore dollar," said Irene Cheung, currency strategist at Royal Bank of Scotland in Singapore.
"I expect monetary policy to remain accommodative -- they should have recentred the band earlier, but they might still do it -- the sooner the better."
The government expects non-oil domestic exports, which make up around 70 percent of the Southeast Asian city-state's economy, to shrink 9 percent to 11 percent this year, while total trade, which includes entreport activities, may plunge 17-19 percent.
Its manufacturing industry contracted by 10.7 percent in the fourth quarter from the previous year, while services industries recorded no growth. Financial services in Southeast Asia's banking capital fell 1.8 percent.
Singapore last reported three straight quarters of economic contraction in 2001 after the dotcom bubble burst in the United States, badly hurting the island's big electronics sector.
Reflecting the downturn in Singapore, sales of watches and jewellery, popular tourist buys, have fallen. German fashion label Hugo Boss has a 50 percent sale on its suits this month and a night club is offering beer for a dollar to entice customers.
Economists expect the government to unveil fiscal stimulus measures on Thursday in its annual budget and a senior government minister said this week it might tap its multi-billion-dollar reserves for the first time to tackle the slump.
Stimulus measures could include infrastructure spending, tax rebates, training and targeted help for the poor.
"The results show the further deterioration from the global downturn and Singapore is hardly immune from it. I believe there will be emphasis for fiscal measures for the Singapore budget tomorrow, stimulus measures and bolstering for a safety net," said David Cohen of Action Economics. (Additional reporting by Kevin Lim and Saeed Azhar; Editing by Neil Fullick)
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Monday, January 19, 2009
Wearing shorts and tank-tops is akin to prostitution???
Original comments from a reporter when MDIS came out with this rule
WHEN the Management Development Institute of Singapore (MDIS) enforced a dress code for its students two months ago, it led to an uproar among the students.
Much as I would like to say I support such a rule, I found, unfortunately, that I was more inclined towards indignation.
Why? Because having graduated not long ago, I was one of those students who dressed casually.
Shorts, micro-skirts, tank-tops ? I wore them all.
I understand the conservatives who protest that a tertiary institution deserves respect, and that dressing appropriately on the premises is required.
But I take offence when people say that wearing shorts and tank-tops is akin to prostitution.
The dress code prompted a Stomp contributor to comment: ?You go (to school) to get an education, not to prostitute yourself.?
I believe Singapore has not come to the point where having long hair and wearing a tank-top constitutes prostitution.
Besides, isn't a tertiary institution one which promotes independence, creativity and exploration?
My university years were among the best times of my life – well, partly because I did not have to wake up early.
Rouse me from bed before 7am and I turn into an emotionally-unstable grouch.
More importantly, it marked for me my first tentative steps as an adult.
I was happy because of the freedom that I was enjoying for the first time.
To me, university is a time when you break away from the constraints of secondary school and junior college, with their rigid class schedules and uniforms.
It is also the period where you are taught to stand on your own feet; where there is freedom to choose your modules, freedom to study when you want to, freedom to go as you will, freedom to think beyond things that are taken for granted, and freedom to dream.
And, of course, freedom to dress as you like.
During this time, you get to learn discipline as well as manage your time and life in a way that works for you.
We will wear more solemn – and appropriate – clothes for the next 40 years, so do we really have to start so young?
Only in a comfortable and non-restrictive environment can we learn how to express ourselves and build our own identity.
When you bind students to an unforgiving dress code, it is somewhat incongruous with the vision universities have of nurturing creativity and critical thinking in their students.
My take on the matter?
Give tertiary students a break. Allow them to enjoy this period of their life, and let them grow up at their own pace. Because, trust me, they will in due time.
myp@sph.com.sg
The reply from a reader...
Fine to dress down - outside school
I REFER to the commentary, 'Wearing shorts sluttish? Give me a break' (my paper, Jan 14).
I am aware of the situation the columnist refers to, having graduated from a tertiary institution not long ago.
When I was in campus, there were many students who dressed casually in shorts, micro- skirts and tank-tops. Some students sported dyed hair and came to classes with thick make-up.
I am not for or against their style of dress, which is now common. However, I wish to point out the fact that most local tertiary institutions and universities (except junior colleges, which have uniforms) uphold a common dress code.
Many students in these institutions pursue higher learning for the sake of professional advancement.
Thus, I hope that these students would be responsible when it comes to their actions, moral obligations and, yes, dressing.
As pointed out by the writer, students' university years mark their first steps into adulthood. Dress is an important indicator of one's image, regardless of one's race, religion or social background.
Students should be grateful that they have the opportunity to further their studies and contribute to Singapore's progress.
Dressing sloppily in class could project a negative image not only to lecturers, but also to the general public.
My question is: What is so wrong about dressing appropriately for school?
Everyone has many opportunities in their private lives, such as at home and at outings with friends, to dress casually and let their hair down.
I hope that my honest opinion on the issue will not be seen in a negative light.
Mr Muhammad Dzul Azhan Haji Sahban
WHEN the Management Development Institute of Singapore (MDIS) enforced a dress code for its students two months ago, it led to an uproar among the students.Much as I would like to say I support such a rule, I found, unfortunately, that I was more inclined towards indignation.
Why? Because having graduated not long ago, I was one of those students who dressed casually.
Shorts, micro-skirts, tank-tops ? I wore them all.
I understand the conservatives who protest that a tertiary institution deserves respect, and that dressing appropriately on the premises is required.
But I take offence when people say that wearing shorts and tank-tops is akin to prostitution.
The dress code prompted a Stomp contributor to comment: ?You go (to school) to get an education, not to prostitute yourself.?
I believe Singapore has not come to the point where having long hair and wearing a tank-top constitutes prostitution.
Besides, isn't a tertiary institution one which promotes independence, creativity and exploration?
My university years were among the best times of my life – well, partly because I did not have to wake up early.
Rouse me from bed before 7am and I turn into an emotionally-unstable grouch.
More importantly, it marked for me my first tentative steps as an adult.
I was happy because of the freedom that I was enjoying for the first time.
To me, university is a time when you break away from the constraints of secondary school and junior college, with their rigid class schedules and uniforms.
It is also the period where you are taught to stand on your own feet; where there is freedom to choose your modules, freedom to study when you want to, freedom to go as you will, freedom to think beyond things that are taken for granted, and freedom to dream.
And, of course, freedom to dress as you like.
During this time, you get to learn discipline as well as manage your time and life in a way that works for you.
We will wear more solemn – and appropriate – clothes for the next 40 years, so do we really have to start so young?
Only in a comfortable and non-restrictive environment can we learn how to express ourselves and build our own identity.
When you bind students to an unforgiving dress code, it is somewhat incongruous with the vision universities have of nurturing creativity and critical thinking in their students.
My take on the matter?
Give tertiary students a break. Allow them to enjoy this period of their life, and let them grow up at their own pace. Because, trust me, they will in due time.
myp@sph.com.sg
The reply from a reader...
Fine to dress down - outside schoolI REFER to the commentary, 'Wearing shorts sluttish? Give me a break' (my paper, Jan 14).
I am aware of the situation the columnist refers to, having graduated from a tertiary institution not long ago.
When I was in campus, there were many students who dressed casually in shorts, micro- skirts and tank-tops. Some students sported dyed hair and came to classes with thick make-up.
I am not for or against their style of dress, which is now common. However, I wish to point out the fact that most local tertiary institutions and universities (except junior colleges, which have uniforms) uphold a common dress code.
Many students in these institutions pursue higher learning for the sake of professional advancement.
Thus, I hope that these students would be responsible when it comes to their actions, moral obligations and, yes, dressing.
As pointed out by the writer, students' university years mark their first steps into adulthood. Dress is an important indicator of one's image, regardless of one's race, religion or social background.
Students should be grateful that they have the opportunity to further their studies and contribute to Singapore's progress.
Dressing sloppily in class could project a negative image not only to lecturers, but also to the general public.
My question is: What is so wrong about dressing appropriately for school?
Everyone has many opportunities in their private lives, such as at home and at outings with friends, to dress casually and let their hair down.
I hope that my honest opinion on the issue will not be seen in a negative light.
Mr Muhammad Dzul Azhan Haji Sahban
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