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SINGAPORE: A suspected Omicron cluster has been detected at an Anytime Fitness outlet located in Bukit Timah Shopping Centre, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said on Tuesday (Dec 21). Three COVID-19 cases have been linked to the gym, of whom two have tested "preliminarily positive" for the Omicron variant. The result for the remaining case is pending. None of the cases has recent travel history. In its press release issued shortly after midnight, MOH said epidemiological investigations found that the three cases visited Anytime Fitness at Bukit Timah Shopping Centre between Dec 15 and Dec 17. All three cases are fully vaccinated and have mild symptoms. The cases are also being ringfenced through contact tracing, added MOH. The first case, identified as Case 280856, is a 24-year-old man who is unemployed. He developed a sore throat and fever on Dec 18 and sought medical attention at a general practitioner (GP) clinic where he underwent a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test. His test result came back positive for COVID-19 infection on the same day. The second case is an 18-year-old student at Ngee Ann Polytechnic. The woman, known as Case 280951, was last in school on Dec 15. She developed a sore throat and fever on Dec 18 and also sought medical attention at a GP clinic where she was tested for COVID-19. Her PCR test result came back positive for COVID-19 infection on Dec 19. The remaining case is a 21-year-old student at At-Sunrice GlobalChef Academy but had not been to school recently. Known as Case 280990, the man developed a sore throat on Dec 18 and sought medical attention at a GP clinic where he was tested for COVID-19. His result came back positive on Dec 19. MOH said staff members and visitors of Anytime Fitness at Bukit Timah Shopping Centre who are identified to be close contacts of the cases will be placed on quarantine. As a precautionary measure, other visitors to the gym between Dec 15 and Dec 17 will be issued health risk warnings (HRW). They will also be contacted by MOH for a one-time targeted PCR test. "All visitors to the affected premises are advised to monitor their health closely, and minimise social interactions as far as possible, for 14 days from their date of visit. They are encouraged to see a doctor immediately if they feel unwell," said MOH. The Health Ministry added that to date, there are 71 confirmed Omicron cases detected in Singapore, with 65 imported cases and six local cases. "Given its high transmissibility and spread to many parts of the world, we should expect to find more Omicron cases at our borders and also within our community. It is important for everyone to continue to play their part and remain vigilant to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, and to come forward to receive your vaccination or booster dose when offered," it added. Source: CNA/zl(ac)

alrdy said in nov 20 that the vaccines r likely to be ineffective liao. omicron lumber 1!!!!!! wahahahahahhaha

@HarrisY What up my dkgk master. Today give money away to who?

Night view

Better than robbing a 7-11 pr petrol kiosk for $98.56. If you want to do, then do it big

t is disappointing that the private decision of couples to remain child-free often becomes a matter of public scrutiny, requiring justification and clarifications against mischaracterisation. I often hear couples' reasons for remaining child-free dismissed on the grounds that any hardship or opportunity cost is far outweighed by the joys of having children (Having kids is challenging but brings boundless joy, Nov 23). Among the common reasons cited to have kids is to treat them as a means to an end. They are seen as retirement plans and future caregivers. It is here that we must acknowledge the changing times. Having children is no longer an economic necessity. This allows us to recognise that the choice to accept the hardship of parenthood and to bring a life into this world is ours alone to make. However, the burden of living is for the child alone to bear, and it is a burden, to be sure. Climate change is an existential threat that the world is woefully unprepared to address. Global temperature rise is likely to exceed 2 deg C within the century. We will see a new norm of extreme weather events, rising sea levels and food supply disruptions which will inevitably bring about humanitarian, ecological, economic and geopolitical crises. The bush fires, typhoons and heat waves that have already hit the world are but a tiny glimpse of what is to come. And let's not forget other issues such as worsening pollution, rising living costs and housing prices, and deterioration of mental health. With such a bleak outlook, I am hard-pressed to find the moral justification to bring another life into the world. It is disheartening to see these genuine concerns trivialised and brushed aside. Couples are told that they should not worry about the future and instead worry about regretting not having children. However, their fear and apprehension of the future are well-founded and should not be overridden by expectations of their societal roles or dismissed through misguided optimism. Our generation's optimism will not be the remedy for the misfortune of the next.

Craving for some scrumptious dim sum? Hong Kong Zhai Dim Sum is just the place to head to! The popular dim sum restaurant has recently opened its third outlet in Singapore at Marina Square! Founded in 1988, Hong Kong Zhai started operating out of a central kitchen, serving up ready-to-cook and frozen dim sum. Customers can now enjoy their delectable dim sum via catering and delivery and can also head down to their other two outlets at Bedok and Ang Mo Kio! Hong Kong Zhai’s Third Outlet In Singapore Photo: 香港仔点心之家 Hong Kong Zhai Dim Sum (Facebook) Opening at Marina Square Level 2, the restaurant will serve HK-style dishes such as wanton noodles, bo luo you, French toast, dim sum, and many more! Additionally, they also serve popular drinks like the Hong Kong Milk Tea! Prices start as low as $1.20 and just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, all items are nett price and you do not have to pay additional GST and service charge! That’s a deal you simply can’t miss out on! Here’s a look at the menu to tantalize your tastebuds: Related Articles This 100% Natural Australian Honey Sparkling Drink Is Your Best Healthy Alternative To Soft Drinks December 16, 2021 McDonald’s Giving Away Free Breakfast Picnic Package With Purchase Of Breakfast Family Meal Till Dec 12! December 9, 2021 Image: 香港仔点心之家 Hong Kong Zhai Dim Sum (Facebook) Photo: 香港仔点心之家 Hong Kong Zhai Dim Sum (Facebook) Enjoy classic dim sum dishes such as siew mai, har gow, and liu sha bao. Customers can also sink their teeth into popular Hong Kong dishes such as the Bolo Bun, French toast, and rice roll. With these many side dishes to choose from, be sure to head down with your friends and family and try them all! Photo: 香港仔点心之家 Hong Kong Zhai Dim Sum (Facebook) Image: 香港仔点心之家 Hong Kong Zhai Dim Sum (Facebook)

SINGAPORE — The teen who made the news last year for doing a backflip inside the Singapore Zoo's white rhinoceros enclosure and then posting a video of the incident on his TikTok account was on Monday (20 December) made to undergo reformative training for one year. Ralph Wee Yi Kai, 19, had last month pleaded guilty at the State Courts to taking cannabis, causing unnecessary suffering to a frog, possessing imitation tobacco products, trespassing into the rhino enclosure, and committing mischief by damaging property. Another six counts of a similar nature were considered in sentencing. Backflip video viewed over 55,000 times On 17 December last year, Wee trespassed into the zoo's rhino enclosure, which had a low fence, to do the backflip. His then 18-year-old girlfriend filmed the act and posted it on her private Snapchat account while Wee posted it on his public TikTok account. Wee's clip was viewed 55,000 times by the time a police report was made by the zoo's deputy director of park operations later the same day. The culprit later removed the video at the behest of the police, but reposted it the next day, before being told again to remove it. He claimed that he thought the video had been made private. Wee also included a link to a page selling T-shirts and hoodies with the words "rhino ralph" in his Instagram account. However, he denied creating the merchandise profile and later removed the link. Killed frog at friend's home Just a week after the trespass incident, Wee killed a frog at his friend's home in Sentosa Cove. His friend bought two packets of frogs for a prank. Wee placed one of the 17 frogs on a foosball table and directed a ball at high speed towards it. The frog was hit and died from the impact, with the act captured on film by a friend. Wee later cut up the dead frog and threw it into a canal. Earlier, on 9 October last year, Wee also caused damage to public and private property. He kicked an information panel at a bus stop, causing $900 worth of damage. He also kicked the side mirrors of a Mercedes Benz car, causing $2792.70 in damage. A taxi driver who saw the culprit standing in the middle of the road with a beer bottle in hand called the police. On 6 August this year, Wee was arrested at his home and his urine samples tested positive for cannabis. He admitted to consuming the drug in his bedroom. The next month, three police officers went to the Institute of Mental Health (IMH), where Wee was warded, to arrest him for failing to attend his court hearing. Six pieces of e-cigarette pods were seized among his belongings. Wee had been admitted to IMH for drug and alcohol abuse, as he had acted aggressively towards his parents when he demanded for drugs. He was warded due to the risk he posed to his parents, the court heard. Wee was also placed on compulsory supervision for 60 months from 16 December last year. He was required to present himself for urine tests on each Tuesday and Thursday, but failed to turn up on four occasions. By then, he had already been placed on electronic tagging, having been charged for his earlier offences. He had to stay at home from 10pm to 6am as part of his bail conditions. But on the night of 26 October, Wee became upset at his father, who had asked him to sleep early since he had to report for his urine test in the morning. After an argument, Wee cut off his electronic tag with a pair of pliers and then cycled to a friend’s home. Reformative training is a rehabilitative sentencing option for young offenders aged under 21 who are found to be unsuitable for probation. A stint at the Reformative Training Centre lasts between 18 and 30 months. Offenders will not have contact with adult prison inmates. The sentence carries a criminal record.

https://www.facebook.com/100008855223223/videos/448093883508941 https://www.facebook.com/watch?v=445084710482500 https://www.facebook.com/watch?v=177586254547652 https://www.facebook.com/100004196103945/videos/893954604652445

laugh die me sia... the real hard sad truth ish dat chiu dis chao ah gua still need to crawl around chiur boss n say "yes/no sir" rike his dkg slave dog wahaha song boh WERK ISH FOR DKGKS WAHAHA!

hard sad truth ... ah boi only know how to throw $$$ to tiong bus to boobslap and fart at him

From 23 Dec to 3 Jan, Tomy's ATK and mangala werkers can oso shout WERK ISH FOR DKGKS! ani huan noe y? wahaha

Quite like the way this video is trying to convey. My thoughts is some of these entities feed/attract on negetive thoughts/energy which one's projected out.

SINGAPORE: You know what’s a real generational change when it comes to work life? The fact that long gone are the days when employees began their careers at and retired from the same company. On average, people will change jobs 12 times in their lifetime in the US. While the economic uncertainty caused by COVID-19 initially had employees holding off on career changes, many are now taking the plunge, almost two years into the pandemic. This wave of employees voluntarily leaving their jobs, dubbed the “Great Resignation”, has been described as a backlog of pent-up resignations. At a first glance, Singapore appears to be bucking the global trend. Many businesses have been spared from dramatic spikes in turnover rates. In fact, resignation rates in the first two quarters of 2021 have stayed below pre-pandemic rates. But if global trends hold true, it’s only a matter of time before Singapore sees a new wave of resignations soon. Still, the drivers might be different. Unlike the US, where stagnant wages, poor benefits and lack of productivity gains have seen people quit in droves, economists have said Singapore’s tight labour market and strict measures on foreign labour mean salaries might surge upwards in search of rare talent. To fill vacant roles, employers may consider hiring remote overseas talent. Others may take a long-term approach to nurture local talent, by hiring and training fresh graduates or less experienced employees. REALITY REMAINS THAT WORKERS FEEL DISENGAGED Singapore has some of the most resilient employees in the world, but they are also among the most disengaged. According to ADP’s Global Workplace Study 2020, Singapore had the sixth lowest employee engagement rate out of 25 countries surveyed, but was only ranked as the fourth most resilient workforce. Left unchecked, low engagement is an early indicator of eventual burnout and high turnover rates. This pattern is also observed in other research. In ADP’s annual workplace survey, People at Work 2021, Singapore workers expected themselves to stay at their current organisation for an average of 3.35 years, down from 3.61 the previous year. Younger millennials, aged 25 to 34, had one of the largest decreases in their projected employment term, from 3.5 to 3.05 years. The same survey found that approximately one in three respondents from this age group were more interested in contract work, due to concerns about the relative security of traditional full-time employment. The disruption of the global pandemic has been a pull factor for employees to find different ways to stay employable. Findings also indicated that 59 per cent of Singaporean respondents had considered or made a switch to new jobs or industries, in order to stay future-proof. Battered by two years of pandemic-related anxiety, along with unclear boundaries and expectations from bosses during WFH, experts have also suggested that “apocalyptic thinking” could be driving employees to quit. There are common threads running throughout employees’ reasons for resigning, including the ever-present spectre of burnout – leading employees to pursue deeper meaning and satisfaction with life. All these mean the Singaporean workforce seems to be handling the challenges thrown their way, but are largely “going through the motions” and not especially engaged at work. Employees are dreaming of carving out new career paths for themselves, and they are more willing than ever to take risks along the way. Tired worker. (Photo: IStock) THE GREAT RESHUFFLING OF TALENT Perhaps a new way to look at The Great Resignation would be as a reshuffling of talent - a natural progression from fast-tracking our workforce’s learning and development. Rather than seeing high turnover rates as a threat, employers could view this as a sign that employees are hungry for fulfilment and career growth defined on their own terms, and figure out how to provide these new areas of job satisfaction. For employees who are seeking new horizons, companies should offer breadth, depth and accessibility in learning and development opportunities. Healthy challenges can prevent boredom at work. Organisations should create opportunities for employees to advance their career, be it through “stretch assignments”, specially assigned to push employees beyond their comfort zone, or job rotations to try out new areas of work. One strategy that businesses can deploy to keep things dynamic for stagnated teams is to introduce exchange programmes, where employees swap ideas and pick up new skills for projects or roles usually handled by other colleagues. This keeps ideas fresh, encourages greater collaboration, and could open new career paths or responsibilities within the same organisation. GROWING OPPORTUNITIES FOR LEARNING Aligning expectations between employers and employees is crucial too. The Monetary Authority of Singapore projects that employment levels will not return to pre-pandemic levels, even by end-2022, partly due to employers increasing labour productivity. This is not surprising, given the national focus on boosting workforce learning and development – but employers must keep in mind that learning and development should be geared towards future-proofing businesses and employees’ careers, and be wary against increasing workloads. Adequate training and support must be provided in the bid to increase productivity, and even when employees are able to take on a wider range of tasks with their newfound skills, employers should take caution that they aren’t being overburdened. About two in three Singapore survey respondents in ADP’s People at Work 2021 survey indicated that they had taken on more responsibilities or taken on new roles due to COVID-19 disruption. Yet, almost a third (27 per cent) of these respondents stated that they received no additional training or renumeration from their employers. It is vital for companies to understand that higher productivity should not result from additional work hours, but from a combination of improved processes, effective upskilling, and respect for employees’ well-being. Employees too should feel appropriately appreciated for their work. In addition to competitive salaries, the most attractive employee entitlements in a post-pandemic workplace will offer personal autonomy of one’s work-life balance. A bored employee working from home. (Photo: iStock) GIVE EMPLOYEES FLEXIBILITY IN TAKING LEAVE Take annual leave for example. With snap COVID-19 restrictions derailing plans and schedules, and possibly creating last-minute work tasks, employees need greater flexibility in choosing when to take breaks. Employees should be assured of having a good support system where teammates can willingly and easily cover each other’s work demands. Companies need to build a culture of trust and collaboration that empowers employees. Actively consulting employees on working processes – including leave approval and task allocation – is a great opportunity to build such a culture. The highly volatile post-pandemic era demands greater agility from both employees and employers. Employees are searching for purpose-driven careers that offer flexibility and fulfilment. Employers who can support this hunger for growth within their organisations will be able to build a highly driven and engaged workforce – one with a greater staying power. Yvonne Teo is vice-president of Human Resources, APAC at ADP.

Everyone work for money. No such thing as loyalty. if I got talent I will return my nric. I got no reason to stay here as it not worth it

KGK.. if he didn't gamble away he could've join jlo on the run wif $$$

SINGAPORE - A man in his 30s leapt out of his second-storey flat in Yishun to escape a fire on Sunday afternoon (Dec 19). A cleaner from Bangladesh, Mr Hamid, who goes by one name, told The Straits Times he had tried to break the man's fall with a discarded sofa after hearing him cry for help. "I saw him dangling outside the window so I tried to do whatever I could to help him," said the 34-year-old. "But by the time the sofa had been moved, he had fallen to the ground." The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said a person with injuries was taken to Khoo Teck Puat Hospital. The SCDF was alerted to the fire, which involved the contents of a kitchen, at Block 512A Yishun Street 51 at about 1.50pm. About 50 people had evacuated their homes prior to the arrival of the firefighters, it added. On Monday, seven friends of the injured man spent about eight hours cleaning his three-room flat. A housewife who wanted to be known only as Madam Ida, 40, said her friend, a delivery rider, never hesitated to help others no matter how far away they were. All 12 storeys above the flat also bore marks of the fire. Among those most affected was resident M. Lum, 27, who is renting the flat just above the unit on the third storey. The human resources executive said: "I was woken up by the smell of smoke when the fire happened on Sunday. I then heard a loud sound. "The smoke became too much so my husband and I rushed downstairs. We stopped for a few minutes outside the second-storey unit to check if our neighbour was home but no one answered the door." The fire involved contents of a kitchen. PHOTO: SHIN MIN DAILY NEWS The heat from the fire was so intense that it melted her air-conditioner compressor and blackened her kitchen and service yard. "My husband and I were planning to move to a Build-to-Order flat next month," she said, adding that the flat belonged to her uncle. "And now we have to deal with additional bills of repairing the damage because we just found out that the flat's insurance has expired." SCDF is investigating the cause of the fire.

Only matter of time omicron will spread in the community with the way govt open up the borders.

Moles are more than just small black or brown lesions on your skin. They are also identification marks and can even indicate a person’s luck in life. Believe it or not, but these marks or lucky moles on face or elsewhere on body have a deeper meaning. And, their placement can reveal a lot about your future. As per Hindu beliefs, how a mole is placed on your body can say a lot about your financial status and your personality. What Do Lucky Moles On Face Or On The Body Signify? 1. Forehead lucky moles on face Image source: iStock According to certain Hindu beliefs, a mole on the right side of the forehead indicates that you will make a lot of money and travel a lot. While one placed on your left indicates that you may be stingy with your money. 2. Eyebrows If you have a mole between your eyebrows, this could mean immense wealth and good health in the future. A mole on the end of your eyebrow is also said to suggest happiness and great interpersonal skills. Win-win! 3. Eyelids Having a mole on either one of your eyelids indicates a rich and famous lifestyle. A mole on the upper eyelid is also said to bring the advantage for new opportunities. While one on your lower lid may indicate that you are an over-spender. 4. Chest Moles on the chest are extremely common and indicate good luck. They signify ambition and you can expect great things to happen in your life. If you plan ahead, you will surely win the race. 5. Ears If you’re born with a mole on your inner or outer part of the ear, you are sure to develop a taste for luxury in life. It may also indicate that you love spending on others and making those around you happy. However, this generosity only works if you are a good financial planner. 6. Lips lucky moles on face Image source: iStock If you have a mole around your upper lip it can bring luck to your bank balance. Not only that, it is also indicates promising success and good fortune. If you have a mole on your lower lip, it indicates that you love to gamble- no matter if love or money! 7. Shoulder lucky moles on face Image source: iStock It’s a good sign if you’ve got a mole on your right shoulder since it indicates that you know how to manage your finances. This personality trait is sure to lead to success in life. 8. Right palm Image source: iStock If you’re one of those who has a mole on their right palm, you are sure to bring wealth and success to yourself and those closest to you. This placement also indicative of your calm demeanour and foresight. Whether you have lucky moles on face or anywhere else on the body, fact is that it’s not so much their size, shape, or colour that matters, but their placement when it comes to luck.

With some easing of Covid-19 rules, Singaporeans are hitting the cinemas for some well-deserved R&R during the festive season. However, a woman was squicked by what she allegedly found on her seat at Shaw Theatres Lido — a condom. More from AsiaOneRead the condensed version of this story, and other top stories with NewsLite. A couple apparently got into the mood and indulged in some hanky panky in the cinema and left an unpleasant 'souvenir' behind. "It was the most traumatising moment of my entire life," TikTok user Jiaxiv wrote on Dec 17. While some netizens were equally disgusted by the revelation, one asked an important question. Another netizen pointed out that the cinema operator could have video evidence of the act while others suggested how Shaw Theatres and the authorities can track down the culprits. Of course, some tried to lighten the mood with some puns. Last October, another couple was caught fooling around in a cinema at Shaw Theatres Lido. A CCTV clip supplied by an employee showed a woman straddling a man's lap, with no other people around them. The manager warned the couple to stop the inappropriate behaviour, and the pair left after the movie screening ended. "Shaw Theatres does not condone such behaviour and requests that our patrons respect our cinemas for their intended purpose of film appreciation and entertainment," a spokesman told Stomp. AsiaOne has contacted Shaw Theatres for more information.

Free show for at least 10ppl...

at 12.55min, WTF, i was right per 100ml, there 480ml of sodium

i stop eating 1.5yr ago as it just too expensive. Very heng the craving for mala nv return. so i dont think i will ever eat it. can feel it salt level is very high

SINGAPORE — More than half a century ago, Mount Alvernia Hospital opened with just 60 beds. All it had was a crew of about 30 Roman Catholic nuns doubling up as nurses and performing all sorts of clinical and operational duties. What powered them to work — without the modern “personal protective equipment” available during this Covid-19 pandemic now — was their dedicated, never-say-die attitude to serve and heal the sick, backed by their strong religious beliefs. Now, during this prolonged Covid-19 pandemic, these nuns are no longer the dominant figures walking around the grounds of the hospital, whose presence had been living reminders of the resilience needed to serve those in need. The hospital located on Thomson Road turned 60 this year. It is Singapore’s first private hospital and the only not-for-profit private hospital here providing acute tertiary care. Dr James Lam Kian Ming, 51, its chief executive officer, told TODAY that the hospital had planned a celebration to mark its 60th anniversary but as with all things, this was derailed by Covid-19. Last Wednesday (Dec 8), as part of celebrations for the founding of the Roman Catholic Church in Singapore 200 years ago, he gave a presentation at the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd in the Bras Basah district on the hospitals' past contributions and upcoming projects. Like other hospitals coping with the global health crisis that is Covid-19, Mount Alvernia Hospital faces an advancing problem: Healthcare workers on the front lines showing unprecedented signs of exhaustion and burnout. Dr Lam is aware of the worrying trend of more healthcare workers leaving the sector and how that would play out in the long run, even though he recognised the complexities of dealing with the issue. The pandemic has pushed new ground in some areas such as triage — assessing and prioritising patients based on how urgent and serious their illnesses are — and the adoption of technology have gotten better, he said. However, employee attrition, burnout and mental stress continue to be a point of concern, especially for foreign healthcare workers who may not be able to go home to be with their family. Dr Lam said: “Even if they want to take leave, some of their home countries may not allow entry. That is something we are very concerned about. “Anecdotally, we know we are also losing some of our foreign staff like nurses to other countries. “Every country’s healthcare team will be burned out and everybody will need reinforcement, so those countries are welcoming healthcare staff and rolling out the red carpets, maybe giving them and their families permanent residency or citizenships.” Dr Lam spoke of the “heartache” that comes from losing a healthcare worker, especially one who has had years of experience and training in his or her field of work. The hospital could not provide specific figures on how many have left. “Some of the healthcare staff are already very well-trained in Singapore. Not only that, they have also become very localised, as part of the system and part of our society,” he said. “I feel that to lose them, for example, after five to eight years’ experience as an operating theatre nurse or intensive care unit nurse — it’s very ‘heartache’.” However, he also acknowledged that it is not a matter that can be easily tackled at an institutional level. “Maybe we should review strategies at a higher systemic level to see how we can keep these colleagues with us for a longer term,” he suggested. Last month, Dr Janil Puthucheary, Senior Minister of State for Health, disclosed in Parliament that resignation rates among healthcare workers, including foreign doctors and nurses, are going up. Around 1,500 healthcare workers resigned in the first half of this year compared with the 2,000 yearly before Covid-19. Dr Puthucheary said that the resignations were mostly tendered for personal reasons, such as migration or moving back to one’s home countries. He also said that signs of fatigue can be seen among healthcare workers who have been battling the pandemic for more than 20 months, with a large proportion unable to take leave since last year. In attending to the various stresses on doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers, Mount Alvernia Hospital relies on a team that is unique to it. It is the only hospital here that has a clinical pastoral care team. This unit looks after the emotional and spiritual needs of patients, their families and employees regardless of their religion. Dr Lam said: “Our clinical pastoral care team is amazing and it’s a unique service we provide. They play a very important role in patient care and also help our staff when they feel stressed. We also extend the service to doctors. “During this pandemic, we have appealed to our staff not to be shy to reach out to our clinical pastoral care colleagues who can lend a listening ear. They are all trained to give advice.” The 16-member team, which includes three nuns, is made up of Catholics and Christians who are trained in clinical pastoral education. 10 things you may not know about Mount Alvernia Hospital Mount Alvernia Hospital in 1961, operationally ready to receive its first patients. Photo: Mount Alvernia Hospital 1. Three Roman Catholic nuns were the pioneers who started the initiative to build the hospital. Sister Angela McBrien, Sister Mary Camillus Walsh and Sister Mary Baptista Hennessy, first worked with tuberculosis patients at Tan Tock Seng Hospital, which then became known as Mandalay Road Hospital. Later, they cared for patients in the Lepers Camp, an isolated community of lepers housed at Trafalgar Home in Woodbridge. In 1952, they were given an opportunity to start a private hospital when medical facilities got increasingly crowded and there was a need for nursing care and healthcare services among the population. They pooled their salaries, canvassed for donations and eventually collected enough to build one on what was then known as Thomson Hill. The signboard erected at the foot of the Thomson Hill site in the mid-20th century, advertising the future Mount Alvernia Hospital. Photo: Mount Alvernia Hospital Catholic nuns exploring the site of the future Mount Alvernia Hospital. From left to right: Sister Mary Baptista Hennessy, Sister Mary Camillus Walsh, Sister Raphael McDowell, Mother Angela McBrien and Sister Philippa Crofton Sleigh. Photo: Mount Alvernia Hospital 2. Mount Alvernia Hospital was officially opened on March 4 in 1961 by philanthropist and businessman Lee Kong Chian, who had been one of the key donors. In the first four months after it opened, the Singapore Free Press reported at the time that 10 per cent of the patients received free treatment. The nurses working there were from the Franciscan Missionaries of the Divine Motherhood (FMDM), an international religious congregation of Catholic women and nuns. The hospital is wholly owned by the FMDM congregation. It continues to cater to all Singaporeans and foreigners regardless of religion, race and nationality. 3. In the earliest days, the nuns running Mount Alvernia Hospital numbered around 30. They were professionally trained in England as nurses, midwives, physiotherapists, radiographers, laboratory technicians and dispensers. They did everything themselves at the hospital. They scrubbed off blood clots and stains from bedlinen. They cooked meals for the patients, washed dishes, cleaned the rooms and even drove an ambulance — all while juggling clinical and operational responsibilities. 4. The hospital’s present CEO James Lam Kian Ming said that Sister Andreina Chin, one of the nuns from the pioneer cohort, is now retired and still living at the St Francis Convent within the hospital compound. After training in England and Ireland, she returned to Singapore in 1964 and helped to set up a department of pathology and a blood bank, making Mount Alvernia Hospital the only private hospital in Singapore to have its own blood bank at the time. A baby being blessed at the hospital's chapel before the Covid-19 pandemic. Photo: Mount Alvernia Hospital 5. A unique feature of the hospital, which is known for its obstetrics and paediatric services, is its chapel. There, patients may get their babies blessed by a member of the clinical pastoral care team. The parents get a photograph in a card with the baby’s name. Ms Karen Poon, director of missions at the hospital, said that the service was offered to Catholics at first. “Later, there were patients who asked us, ‘Eh, how come they have a special service and we don’t have?’ So we decided to bravely ask the others as well if they wanted it.” Dr Lam said that among the parents who asked to have their babies blessed, more than half are not Christians. “If you ever have a chance to go to Mount Alvernia Hospital to visit a patient, for example, do drop by the chapel,” he added. “A lot of my solutions to my difficult problems are answered in the chapel when I go there for reflection and prayers.” 6. It is working on new projects to cater to the growing needs of patients. Dr Lam said that the hospital is adding a new 10-storey block to house maternity and paediatric services including delivery suites and a neonatal intensive care unit, but the opening — which was meant to be in November — has been delayed due to the pandemic. An integrated cancer centre is also a work-in-progress due to construction hold-ups for almost a year. It will hopefully be ready next year, he said. An upcoming cancer centre under construction at Mount Alvernia Hospital. Photo: Raj Nadarajan/TODAY 7. There is no charge for tending to emotional needs of people under its care. Being the only hospital here that has a clinical pastoral care team, which looks after the emotional and spiritual needs of patients and their caregivers, it means that patients may ask staff members at the wards for a pastoral carer if they want a listening ear or are anxious about their impending surgery and want someone to pray with them or talk to them, for instance. For services rendered by this team, the hospital does not charge patients. 8. The hospital has outreach programmes for the needy. These include general practitioner and dental clinics at Enabling Village in the Lengkok Bahru-Redhill area and Agape Village in Toa Payoh for the vulnerable. Patients get heavily subsidised treatments. The inclusive dental clinic at Enabling Village has a tilter for dental works so that patients need not get out their wheelchairs. Fees are priced from $10 a visit. A wheelchair-friendly dental clinic at Enabling Village. Photo: Mount Alvernia Hospital/Facebook 9. In 2004, TODAY reported that the hospital started looking at foreign patients in the medical tourism market. It is a not-for-profit hospital so the surplus from the tourist dollar was to fund its overheads and subsidiaries, which include Assisi Hospice as well as medical missions overseas. The hospice provides palliative care for the terminally ill in home-care, in-patient or day-care settings. 10. Dr Lam hopes the hospital may continue to do more in the outreach space. “What else can we do? Are there current gaps that we can help plug in the healthcare system?” Referring to the hospital’s founders who had helped bridge the gap in healthcare needs among the population in the early days, Dr Lam said: “When the nuns started the hospital, they had nothing and no fear. “Not forgetting, too, that they were Westerners from Europe who did not speak our languages in those days when people here spoke dialects like Hokkien and Cantonese, but they still came, got on with it and got things done. “It must still be in our DNA to be brave and pursue something not because we want to, but because it has to be done and it is needed.” Expand to view CATCHING UP WITH PATIENTS Another thing that Dr Lam is concerned about is the impact that the prolonged pandemic has on patients with chronic conditions who have postponed their non-Covid-19 appointments and treatments. Mount Alvernia Hospital, which has 319 beds in total, has set aside two wards with 86 beds to take in Covid-19 patients. “Giving up beds (to Covid-19 patients) will indirectly affect this. At some point, we need to catch up (with these patients who have postponed appointments). The effort won’t be small because it’s been a long two years.” Although treatments for serious conditions such as stroke, infections, heart problems and cancer have continued in the past two years, there could be potential negative outcomes due to patients putting off treatments for their other medical conditions, Dr Lam said. “It is a big unknown that will be hard to assess. Take patient suffering, for example. “Let’s say I’m an elder with a bad knee and need a total knee replacement. If I delay the operation, will I die? No. “But will I suffer? Yes, because by the time the doctor and patient decide they want to do the knee replacement, the pain up to that point would have been quite excruciating. “Also, because of the delay, if there is a fall, a fracture occurs and the patient is hospitalised, one thing could lead to (other complications),” he added. “ When you have a build-up of unpleasant experiences, this sometimes push people out of the industry. That’s why I sometimes tell the team, for that one unpleasant incident, do not forget the other 99 patients who are very appreciative. Dr James Lam Kian Ming, chief executive officer of Mount Alvernia Hospital ” DRIVING UP HEALTHCARE STANDARDS The pandemic has certainly driven healthcare services to improve in some aspects, of work processes and human behaviour needing to be changed to align with unexpected or urgent needs. Dr Lam said: “As social creatures, we have been ‘anti-social’ for two years to fight the pandemic so everyone is stressed. When there is a trigger, there may be a flare-up.” There have been unpleasant experiences with visitors, relatives and even patients, he added. “I think as healthcare workers, we are on the receiving end. Therefore, we all need to be more resilient, and I think the customer service aspect has levelled up.” THE VALUE OF 'PEACE' Dr Lam joined Mount Alvernia Hospital in 2017. He said that he was inspired by its rich history and founders. Before that, he served as CEO of Thomson Medical Group and was also the group director of the Applied Sciences Group and Blood Services Group at the Health Sciences Authority. Through tough times like these, Dr Lam hopes that the team would be reminded of and embrace the hospital’s core values of “compassion, humility, integrity, respect and peace”. These were the values upheld by the hospital’s founding Catholic nuns, who had arrived in Singapore in the late 1940s to serve patients whom society had shunned. “When I first joined Mount Alvernia five years ago, the core value of ‘peace’, in particular, really called out loudly to me. “I have been in different organisations and I have never come across such a core value," Dr Lam said. “It has helped me a lot as an individual. I like to joke that in Mount Alvernia, when we quarrel, we try to do so peacefully. “If we can embrace this value (of peace), it will help us grow as a person. If we practise it, patients and relatives will benefit.” His hope is that the team at Mount Alvernia would find peace and satisfaction in their work, and “appreciate the loveliness of being a healthcare worker, so that it is no longer just a job anymore, it becomes rewarding for them”. He said: “Working in the healthcare sector is a calling and blessing but because of the stress of daily living, challenging customers and workload to manage, many of us in healthcare may have forgotten that. “When you have a build-up of unpleasant experiences, this sometimes push people out of the industry. “That’s why I sometimes tell the team, for that one unpleasant incident, do not forget the other 99 patients who are very appreciative.” Raj Nadarajan/TODAY Dr James Lam Kian Ming, chief executive officer of Mount Alvernia Hospital, sitting in a chapel within the hospital premises. On his part, Dr Lam also tries to walk the talk when handling work challenges. He said that he is a “fairly peaceful” person and believes in the importance of communicating clearly and putting in effort to “listen more, not just hear”. When handling complaints or issues at work, he views these challenging moments not as problems but as opportunities to show more compassion and settle the matter “peacefully”. A TOUGH BUT MEANINGFUL MISSION Dr Lam said of the other reason why he chose to join the hospital: “What appealed to me a lot is that Mount Alvernia is a not-for-profit hospital, which sets us apart from the rest of the hospitals in the private sector.” As a not-for-profit hospital, annual surplus generated does not go back to shareholders. It also does not raise funds like a charity. The surplus is used in several ways, for example, ploughed back to the hospital’s development and reserves. It also goes into supporting community outreach activities for needy patients. He knows that it will be not be easy to run a mission hospital like this with healthcare costs rising and needing to keep the business sustainable. “While swimming in a sector that is very high-cost, maintaining good quality in healthcare cannot be compromised. “We are competing in the same space for resources as other hospitals while trying to keep our fees reasonable, maintaining quality standard as well as doing things that are unique to Mount Alvernia,” he said.

https://www.asiaone.com/lifestyle/restaurant-chain-sbcd-korean-tofu-house-opens-hawker-stall-ang-mo-kio-similar-menu-more

A jogger was sent tumbling after a cyclist collided into him along a park connector. A video of the incident was shared on Singapore Silly Cyclists' YouTube page. It is unclear where or when this happened. The cyclist is seen travelling along the cycling path when he comes head-to-head with the jogger. The jogger appeared to dart to his left only to end up right in front of the bike. The jogger falls to the ground and the cyclist jumps off his bike. Netizens pointed out the jogger should not have been in the cycling path while others said the cyclist should not have been going so fast.

There has been an increasing trend in phishing scams where scammers impersonate banks and target victims through SMSes or Facebook advertisements, the police warned. Since November 2021, at least 27 victims have fallen prey to such scams with reported losses amounting to at least $109,000. In some of these cases, victims would receive unsolicited SMSes claiming that there were issues with their iBanking accounts. They would be asked to click on a link in order to resolve the issues. In other cases, they would come across fake bank advertisements on Facebook offering prizes. Upon clicking on the links embedded within these texts and ads, victims would be redirected to fake bank websites and asked to key in their iBanking account login details. Victims would discover that they had been scammed when they received notifications informing them of unauthorised transactions charged to their bank accounts. Members of the public are advised to follow these crime prevention measures: Do not click on dubious URL links provided in unsolicited text messages and online advertisements; Always verify the authenticity of the information with the official website or sources; Never disclose your personal or Internet banking details and OTP to anyone; and Report any fraudulent transactions to your bank immediately. If you have information related to such crimes or if you are in doubt, please call the police hotline at 1800-255-0000, or submit it online at www.police.gov.sg/iwitness. For urgent police assistance, call '999' More information on scams can be found on www.scamalert.sg or via the anti-scam hotline at 1800-722-6688.

Companies need to build a culture of trust and collaboration that empowers employees. eh hello SME is not call SME for nothing

Long Queues At MacRitchie TreeTop Walk On 19 Dec Last week, the IG-famous MacRitchie TreeTop Walk finally reopened to the public after closing for a year. As a testament to its popularity, a picture of a long queue to enter the bridge, shared on the Singapore Hikers Facebook group, has gone viral. Source With the pandemic ongoing, experienced hikers have urged caution when visiting the suspension bridge. Although queue times were reported to have run for as long as 45 minutes, visitors can check on data provided by NParks before heading down to avoid these queues. Queues move fast at Treetop Walk On Sunday (19 Dec), a visitor posted a picture of a long queue outside the entrance of the MacRitchie TreeTop Walk to the Singapore Hikers Facebook Group. The queue seems to stretch quite a distance, with authorities standing close by, monitoring the eager hikers. According to a comment, the alleged wait to enter the Treetop Walk was about 45 minutes. Thankfully, the queue moved fast. Source However, another hiker allegedly waited only 10 minutes to get to the bridge when he was there in the morning. Source Although many netizens left comments lambasting the queuing culture of Singaporeans, one netizen empathised with those in the queue. She remarked that some of them may be new to the hobby and only have free time during the weekends, even though weekdays may be less crowded. Source Beat the crowd by heading down during weekdays To avoid queues, visitors can refer to the Safe Distance at Parks website by NParks, which collates traffic at nature destinations around Singapore, including the Treetop Walk. Source For instance, there is a “moderate” level of visitor traffic on weekends, from 9 to 5 pm. If you intend to beat the crowd, consider heading down during the weekdays. But do note that the attraction is only open from 9 am to 5 pm on weekdays. It is closed on Mondays. According to NParks, the best time to visit is between 10.30 am to 3.30 pm. Be mindful of crowds, practise safe distancing With hiking and other hobbies becoming extremely popular during the pandemic, this sight is familiar to most Singaporeans. If the alleged waiting times are to be believed, waiting a short while for a sight to behold is a small price to pay. Just remember to be socially distanced, and everyone can enjoy the attraction safely.

eat this la

Xmas wonderland…xmas time, the best time of the year~

so little protein. enough meh?

Come here today…wake me up when december ends…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPqa0rQrbDo Cannot embed, have to click through

i will bring you to ho ching court