國內外科學家在研究開發抗癌蔬菜方面不斷取得新突破、新成果。 通過對40多種蔬菜抗癌成分的分析與實驗性抑癌的實驗結果，從高到低排列出20種對癌有顯著抑制效應的蔬菜，供大家參考。其順序是：
1 熟甘薯 Sweet potato (cooked) 98.70%
2 生甘薯 Sweet potato (raw) 94.40%
3 蘆筍 Asparagus 93.70%
4 花椰菜 Broccoli 92.80%
5 捲心菜 Cabbage 91.40%
6 菜花 Cauliflower 90.80%
7 歐芹 Parsley 83.70%
8 茄子皮 Eggplant 74.00%
9 甜椒 Pepper 55.50%
10 胡蘿蔔 Carrot 46.50%
11 金花菜 Golden cauliflower 37.60%
12 苤藍 Kohlrabi 34.70%
13 薺菜 Capsella 32.40%
14 芥菜 Mustard 32.40%
15 雪裏紅 Xue Lihong 29.80%
16 番茄 Tomato 23.80%
17 大蔥 Onion 16.30%
18 大蒜 Garlic 15.90%
19 黃瓜 Cucumber 14.30%
20 大白菜 Bok Choy (Chinese Cabbage) 7.40%
科學的實驗分析證明，在蔬菜王國裏，熟、生甘薯的抗癌性，高居於蔬菜抗癌之首，超過了人參的抗癌功效。 在人們常吃的蔬菜中，番茄所含的茄紅素，是一種抗氧化劑，能夠抑制某些致癌的氧游離基。 菠菜、芹菜等深綠色的蔬菜，含有豐富的抗氧化劑，且綠色越深，抗癌效果越強。 蔥、大蒜等刺激性蔬菜，含有大量抑制癌生長的化學物質。
Reference from
http://www.philcheung.com/Health/index2.htm
Friday, December 2, 2011
Friday, January 7, 2011
Oprah, Dr. Perricone, and Green Tea
A recent Oprah Winfrey show featuring Dr Perricone mentioned the benefits of green tea, and led to a lot of positive publicity about Green Tea. Here is a transcript of the show:
Oprah: Now I've read in your book that you said if I just replaced coffee with green tea instead, that I could lose 10 pounds in six weeks.
Dr. Perricone: Absolutely.
Oprah: Now really. How could that -- what is the big deal about this?
Dr Perricone: Coffee has organic acids that raise your blood sugar, raise insulin. Insulin puts a lock on body fat. When you switch over to green tea, you get your caffeine, you're all set, but you will drop your insulin levels and body fat will fall very rapidly. So 10 pounds in six weeks, I will guarantee it.
Oprah: I'm gonna do that. OK. That is so good! Whoo! That is great.
-- The Oprah Winfrey Show: "Look 10 Years Younger in 10 Days" -- Nov 10, 2004
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Story of Appreciation - A Lesson to learn
One young academically excellent person went to apply for a managerial position in a big company.
He passed the first interview, the director did the last interview, made
the last decision.
The director discovered from the CV that the youth's academic
achievements were excellent all the way, from the secondary school until the postgraduate research, never had a year when he did not score.
The director asked, "Did you obtain any scholarships in school?" the
youth answered "none".
The director asked, " Was it your father who paid for your school fees?" The youth answered, "My father passed away when I was one year old, it was my mother who paid for my school fees.
The director asked, " Where did your mother work?" The youth answered, "My mother worked as a clothes cleaner. The director requested the youth to show his hands. The youth showed a pair of hands that were smooth and perfect.
The director asked, " Have you ever helped your mother wash the clothes
before?" The youth answered, "Never, my mother always wanted me to study and read more books. Furthermore, my mother can wash clothes faster than me.
The director said, "I have a request. When you go back today, go and
clean your mother's hands, and then see me tomorrow morning.*
The youth felt that his chance of landing the job was high. When he went back, he happily requested his mother to let him clean her hands. His mother felt strange, happy but with mixed feelings, she showed her hands to the kid.
The youth cleaned his mother's hands slowly. His tear fell as he did that. It was the first time he noticed that his mother's hands were so wrinkled, and there were so many bruises in her hands. Some bruises were so painful that his mother shivered when they were cleaned with water.
This was the first time the youth realized that it was this pair of hands that washed the clothes everyday to enable him to pay the school fee. The bruises in the mother's hands were the price that the mother had to pay for his graduation, academic excellence and his future.
After finishing the cleaning of his mother hands, the youth quietly washed all the remaining clothes for his mother.
That night, mother and son talked for a very long time.
Next morning, the youth went to the director's office.
The Director noticed the tears in the youth's eyes, asked: " Can you tell me
what have you done and learned yesterday in your house?"
The youth answered, " I cleaned my mother's hand, and also finished
cleaning all the remaining clothes'
The Director asked, " please tell me your feelings."
The youth said, Number 1, I know now what is appreciation. Without my mother, there would not be the successful me today. Number 2, by working together and helping my mother, only I now realize how difficult and tough it is to get something done. Number 3, I have come to appreciate the importance and value of family relationship.
The director said, " This is what I am looking for, to be my manager.
I want to recruit a person who can appreciate the help of others, a person who knows the sufferings of
others to get things done, and a person who would not put money as his only goal in life. You are hired.
Later on, this young person worked very hard, and received the respect of his subordinates. Every employee worked diligently and as a team. The company's performance improved tremendously.
A child, who has been protected and habitually given whatever he wanted, would develop "entitlement mentality" and would always put himself first. He would be ignorant of his parent's efforts. When he starts work, he assumes that every person must listen to him, and when he becomes a manager, he would never know the sufferings of his employees and would always blame others. For this kind of people, who may be good academically, may be successful for a while, but eventually would not feel sense of achievement. He will grumble and be full of hatred and fight for more. If we are this kind of protective parents, are we really showing love or are we destroying the kid instead?*
You can let your kid live in a big house, eat a good meal, learn piano, watch a big screen TV. But when you are cutting grass, please let them experience it. After a meal, let them wash their plates and bowls together with their brothers and sisters. It is not because you do not have money to hire a maid, but it is because you want to love them in a right way. You want them to understand, no matter how rich their parents are, one day their hair will grow gray, same as the mother of that young person. The most important thing is your kid learns how to appreciate the effort and experience the difficulty and learns the ability to work with others to get things done.
He passed the first interview, the director did the last interview, made
the last decision.
The director discovered from the CV that the youth's academic
achievements were excellent all the way, from the secondary school until the postgraduate research, never had a year when he did not score.
The director asked, "Did you obtain any scholarships in school?" the
youth answered "none".
The director asked, " Was it your father who paid for your school fees?" The youth answered, "My father passed away when I was one year old, it was my mother who paid for my school fees.
The director asked, " Where did your mother work?" The youth answered, "My mother worked as a clothes cleaner. The director requested the youth to show his hands. The youth showed a pair of hands that were smooth and perfect.
The director asked, " Have you ever helped your mother wash the clothes
before?" The youth answered, "Never, my mother always wanted me to study and read more books. Furthermore, my mother can wash clothes faster than me.
The director said, "I have a request. When you go back today, go and
clean your mother's hands, and then see me tomorrow morning.*
The youth felt that his chance of landing the job was high. When he went back, he happily requested his mother to let him clean her hands. His mother felt strange, happy but with mixed feelings, she showed her hands to the kid.
The youth cleaned his mother's hands slowly. His tear fell as he did that. It was the first time he noticed that his mother's hands were so wrinkled, and there were so many bruises in her hands. Some bruises were so painful that his mother shivered when they were cleaned with water.
This was the first time the youth realized that it was this pair of hands that washed the clothes everyday to enable him to pay the school fee. The bruises in the mother's hands were the price that the mother had to pay for his graduation, academic excellence and his future.
After finishing the cleaning of his mother hands, the youth quietly washed all the remaining clothes for his mother.
That night, mother and son talked for a very long time.
Next morning, the youth went to the director's office.
The Director noticed the tears in the youth's eyes, asked: " Can you tell me
what have you done and learned yesterday in your house?"
The youth answered, " I cleaned my mother's hand, and also finished
cleaning all the remaining clothes'
The Director asked, " please tell me your feelings."
The youth said, Number 1, I know now what is appreciation. Without my mother, there would not be the successful me today. Number 2, by working together and helping my mother, only I now realize how difficult and tough it is to get something done. Number 3, I have come to appreciate the importance and value of family relationship.
The director said, " This is what I am looking for, to be my manager.
I want to recruit a person who can appreciate the help of others, a person who knows the sufferings of
others to get things done, and a person who would not put money as his only goal in life. You are hired.
Later on, this young person worked very hard, and received the respect of his subordinates. Every employee worked diligently and as a team. The company's performance improved tremendously.
A child, who has been protected and habitually given whatever he wanted, would develop "entitlement mentality" and would always put himself first. He would be ignorant of his parent's efforts. When he starts work, he assumes that every person must listen to him, and when he becomes a manager, he would never know the sufferings of his employees and would always blame others. For this kind of people, who may be good academically, may be successful for a while, but eventually would not feel sense of achievement. He will grumble and be full of hatred and fight for more. If we are this kind of protective parents, are we really showing love or are we destroying the kid instead?*
You can let your kid live in a big house, eat a good meal, learn piano, watch a big screen TV. But when you are cutting grass, please let them experience it. After a meal, let them wash their plates and bowls together with their brothers and sisters. It is not because you do not have money to hire a maid, but it is because you want to love them in a right way. You want them to understand, no matter how rich their parents are, one day their hair will grow gray, same as the mother of that young person. The most important thing is your kid learns how to appreciate the effort and experience the difficulty and learns the ability to work with others to get things done.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
有意思的短句。【转载自蔡康永文集】
5岁觉得游泳难，放弃游泳， 到18岁遇到一个你喜欢的人约你去游泳，你只好说“我不会耶”。18岁觉得英文难，放弃英文，28岁出现一个很棒但要会英文的工作，你只好说“我不会 耶”。人生前期越嫌麻烦，越懒得学，后来就越可能错过让你动心的人和事，错过新风景。 ——《康永，给残酷社会的善意短信》
在古代，我们不短信，不网聊，不漂洋过海，不被堵在路上，如果我想你，就翻过两座山走五里路，去牵你的手。
遇到比你有钱的人，请不要自动地卑躬屈膝，除非……他有要把他的钱给你……而通常有钱人，并不会把钱送给随便就对他卑躬屈膝的人，所以，何必呢？ ——《康永，给残酷社会的善意短信》
在 某些地方，很实际很简单的愿望，在别的地方，却是遥不可及的梦想，你看一群人怎么描述梦想的內容，就知道他们在过什么样的生活，我一度不喜欢过度的标榜梦 想在人生中有多重要，后来经历了，也明白了，很多简单的愿望,就是这么遥远，远得像梦，我就同意，而且鼓吹，那些值得的梦想.~~《康永,給殘酷社會的善 意短信》
是 的,是很多人为钱做坏事. 但你要厌恶的是这种行为,而不是厌恶钱. 厌恶钱,不见得一定是高贵的. 钱就像武侠小说里的武功,可以倚之為惡,也可以拿来做很多美好的事. 如果拒绝賺钱,那就像拒绝练武,不是不可以,但可能要想好: 一旦遇到武功强的坏人來欺负你, 你的对策是什么? 【康永，给残酷社会的善意短信】
有些宗教，為了鼓勵我們做好人，把好人死掉以後的去處，描述得好幸福喔 …… 幸福得，簡直讓人等不及的想一出生就趕快過去報到啊 ………
别 急着觉得自己失败，很可能，你只是还没找到你会成功的那块领土而已。古斯巴达社会，讨厌算术，认为学算术就是想赚钱，很可耻。如果你很会算术，在那里一定 觉得自己很失败。换成现在，算术好绝对被当优点了。世界很大，成功的定义有很多种，在找到你的战场之前，别轻易说自己是失败者
上 段恋情,全心投入,结果重伤.于是这次恋爱怕受伤,就很保留。这意味着:上次那个伤你的烂人,得到最完整的你,而这次这个发展中的情人,得到个很冷淡的 你。我知你是保护自己,但这若是做生意,你这店一定倒的。永不再來的恶客,得到最好服务,而新客上门,却备受冷落,这店怎么不倒?【康永,给未知恋人的爱 情短信】
你那时发给我的短信, 我一直留着没有删除. 因为我还是需要一点证据, 证明即使是你, 也有过那么爱我的时候 。。。。。。。。。。【 康永 ~ 给未知恋人的爱情短信 】
大人老想把我们关在课本里，可是真正的乐子，都在课本外面，那个无边无际的险恶世界里。——《康永，痛快日记》
【我愛你，與你何干？】.........這句話，好可愛，好可悲，好可貴，好可憐。
因為全心愛一個人，而感覺到自己正在活著，這就是我們從愛情上，得到的最大回報了。至於對方，能回報我們多少愛，因此可以不是最重要的了。《康永，給未知戀人的愛情短信》
很 多杰出的人，很早就停止上学了，（自己选择，或，想上但没得上），但这些人可沒停止学习，他們立刻改去更广大的社会学校，向更厉害的人学习了，你若有这 種胆识，也儘可如此。但请不要误以为这些人，是因为早早停止上学，而变杰出的，这就好像以为拿破仑是因为个子矮才杰出一样……《康永，给残酷社会的善意短 信》
突然发现爱已消失时，往往无比错愕，不懂发生了什么。这时虽也可百般逼问，但逼问恐是徒增难堪而已。我对此刻的建议 是：坐下深呼吸，闭目回想当初这爱降临 时，其实也是何等的不明白没道理。怎么来就会怎么去，这样悠然回首后，也许能醒悟爱的本质毕竟如此，然后放开了……《康永，给未知恋人的爱情短信》
不是在幸福的时候哦……嗯，不是在幸福的时候，反而，很遗憾的，是在不幸的时候，我们才有机会，探知自己能够，爱到什么程度……《康永，给未知恋人的爱情短信》
小S又被造谣一个新闻，她身边的人当然也都陪着，被记者纠缠两天。反正这就是我们工作的一部分。我整天在家写稿，没接记者电话，只在晚上传了这则短信给记者：【任何真的认识小S的人，都会把小S当宝贝，我从不怀疑这件事。】
「享 有」比「拥有」贵重。我们「享有」空气，但无法「拥有」空气，我们「享有」阳光，但无法「拥有」太阳。同样的，我们享用友情亲情，但没办法，也不该想 「拥有」那个友人亲人，我们也享用爱情，但没办法，也不该想「拥有」那个爱人。就享有吧，「享有」比「拥有」贵重多了。《康永，给未知恋人的爱情短信》
一 朵云里面的两滴雨，恋爱了。旁边别的雨滴很冷淡，反正很快要掉落，何必呢。但这两滴雨，还是要恋爱。不久这天到来，云变成雨，一滴滴纷纷掉落。而恋爱着 的这两滴雨，拥抱在一起，往下掉，他们准备好要掉在地面，消失不见，但就在消失前，他们从两滴变成了一滴。《康永，没人在乎的小报导》
你要拥有他？真好，只是，你能拥有他的什么呢？你能拥有他的疾病吗？你能拥有他的疤痕吗？你能拥有他的回忆吗？...... 好像都不能耶，那，你能拥有他的什么呢？ 《康永，给未知恋人的爱情短信》
其實一切，最後都是記憶，所以，請儘量正確的記憶：如果不是戀愛，就不要記憶為戀愛。如果不是吻，就不要記憶為吻。而，如果是真的愛，那當然，萬勿錯過，就一定要記憶為：愛。《康永，給未知戀人的愛情短信》
当 你跟他的想法很不同，但你又很想说服他时，你最好不要强调这是“你的”想法，你可以在措词上转个弯，让他感觉，你是“被他启发”，才产生这个想法的。这 麽做最省力，因为所有人，都不会反对自己的想法。这类有点贱的招式，最适合以下犯上时使用。《康永，给残酷社会的善意短信》
你很重要，因为你就是你能拥有的全部。你存在，整个世界才存在。你看得到阳光，整个世界才看得到阳光。你失去平衡，世界就失去平衡。你消失，世界就消失。所以你很重要，你就是你能拥有的全部。《康永, 给残酷社会的善意短信 》
每 做一事，最好只追求一个最在乎的目标，其余都可让步，这样达成目标的机会才高。比方：做这事，最在乎是学经验，那就别计较钱；做那事，最要紧是钱，那就 别计较面子。以此类推。若做一事，又想学经验，又要赚得多，又要有面子... ...如此美事，有得等啊。《康永，给残酷社会的善意短信》
看 到別人做不好時，也許會暗爽在心，得到一種“我比他聰明”的優越感。但真正聰明的人，是觀察別人為什麼做不好，然後警剔自己，儘量不要犯相同的錯。那些 只愛發出噓聲的人，應該是打算一直在台下當觀眾，而那些警剔自己的人，則是在準備：有一天要站上舞台。《康永，給殘酷社會的善意短信》
如 果父母爱自己的小孩,只是为了小孩能繁殖,能延续自己的血脉,这样的爱,好蛮荒,也充满交易的感觉.我可以理解有些父母就是这样想的.我可以理解,只是 同時我也会不寒而慄,这种蛮荒又交易的爱.....你如果不繁殖,妈妈就不爱你了.....（评论【同志娱乐】新专辑主打女生当自强意识的S.H.E，前 晚与陶晶莹对谈，尺度无禁忌。三人问陶子若发现孩子是同志怎么办？陶子说：“我觉得荳荳跟小龙很有潜力往这条路走，我女儿超Man，小龙的动作偶尔会有娇 羞感。但其实没必要担心，把心打开，快乐最重要，若他们真是同性恋，我可能会问性生活美满吗？” )
你永远都有更好的事 可做: 不喜欢正在读的这篇微博？立刻跳开,去读別的。不喜欢正在看的这集节目？转台，去看别的。不喜欢新交的这个朋友？闪人，去认识别人。不要浪費生命，去忍受 这些不必忍受的事。忍受完，又浪費生命去抱怨或咒骂，這太划不来了。你一定有更好的事可做的。《康永，給殘酷社會的善意短信》
遇 到别人恶言相向时，怎么办？如果对方是还要相处的同学同事，那我建议你可以回问“你为什么这么气啊？”或“什么事把你气成这样啊？”，这句话應能稍為喚 醒对方用理性谈事情，也有助你和对方都冷静些。遇到疯拳，先用轻功闪开，争取一點探问的时间，胜过直接还手，引起不必要的混战……《康永，给残酷社会的善 意短信》
气质可以假装，通常可以假装一晚上都不穿帮；而幽默感没办法假装，一分钟都假装不了。所以我珍视幽默感，远超过气质。《 康永, 给残酷社会的善意短信 》
你以为你对他的想念，已经到了极致了，已经不可能想念得更多了，结果，在某一个意想不到的时刻，你又成功的，比原来想他的程度，再更多想念他一点点。《康永，给未知恋人的爱情短信》
为 什么要鼓吹第一名呢？为什么要把第一名解释成光荣和意義呢？世界很大，可做的事很多，为什么要鼓吹只有極少人能得到，得到了也不代表会幸福的东西？那些 第一名，总有一天要面对不再是第一名的日子。他们人生目标被教成第一名是一切吗，接下去要如何自处？請别再盲目鼓吹第一名了。《康永，给残酷社会的善意短 信》
你恋爱了，只是你爱的人，有时并不真的存在。他可能只是一堵无辜的白墙，被你狂热的，把你心里最嚮往的爱情电影，全部在他身上投影一遍。《康永，给未知恋人的爱情短信》
有 的大人鄙视逸乐，歌诵工作，但请闭目想像：漫步草原的逸乐的马，和负重拖车的工作的马，哪种生活更让人向往呢？先别急着用人生意义来压人，哲学家们费尽 心机，也无法证明，是工作较有意义？还是逸乐较有意义？如果闭目扣问内心，实在没道理一味斥责逸乐，推崇工作啊。《康永，给无聊大人的诚实短信》
别 急着觉得自己失败，很可能，你只是还没找到你会成功的那块领土而已。古斯巴达社会，讨厌算术，认为学算术就是想赚钱，很可耻。如果你很会算术，在那里一 定觉得自己很失败。换成现在，算术好绝对被当优点了。世界很大，成功的定义有很多种，在找到你的战场之前，别轻易说自己是失败者。
森 林不残酷吗？有災病猎杀，但动物仍美好着。宇宙不残酷吗？荒寂无回應，但星辰仍美好着。社会也残酷，有生死離別，会井乾路绝，但人仍美好着。所以我仍能 贮存残酷中的善意，如贮存蛛网上的露珠，地層下的琥珀，我知道陌生人未必慈悲，但若能遇到，我就珍惜贮存，因为还有来日。《康永，给残酷社会的善意短信》
对方说:「我已经不爱你了。」，你着急了，脱口而出:「没关系的啊！我们还是可以在一起的啊！」，说完，你忽然哭了，不是因为伤心对方不爱你了，而是因为这一瞬间，你猛然醒悟，自己已经成为爱情的乞丐。《康永，给未知恋人的爱情短信》
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Friday, December 10, 2010
Malacca's monorail service comes to a stop
MALACCA: Barely two months after its grand launch to mark Malacca’s developed state status, the city’s RM15.9mil monorail line has ground to a halt owing to a host of problems.
Launched on Oct 20, the monorail has been idle for a month after developing problems with its wheels and software system.
The China-made monorail line, spanning 1.6km from Taman Rempah in Pengkalan Rama to Kampung Bunga Raya Pantai along the Malacca River, is part of the state’s aim to tap the potential of the river as a tourist attraction.
Project under scrutiny: The monorail line is part of Malacca’s aim to tap the potential of the river as a tourist attraction. Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam had launched the system to mark the recognition of Malacca as a developed state, 10 years ahead of the national Vision 2020.
Hours after the launch, however, a coach with some 20 passengers stalled about 100m from the Hang Jebat station.
Operator Menara Taming Sari Sdn Bhd used a skylift to rescue the stranded passengers.
The project is a joint venture between the Malacca Historic City Council and state subsidiary Kumpulan Melaka Bhd and Agibs Engineering & Construction Sdn Bhd.
The Tourism Ministry has approved an additional RM13.2mil for the monorail phase two extension project under the 10th Malaysia Plan.
On Thursday, a visibly upset Mohd Ali said four engineers from China were trying to iron out the problems affecting the monorail.
“Some screws keep breaking and the rims of the wheels had to be replaced.
“We hope the engineers will be able to fix it within a week,” he told reporters after closing a refresher course for National Service trainers at Permata Resort Camp in Alor Gajah.
He said if the monorail continued to face problems, the state government would not buy additional monorails from China for the proposed extension project and would, instead, source them from Europe.
Menara Taming Sari chief executive officer Nazry Ahmad admitted the monorail had been out of service due to “several technical and mechanical problems”.
“We have been facing problems with the monorail on and off since it was launched. It is now closed to the public,” he said yesterday.
By ALLISON LAI
malacca@thestar.com.my
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Monday, November 1, 2010
香港‧韩名牌指甲油含致癌物回收‧廉价指甲油甲醇超標20倍
香港‧韩名牌指甲油含致癌物回收‧廉价指甲油甲醇超標20倍
2010-08-17 15:58
（香 港）標榜用料天然的韩国名牌Skin Food，两款分別属“可可巴”和“牛奶彩绘”的指甲油，被消委会验出含致癌物“苯”，公司即时宣佈全面停售及回收两系列约50款指甲油，並安排凭单退 货。另消委会亦发现，一款同属韩国货的5元一支的廉价指甲油，甲醇含量超出安全標准20倍，透过呼吸及皮肤进入身体，会损害肝、肾和心臟。
新兴牌子Skin Food出事
消委会首次化验市面42种指甲油及底油，发现有4款甲油的致癌物“苯”含量由9.7ppm至 260ppm不等，其中3款声称產自韩国，包括售40至50元一支的韩国新兴名牌Skin Food，以及只售5元及8元的“廉价货”。另有10款甲油亦验出微量“苯”，当中不乏国际大牌子。
至於经皮肤吸收或呼吸道吸入后可致中毒的挥发溶液“甲醇”，则在4款指甲油中验出，其中只售5元的韩国甲油BNC manicure，甲醇含量超標，达41,000ppm，较允许上限高出20倍。
Volili指甲油释毒可致畸胎
另一款没標示来源地的Volili指甲油，则含有微量MMA，及欧洲、中国均禁用的DEHP，此物质经动物研究证实，带“致畸性”和“致突变性”毒性，会干扰內分泌系统，甚至令胎儿有缺陷。消委会指出，由於甲油和洗甲水均含有多种挥发性化学物质，孕妇少用为妙。
海关跟进消委会检测报告，並在市面抽取了4款怀疑含有苯、甲醇、DEHP或MMA的指甲油再作检测，结果显示BNC manicure的样本含有21ppm苯和270ppm甲醇，未符合安全標准，故已从供应商扣查百多樽相关甲油。
其余3个样本只验到“小量”有害化学物，海关认为不会直接对人体构成伤害。出售多款廉价指甲油的“莎莎”发言人则强调，並无出售消委会验到4款含苯的甲油。
“学会补花纹减涂抹甲油次数”
消委会总干事刘燕卿警告，经常大量使用含有毒成份的指甲油，会透过皮肤接触和呼吸系统吸入有毒 物，可能影响健康，构成中毒危险。“很多女士喜欢经常转换甲油顏色，甲油花了又要重新涂上，其实最好学会填补花纹，减少涂抹甲油次数。”她亦指出，涂指甲 油时亦要保持空气流通，减少吸入有害物质。（香港明报）
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Beware Your Insurance Policy Coverage
The New Paper's report by Tuesday 31 August 2010
This sort of fury often brought on by finance-related matters.
Yesterday I received a letter from Prudential, with whom I spend nearly $1,000 every month, telling me that I don’t have cancer
Yep, you read it right. Apparently, according to the experts at Prudential, I lost a breast and went through a 12 hour surgery for… not cancer!
Blows your mind, huh? I’m still trying to find pieces of my brain under the couch after this staggering news.
Truth is, three of my many Prudential policies cover me for critical illness. However, when I signed with my agents, I never imagined that cancer at Stage 0 would be considered by my insurance company that I “do not have cancer”. In fact, there is every chance a woman buying a life plan with critical illness coverage has NO IDEA there is a stage called DCIS, and that her insurance company does not consider it cancer.
So my “imaginary cancer” won’t allow me to claim any of the $200,000 (or more) that my critical illness plans entitle me to.
Please, if you are a woman reading this, go and see your insurance agent and tell him/her/it that you want coverage for EARLY STAGE CANCERS. Make sure your policy document states that you will get 25% or however much for ductal carcinomas-in-situ or Stage 0 breast cancer. To my understanding these are the 2 policies that offer them now:
1. Great Eastern’s PinkLife will pay out 25% of your sum assured for carcinomas-in-situ. Not great an exchange for a breast but at least it’s not nothing. If I had bought that instead I would have $50,000 to allow me to take a break from work for some months, while still being able to pay my monthly bills and kids’ tuition fees and groceries…
2. AIA’s Complete Critical Illness Cover pays out 25% on early critical illnesses (I am assuming DCIS breast cancer is one of these).
Please please please, I beg you, don’t get royally scr*wed like me. Make sure your critical illness plan actually covers you, and you are not just happily giving your money away to insurance companies for their CEOs to buy 10 luxury holiday homes across the world.
Do not be a sucker like me. Please.
Call your insurance agent or financial planner today and make sure, by hook or by crook, you are covered by some rider, anything, for early stage cancers.
I’ve been researching cases of insurance companies who don’t pay out for DCIS breast cancers. Looks like it’s a worldwide disease. The insurance companies are the disease, I mean.
I lost a breast to this threat.
My histological report finds the cancer cells ARE malignant and aggressive, and most certainly were life-threatening — or I wouldn’t have needed the mastectomy.
I just happened to discover it before it became an uncontrollable growth.
Tell me how this is not cancer.
In my Googling I found this BBC clip. It makes me so, so sad that all around the world, women like me are shortchanged by insurance policies that they pay through the nose for.
I have paid close to $32,000 for one policy and over $25,000 for the other.
This clause in Critical Illness contracts NEEDS TO CHANGE. DCIS is cancer (and in my case, malignant) and it should be awarded accordingly and automatically. Sadly, Prudential covered its backside in its small print, which I had no understanding of. It makes me sad that they expect me to have Stage 1, or 2, or 3 or terminal cancer and chemo and radiation before I qualify to make a claim. Losing a breast is forever. Surely that must count for something.
For women in their 20s or 30s reading this — if you have had a grandmother, mother, sister, aunt, female cousin contract breast cancer, make sure you get yourself proper coverage (see box above).
A close friend who is a decorated journalist was horrified to hear it was likely I could not make a claim on my critical illness plans. “They should change that,” he said (after uttering “Wah lau eh, sh*t!”). “I can write a story on that.”
He should. I think I will be calling him soon. Also I am relooking at my Prudential policies now — maybe it’s not worthwhile carrying on. I should get my money back. Pity the surrender value is so pathetic. Bet that CEO already bought his 11th luxury holiday home.
Never mind, lessons learned. READ THE SMALL PRINT, AND FIND OUT WHAT THE EXCLUSIONS MEAN.
So, I guess I have no choice but to haul my sorry ass back to work.
Shree Ann Mathavan of The New Paper came to visit me yesterday and we had a nice chat about my insurance policies (among other things — she is a lovely girl and a hardworking journalist).
Her story came out in today’s New Paper and I felt it was a really fair and clear report of what happened. I was dreading a super-sensationalist header like “She Loses A Breast… And They Won’t Pay!” LOL!
Shree Ann was really respectful of my reasons for talking about this — it is not to complain that Prudential bullied me (which they did not, a contract is a contract) — but to alert other women who might be in the process of buying a policy, or may not have taken a look at her existing policies to make sure her coverage is full. Hence her report came out as such.
I’ve received emails, calls and comments to this blog — financial advisers who very kindly explain how it works (I just wish it was BEFORE not AFTER, but thank you all), women who have been through the same experience, and women who never even realised hospitalisation and critical illness policies are two different policies! So it only confirms that there is definitely a gap in the information that women need to have about their health insurance.
I am also happy to hear from friends who have bought the women’s only policies from AIA, Prudential or Great Eastern, and the GE Early Payout Critical Care, and were covered when the need arose.
Comment:
This is the story i read through facebook and quite a big shock. Immediately i give a call to my insurance agent. He also clarify that AIA policy also mention that stage 3 only consider CANCER. Stage 2 ( carcinomas-in-situ ) only able claim under Female illness. Stage 1 or 0 only claim for hospitalization.
Friday, September 17, 2010
当幸福来敲门 ( The Pursuit Of Happyness -2006 )
Based on a true story about a man named Christopher Gardner. Gardner has invested heavily in a device known as a "Bone Density scanner". He feels like he has made these devices. However, they do not sell as they are marginally better than the current technology at a much higher price. On top of that, one of these does not work. As Gardner tries to figure out on how to fix the faulty one and sell the others, his wife leaves him, he loses his house, his bank account, and credit cards. Forced to live out in the streets with his son, Gardner is now desperate to find a steady job; he takes on a job as a stockbroker, but before he can receive pay, he needs to go through 6 months of training, and to sell his devices. Written by John WigginsComment:
This is very interesting movie. It show the reality of life. How a guy going to live with $21 after paying the government tax. Some more he has a son which also needs to eat and sleep. No money and everyday have to queue up to get a place to sleep. Life is not easy. But at last he successfully get a new job and having his own company.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Recipes for Health: Garlic
According to a Provençal saying, “Garlic soup is a life saver.” This simple broth, made by simmering crushed garlic cloves in water with sage or other herbs, is recommended as a cure for ailments as varied as hangovers, stomach ailments and colds.
Garlic has been known for its therapeutic benefits since ancient times. Studies have linked it to lower cholesterol, serum triglyceride levels and blood pressure. Sulfur-containing compounds including allicin, which give garlic its pungency, along with high levels of vitamin C, vitamin B6, manganese and selenium seem to be responsible for garlic’s beneficial cardiovascular effects. Allicin helps to prevent platelets in the blood from sticking together and is also a powerful antibacterial and antiviral agent that may be useful in weight control. - Martha Rose Shulman
Risks: Asleep, and Helping to Keep the Weight Off
Children under 5 who do not get at least 10 hours of sleep at night are almost twice as likely to be overweight or obese later in childhood, a new study reports. And naps during the day don’t count.
The study, published Monday in Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, analyzed data from a nationally representative sample of 1,930 children under 14. The data included detailed diaries from two random days, in which parents recorded the amount of time a child spent in various activities, among them sleeping.
The study adds to an existing body of evidence suggesting that sleep plays an important role in weight regulation, perhaps because tired children are not as active or because sleep affects hormones that influence hunger and appetite, said the paper’s lead author, Janice F. Bell, an assistant professor at the University of Washington School of Public Health in Seattle.
“What we’re saying is that adequate sleep at age 0 to 5 is probably more important than we think,” Dr. Bell said, adding that the good news is that “it’s a modifiable risk factor — it’s something we can change.”
By RONI CARYN RABIN
The study, published Monday in Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, analyzed data from a nationally representative sample of 1,930 children under 14. The data included detailed diaries from two random days, in which parents recorded the amount of time a child spent in various activities, among them sleeping.
The study adds to an existing body of evidence suggesting that sleep plays an important role in weight regulation, perhaps because tired children are not as active or because sleep affects hormones that influence hunger and appetite, said the paper’s lead author, Janice F. Bell, an assistant professor at the University of Washington School of Public Health in Seattle.
“What we’re saying is that adequate sleep at age 0 to 5 is probably more important than we think,” Dr. Bell said, adding that the good news is that “it’s a modifiable risk factor — it’s something we can change.”
By RONI CARYN RABIN
Friday, September 10, 2010
Top 10- High Energy Foods 2
No.2 - Omega-3 eggs
Omega-3 eggs are full of healthy fats, energy-boosting B-vitamins and some vitamin D. They also provide a rich supply of brain-boosting choline, the precursor for the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, and are considered the ”perfect” protein because of their amino acid profile and high biological value. They are one of nature’s most nutrient-dense foods
Omega-3 eggs are full of healthy fats, energy-boosting B-vitamins and some vitamin D. They also provide a rich supply of brain-boosting choline, the precursor for the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, and are considered the ”perfect” protein because of their amino acid profile and high biological value. They are one of nature’s most nutrient-dense foods
Top 10 - High Energy Food
No.1 - Cold-water fatty fish
Cold-water fatty fish include wild salmon, mackerel and herring. These fish are an excellent source of omega-3s, which provide a number of health benefits including decreased risk of heart disease and various cancers, decreased inflammation, and decreased body fat. They’re also rich in complete protein, energy-boosting B-vitamins, magnesium, potassium, and are one of the few food sources of vitamin D.
Cold-water fatty fish include wild salmon, mackerel and herring. These fish are an excellent source of omega-3s, which provide a number of health benefits including decreased risk of heart disease and various cancers, decreased inflammation, and decreased body fat. They’re also rich in complete protein, energy-boosting B-vitamins, magnesium, potassium, and are one of the few food sources of vitamin D.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Colours for Health
The gorgeous colours in fruit and vegetables like pumpkin, carrots, sweet potatoes, spinach, kale, collard greens, and tomatoes come from carotenoids 类胡萝卜素, but these natural pigments aren’t just window dressing. Some may also fight our most prevalent conditions, such as metabolic syndrome, which reportedly affects about ten to 40% of Asians, and ups their chances of type 2 diabetes, stroke and heart disease.
A new study from the University of Queensland has found that people with diets high in carotenoids are less likely to develop metabolic syndrome. And the good news doesn’t stop there. A study of 6177 Canadians found that those with diets rich in the carotenoids betacarotene, lutein and zeaxanthin were up to 26% less likely to develop the most common form of kidney cancer. Other new research has found that women with high levels of these plant chemicals had a lower risk of ovarian cancer, men were less likely to get lung cancer, and both sexes boasted better bone mineral density.
Smashing Pumpkins
Pumpkin seeds are particularly high in disease-fighting plant compounds called phytosterols. For healthy savory snack, remove the seeds from the pumpkin, rinse to separate them from the stringy pulp, pat dry, toss with olive oil and salt, and bake at 180°C for 20-25 minutes until slightly puffed and golden.
from http://www.rdasia.com.my/colours-for-health
Sunday, August 29, 2010
破產了‧如何绝处逢生
近期大马惊爆每日平均有14人宣告破產，虽然有人质疑数据看似有点夸张，不过却敲起社会对信贷破產的警钟，一步一步地闯进破產禁区。
在申请破產人数越来越多之际，破產的现象也渐渐趋向年轻化，无论是大学新鲜人，或是刚踏上创业道路的年轻人，都可能成为破產“死神”点中的倒霉对象。
本期《財富焦点》要奋力破解逐渐升温的“破產之谜”，让“破產真相”直接浮出台面，鑑定种种引起破產的“导火线”及未来的应对之路，毕竟破產並非“大结局”，期望有天能像破蛹的蝴蝶重生！
过去5年，共有3万8357名年龄介於25至44岁的人士破產，相等於每天有41人申请破產。政府更扬言要针对这惊人的数据展开调查，不过可以肯定的是，破產的主要因素包括无力偿还汽车贷款、商务贷款以及卡债。
每天41人申请破產
大马破產局的统计数据显示，国內2010年首季破產人数达4513人，比较2009年同期的3670人，多出843人或2.30%。
根据大马破產局的解释，破產是指某人士在无力偿还至少3万令吉的情况下，而被高庭宣判“持续性破產”。
由於信用卡申请条件宽鬆，目前有1000万人以信用卡作为消费型態，然而少过30%的持卡人每月將款项还清。
买车买到破產？
在破產者当中，以拖欠汽车贷款所佔比重最高，当中年轻人佔95%。一般认为，汽车贷款的条件宽鬆，再加上打工族虚荣心作祟，没有依据本身能力来购买汽车，都是一大禁忌！
破產知多少？
一个人破產后会面对怎样的影响？
一旦接获破產令，在没有获得法庭批准的情况，破產者的財產都不能隨意“更动”，而他的財產將由破產总监（Director General of Insolvency）接收及管理。
同时，破產总监將成为破產者所有存摺、信函及相关文件的拥有者。
如何脱离穷籍？
在1967年破產法令下，共有3个方法脱离穷籍，包括：（惟大马没有自动脱离机制）
1.取消破產令，当中出现的情况有：
―法庭认为欠债人不应该被判入穷籍
―法庭对欠债人偿还所有债务而感到满意
―法庭发现所有在新加坡进行的诉讼对欠债人造成影响，且须在当地进行。
2.在法庭的指示下脱离穷籍
你可以透过高等法院申请脱离穷籍，不过在未作出宣判前，法庭將聆听破產总监及债权人的供词，並考虑多项因素，包括年龄、收入及资產。
此外，法庭也会考量你偿还予债权人的利息，及在破產总监处理案件时是否给予百分百的合作。
3.透过破產总监发出脱离穷籍证书
破產总监可以本身的判断能力，让判入穷籍后的欠债人脱离穷籍，主要考量的因素包括：
―破產原因
―破產期限
―破產者的资產
―破產者的年龄或健康
―破產者的行为举止
―破產者给予的合作精神
*为此，破產者须提供百分百的合作予破產总监！
要特別留意的是，破產是项严重的问题，应该是在“走投无路”的情况下选择的“生路”，因为一旦被判入穷籍后，將面对诸多的阻拦，包括限制出国、担任公司董事职位、进行商业活动並將有关收益输入本身的资產內（但却无法偿还拖欠债权人的利息）。
不能“自动”脱离穷籍
破產者也须“交出”所有的財產，包括房子及汽车。在大马，破產者並不能“自动”脱离穷籍，唯一的方法是得到法庭或破產总监的批准，不过当中仍取决於是否遭到债权人的反对。
奥斯卡国际理財机构总裁李国源表示，一般上若拖欠超过3万令吉而无力摊还，將迫使有关人士慢慢“接近”破產的边缘，然而选择破產与否，仍取决於有关人士的意愿。
“很难说明，究竟要欠债多少才要申请破產，因为有些人就算有钱，也不愿还钱，寧愿报穷。不过，若欠债额太大，破產已是逼不得已的做法。”
应先向AKPK寻求援助
不过，他建议濒临破產的人士先向信贷諮询与债务管理机构（AKPK）寻求援助，才选择踏上“破產之路”。
“此机构將与银行方面洽谈弹性的摊还方式，其实银行也不希望欠债人完全不偿还贷款，毕竟呆账或坏账是银行最不想看到的。”
没做功课
创业失败
在创业的部份，早前有媒体打出这样惊人的標题：“中国的大学生创业筹资办公司，开业9天即告破產！”
23岁的舒正义毕业自西安工程大学电子信息系，和许多大学毕业生一样，他尝试通过招聘机构或托家人朋友找工作。后来虽然有一份不错的工作，但他却选择了辞职，想在自己的专业上有所发展。当时，正义与8名同学及朋友筹资7万8000人民幣（约马幣3万6000令吉）开始创办本身的公司，並取得了一种环保防水手电的代理。正义抱著“把一件平凡的事做好就不平凡，把一件普通的事做好就不普通”的宗旨。
公司先后招聘了20多名员工，而且大多数都是在籍大学生。事实上，经营公司和课堂学到的完全是两回事，短短几天內，正义就感到了压力。
当初承诺办理公司注册手续的代理公司在拿了他1万人民幣后毫无音讯，一时资金短缺成了这家刚刚起步公司的绊脚石。
他一天没吃饭，拖著疲惫的身体跑遍学校及银行，都无法筹到钱，原因在於没有房子或汽车做抵押，也没有公司做担保。
从以上的例子来看，大学生刚刚毕业，一般的想法都过於理想化。从正义公司的营运情况而言，他们之前根本没有或没有认真做过市场调查及研究，譬如哪些客户会使用他们的產品，或许连他们本身都不清楚真正的客户群。
这样的推销方式根本就少了目的性，只是扮演“等待”的角色而等人来买。然而，作为一个企业，所需要的是毅力及脚踏实地一步一步走下来。
同时，像这样的公司，由於资金流动不是很大，因此遇到一点资金困难就面临宣告破產窘境，確实有点夸张。
李国源认为，创业失败例子高企，往往是因为创业者本身的心理及准备建设做得不足，问题在於不是有钱就能创业，因当中需要的是能力及人才。
他不讳言，一些中小型企业倒闭，也可能是股东出现问题，在创业前没有擬定详尽的计划书、资本不足，在“匆匆忙忙”的情况下就打算创业。
现金流管理举足轻重
“其实从公司开始营运的首5年，都是处於起步阶段，需要时间来摸索，而这也是为何银行须查看有关公司至少3年的营运纪录，才决定是否批准贷款申请。”
他指出，在创业的过程中，现金流管理扮演举足轻重的角色，若无法达到此目標，整家公司的营运就会卡住。
他说，有些公司甚至在面临资金週转的窘境迫使下，利用信用卡的便利获得现金，结果要填补的“洞”越来越多，且信用卡的利息也不断飆涨，直到达无法摊还的地步。
他提到，对创业的人来说，公司营运不当也对个人的財务起负面影响，“典当”个人的资產，因此建议创业人士参与“贷款保障计划”，確保在公司面临营运问题时，不会侵蚀个人“遗產”。
卡债缠身
破產风越刮越“年轻”
申请破產人数可用“比比皆是”来形容，近年申请破產人数走势激增，市场相信这是与经济不景有关。
事实上，申请破產的人数当中，有不少是欠下信用卡账的年轻人，加上银行向受不起物质引诱、收入又低的年轻人滥发信用卡，很容易导致他们陷入债务危机，一旦无法还债，就只好走上申请破產之途。
此外，金融机构贷款门槛过低、年轻人崇尚名牌及缺乏理財观念同样导致申请现象变得越来越年轻化。
有人利用破產避债骗財
也有另一种人刻意申请破產，故意不还债。他们企图通过签卡、借钱等方法取得一大笔金钱后，將钱转到妻子或亲朋戚友的账户，然后向法庭申请破產。只要准备充足，財產转移是无法追究的。在他们申请破產后，过了4年便可以恢復自由身，债务一笔勾消。在这种情况下，破產法即成为他们避债，甚至骗財的合法管道。
由於申请破產者中不乏刚毕业的大专生，这种情况令各界忧虑年轻人的借贷观念薄弱，加上过著收入与支出严重失衡的生活，最后在踏足社会不久后，便要为自己在求学期间的挥霍付出代价。
理財师指出，信用卡固然为大专生带来消费方便，但也间接鼓励学生养成“先用未来钱”的习惯。
“每人有本身的一套理財原则，並不需要別人教导，不过银行业者为了爭取客户而放鬆发卡尺度，令市民对自身的前途变得短视，都是刺激申请破產人士飆升的原因。”
理財师劝告年轻人不应“跟风”，胡乱申请破產，更不要视破產为解决债务的最好方法，因为破產对个人前途有莫大影响，並建议政府加重对破產的法则，以阻嚇市民，尤其是年轻人任意申请破產。
“年轻人破產后可能前途尽毁，除了不能得到一些专业资格包括会计师和律师外，也难以再次获得大公司聘用。因此，隨意申请破產，最后只会令自己变成失去信用的一群，將会得不偿失。”
整体经济发展不足
对於破產风潮越刮越大的这个时候，李国源不讳言整体经济发展不足是当中的原因之一，包括薪酬不足以应付生活需求，导致负债程度加深。
“当然，其他的原因还包括理財观念不强及轻易取得信贷便利等。”
破產之后怎么办？
破產意味著要有一个全新的开始，同时也是全新的挑战。凡申请个人破產的人，他的信用额度可能已经不再重要了，因债权人会將申请过破產的人视为“洪水猛兽”。
债权人害怕自己手中的合约再次成为一堆废纸。在一段时间之內，破產人可能没有贷款或者申请信用卡的机会。就算有，极高的利率和其他各种费用可能也会让那些刚刚破產的人望而却步。
有学者认为，申请破產是聪明人选择的一条活路，因为这一切总会过去的，再也不用过著那种到处招摇的日子。
不过，从破產泥沼中走出来，確实要经歷一段很长的路。而在这过程中，最重要是要做到以下几点：
1.放下平日的“臭架子”
如果一个人决定申请破產，那就意味著他须在若多年之內接受“改造”。破產者的薪金每月只会被扣除10%，一家大小还能保留住所。
只不过，破產者不得经商或成为他人的商业伙伴、不能在近亲的公司工作或管理近亲的任何企业、在没有通知贷款人他是破產者的情况下不得举债超过1000令吉，以及不能购买任何產业。
破產者必须告別以往的生活方式，放下豪华奢侈的生活方式，反之应该对每个月的房贷和生活费等精打细算。
当然，破產者不能再继续申请新债务，尤其是在没有经过批准之前，申请信用卡等。破產者须重新依靠现金，而不是以信用卡来支付费用。
2.重新夺回信用
申请破產后的生活是一把双刃剑：以前错误的信用管理让破產者积债重重，如今却须重新夺回自己信用的管理权，重新打理自己的財富生涯。
既然破產已成事实，现在所要做的就是重新建立自己良好的信用，惟当中取决於许多变化因素，包括依靠手上所拥有的资源。如果一个破產者有一份很高的收入，那么他就拥有了一半的资本，因为如果能够按时支付自己房產的贷款，在他的信用记录上將写下良好的一章。
理財师认为，態度和坚持能够改变一切，这一切取决於你是一个怎样的消费者，包括你平时的一举一动。
3.把坏影响降到最低
由於每个人都在紧盯著破產者的信用纪录，所以破產对生活造成的影响恐怕连破產者本身都无法想像。
必须注意的是，在现实生活中，由於雇主对於宣佈破產的人士存有歧视是违法的，所以很多雇主在录用员工之前总是先仔细看一下他的信用记录，確定没有大问题之后才敢录用。
破產之后，还有一点必须做到的是注明自己的破產原因。虽然不会带来太大帮助，不过至少可以让雇主直接瞭解你破產的原因，且更好地进行判断，然后决定究竟要不要雇用你这“倒霉”的破產者。
破產並非等同於“世界末日” ，也不等同於宣判“死刑”，破產局不会夺走破產者的所有东西，破產者倒是还享有“重新开始”新生活的机会。
破產也许是个让我们学习信贷管理的好机会，但肯定不是我们向前迈进或成长的绊脚石，只要信念坚定，我们还是有机会夺回本身的“信贷清誉”！
星洲日报／投资致富‧財富焦点‧2010.08.22
在申请破產人数越来越多之际，破產的现象也渐渐趋向年轻化，无论是大学新鲜人，或是刚踏上创业道路的年轻人，都可能成为破產“死神”点中的倒霉对象。
本期《財富焦点》要奋力破解逐渐升温的“破產之谜”，让“破產真相”直接浮出台面，鑑定种种引起破產的“导火线”及未来的应对之路，毕竟破產並非“大结局”，期望有天能像破蛹的蝴蝶重生！
过去5年，共有3万8357名年龄介於25至44岁的人士破產，相等於每天有41人申请破產。政府更扬言要针对这惊人的数据展开调查，不过可以肯定的是，破產的主要因素包括无力偿还汽车贷款、商务贷款以及卡债。
每天41人申请破產
大马破產局的统计数据显示，国內2010年首季破產人数达4513人，比较2009年同期的3670人，多出843人或2.30%。
根据大马破產局的解释，破產是指某人士在无力偿还至少3万令吉的情况下，而被高庭宣判“持续性破產”。
由於信用卡申请条件宽鬆，目前有1000万人以信用卡作为消费型態，然而少过30%的持卡人每月將款项还清。
买车买到破產？
在破產者当中，以拖欠汽车贷款所佔比重最高，当中年轻人佔95%。一般认为，汽车贷款的条件宽鬆，再加上打工族虚荣心作祟，没有依据本身能力来购买汽车，都是一大禁忌！
破產知多少？
一个人破產后会面对怎样的影响？
一旦接获破產令，在没有获得法庭批准的情况，破產者的財產都不能隨意“更动”，而他的財產將由破產总监（Director General of Insolvency）接收及管理。
同时，破產总监將成为破產者所有存摺、信函及相关文件的拥有者。
如何脱离穷籍？
在1967年破產法令下，共有3个方法脱离穷籍，包括：（惟大马没有自动脱离机制）
1.取消破產令，当中出现的情况有：
―法庭认为欠债人不应该被判入穷籍
―法庭对欠债人偿还所有债务而感到满意
―法庭发现所有在新加坡进行的诉讼对欠债人造成影响，且须在当地进行。
2.在法庭的指示下脱离穷籍
你可以透过高等法院申请脱离穷籍，不过在未作出宣判前，法庭將聆听破產总监及债权人的供词，並考虑多项因素，包括年龄、收入及资產。
此外，法庭也会考量你偿还予债权人的利息，及在破產总监处理案件时是否给予百分百的合作。
3.透过破產总监发出脱离穷籍证书
破產总监可以本身的判断能力，让判入穷籍后的欠债人脱离穷籍，主要考量的因素包括：
―破產原因
―破產期限
―破產者的资產
―破產者的年龄或健康
―破產者的行为举止
―破產者给予的合作精神
*为此，破產者须提供百分百的合作予破產总监！
要特別留意的是，破產是项严重的问题，应该是在“走投无路”的情况下选择的“生路”，因为一旦被判入穷籍后，將面对诸多的阻拦，包括限制出国、担任公司董事职位、进行商业活动並將有关收益输入本身的资產內（但却无法偿还拖欠债权人的利息）。
不能“自动”脱离穷籍
破產者也须“交出”所有的財產，包括房子及汽车。在大马，破產者並不能“自动”脱离穷籍，唯一的方法是得到法庭或破產总监的批准，不过当中仍取决於是否遭到债权人的反对。
奥斯卡国际理財机构总裁李国源表示，一般上若拖欠超过3万令吉而无力摊还，將迫使有关人士慢慢“接近”破產的边缘，然而选择破產与否，仍取决於有关人士的意愿。
“很难说明，究竟要欠债多少才要申请破產，因为有些人就算有钱，也不愿还钱，寧愿报穷。不过，若欠债额太大，破產已是逼不得已的做法。”
应先向AKPK寻求援助
不过，他建议濒临破產的人士先向信贷諮询与债务管理机构（AKPK）寻求援助，才选择踏上“破產之路”。
“此机构將与银行方面洽谈弹性的摊还方式，其实银行也不希望欠债人完全不偿还贷款，毕竟呆账或坏账是银行最不想看到的。”
没做功课
创业失败
在创业的部份，早前有媒体打出这样惊人的標题：“中国的大学生创业筹资办公司，开业9天即告破產！”
23岁的舒正义毕业自西安工程大学电子信息系，和许多大学毕业生一样，他尝试通过招聘机构或托家人朋友找工作。后来虽然有一份不错的工作，但他却选择了辞职，想在自己的专业上有所发展。当时，正义与8名同学及朋友筹资7万8000人民幣（约马幣3万6000令吉）开始创办本身的公司，並取得了一种环保防水手电的代理。正义抱著“把一件平凡的事做好就不平凡，把一件普通的事做好就不普通”的宗旨。
公司先后招聘了20多名员工，而且大多数都是在籍大学生。事实上，经营公司和课堂学到的完全是两回事，短短几天內，正义就感到了压力。
当初承诺办理公司注册手续的代理公司在拿了他1万人民幣后毫无音讯，一时资金短缺成了这家刚刚起步公司的绊脚石。
他一天没吃饭，拖著疲惫的身体跑遍学校及银行，都无法筹到钱，原因在於没有房子或汽车做抵押，也没有公司做担保。
从以上的例子来看，大学生刚刚毕业，一般的想法都过於理想化。从正义公司的营运情况而言，他们之前根本没有或没有认真做过市场调查及研究，譬如哪些客户会使用他们的產品，或许连他们本身都不清楚真正的客户群。
这样的推销方式根本就少了目的性，只是扮演“等待”的角色而等人来买。然而，作为一个企业，所需要的是毅力及脚踏实地一步一步走下来。
同时，像这样的公司，由於资金流动不是很大，因此遇到一点资金困难就面临宣告破產窘境，確实有点夸张。
李国源认为，创业失败例子高企，往往是因为创业者本身的心理及准备建设做得不足，问题在於不是有钱就能创业，因当中需要的是能力及人才。
他不讳言，一些中小型企业倒闭，也可能是股东出现问题，在创业前没有擬定详尽的计划书、资本不足，在“匆匆忙忙”的情况下就打算创业。
现金流管理举足轻重
“其实从公司开始营运的首5年，都是处於起步阶段，需要时间来摸索，而这也是为何银行须查看有关公司至少3年的营运纪录，才决定是否批准贷款申请。”
他指出，在创业的过程中，现金流管理扮演举足轻重的角色，若无法达到此目標，整家公司的营运就会卡住。
他说，有些公司甚至在面临资金週转的窘境迫使下，利用信用卡的便利获得现金，结果要填补的“洞”越来越多，且信用卡的利息也不断飆涨，直到达无法摊还的地步。
他提到，对创业的人来说，公司营运不当也对个人的財务起负面影响，“典当”个人的资產，因此建议创业人士参与“贷款保障计划”，確保在公司面临营运问题时，不会侵蚀个人“遗產”。
卡债缠身
破產风越刮越“年轻”
申请破產人数可用“比比皆是”来形容，近年申请破產人数走势激增，市场相信这是与经济不景有关。
事实上，申请破產的人数当中，有不少是欠下信用卡账的年轻人，加上银行向受不起物质引诱、收入又低的年轻人滥发信用卡，很容易导致他们陷入债务危机，一旦无法还债，就只好走上申请破產之途。
此外，金融机构贷款门槛过低、年轻人崇尚名牌及缺乏理財观念同样导致申请现象变得越来越年轻化。
有人利用破產避债骗財
也有另一种人刻意申请破產，故意不还债。他们企图通过签卡、借钱等方法取得一大笔金钱后，將钱转到妻子或亲朋戚友的账户，然后向法庭申请破產。只要准备充足，財產转移是无法追究的。在他们申请破產后，过了4年便可以恢復自由身，债务一笔勾消。在这种情况下，破產法即成为他们避债，甚至骗財的合法管道。
由於申请破產者中不乏刚毕业的大专生，这种情况令各界忧虑年轻人的借贷观念薄弱，加上过著收入与支出严重失衡的生活，最后在踏足社会不久后，便要为自己在求学期间的挥霍付出代价。
理財师指出，信用卡固然为大专生带来消费方便，但也间接鼓励学生养成“先用未来钱”的习惯。
“每人有本身的一套理財原则，並不需要別人教导，不过银行业者为了爭取客户而放鬆发卡尺度，令市民对自身的前途变得短视，都是刺激申请破產人士飆升的原因。”
理財师劝告年轻人不应“跟风”，胡乱申请破產，更不要视破產为解决债务的最好方法，因为破產对个人前途有莫大影响，並建议政府加重对破產的法则，以阻嚇市民，尤其是年轻人任意申请破產。
“年轻人破產后可能前途尽毁，除了不能得到一些专业资格包括会计师和律师外，也难以再次获得大公司聘用。因此，隨意申请破產，最后只会令自己变成失去信用的一群，將会得不偿失。”
整体经济发展不足
对於破產风潮越刮越大的这个时候，李国源不讳言整体经济发展不足是当中的原因之一，包括薪酬不足以应付生活需求，导致负债程度加深。
“当然，其他的原因还包括理財观念不强及轻易取得信贷便利等。”
破產之后怎么办？
破產意味著要有一个全新的开始，同时也是全新的挑战。凡申请个人破產的人，他的信用额度可能已经不再重要了，因债权人会將申请过破產的人视为“洪水猛兽”。
债权人害怕自己手中的合约再次成为一堆废纸。在一段时间之內，破產人可能没有贷款或者申请信用卡的机会。就算有，极高的利率和其他各种费用可能也会让那些刚刚破產的人望而却步。
有学者认为，申请破產是聪明人选择的一条活路，因为这一切总会过去的，再也不用过著那种到处招摇的日子。
不过，从破產泥沼中走出来，確实要经歷一段很长的路。而在这过程中，最重要是要做到以下几点：
1.放下平日的“臭架子”
如果一个人决定申请破產，那就意味著他须在若多年之內接受“改造”。破產者的薪金每月只会被扣除10%，一家大小还能保留住所。
只不过，破產者不得经商或成为他人的商业伙伴、不能在近亲的公司工作或管理近亲的任何企业、在没有通知贷款人他是破產者的情况下不得举债超过1000令吉，以及不能购买任何產业。
破產者必须告別以往的生活方式，放下豪华奢侈的生活方式，反之应该对每个月的房贷和生活费等精打细算。
当然，破產者不能再继续申请新债务，尤其是在没有经过批准之前，申请信用卡等。破產者须重新依靠现金，而不是以信用卡来支付费用。
2.重新夺回信用
申请破產后的生活是一把双刃剑：以前错误的信用管理让破產者积债重重，如今却须重新夺回自己信用的管理权，重新打理自己的財富生涯。
既然破產已成事实，现在所要做的就是重新建立自己良好的信用，惟当中取决於许多变化因素，包括依靠手上所拥有的资源。如果一个破產者有一份很高的收入，那么他就拥有了一半的资本，因为如果能够按时支付自己房產的贷款，在他的信用记录上將写下良好的一章。
理財师认为，態度和坚持能够改变一切，这一切取决於你是一个怎样的消费者，包括你平时的一举一动。
3.把坏影响降到最低
由於每个人都在紧盯著破產者的信用纪录，所以破產对生活造成的影响恐怕连破產者本身都无法想像。
必须注意的是，在现实生活中，由於雇主对於宣佈破產的人士存有歧视是违法的，所以很多雇主在录用员工之前总是先仔细看一下他的信用记录，確定没有大问题之后才敢录用。
破產之后，还有一点必须做到的是注明自己的破產原因。虽然不会带来太大帮助，不过至少可以让雇主直接瞭解你破產的原因，且更好地进行判断，然后决定究竟要不要雇用你这“倒霉”的破產者。
破產並非等同於“世界末日” ，也不等同於宣判“死刑”，破產局不会夺走破產者的所有东西，破產者倒是还享有“重新开始”新生活的机会。
破產也许是个让我们学习信贷管理的好机会，但肯定不是我们向前迈进或成长的绊脚石，只要信念坚定，我们还是有机会夺回本身的“信贷清誉”！
星洲日报／投资致富‧財富焦点‧2010.08.22
30 Healthy Cholesterol Tips
1. Find more ways to walk. Can you walk to the store for milk? Park farther away? Take the stairs? If you can move more, DO! Physical activity is vital to heart health.
2. Eat six or more small meals a day. A large study of British adults found that people who ate six or more times a day had lower cholesterol than those who ate twice a day, even though the "grazers" got more calories and fat!
3. Fix all your sandwiches on whole grain bread. Eating more complex carbs, like whole grain bread and brown rice, can increase HDL levels slightly and significantly lower triglycerides, another type of blood fat that contributes to heart disease.
4. Say cheese! Women who ate a serving a day (about the size of four dice) had higher HDL (good cholesterol) and lower LDL (bad) than those who ate less, according to a study at Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
5. No laughing matter. A recent study showed that diabetes patients who watched funny sitcoms for 30 minutes, along with their standard meds, reduced their heart risk substantially: They had about a 26 percent increase in HDL ("good" cholesterol), compared with a bump of just 3 percent among patients in the control group.
6. Brew it better. If you're worried about cholesterol, stick to paper-filtered and instant coffees. Unfiltered coffees, which are typically made with a French press, contain more of a cholesterol-raising substance called cafestol.
7. Make the move to nonfat milk. If you drink whole milk, switch to 2 percent. If you already drink 2 percent, move to 1 percent. If you drink 1 percent, you're ready for nonfat.
8. Start with soup. Studies show that folks who begin their meals with soup end up eating fewer calories by the end of the day without feeling hungrier. Give it a try with a broth-based soup.
9. Bag some barley. Thanks to its impressive stash of soluble fiber, which slows the digestion of food and the rise of blood sugar, barley is much friendlier to blood sugar than rice for most people. And it lowers cholesterol to boot.
10. Start three days this week with oatmeal, a proven cholesterol-reducer. Use the old-fashioned or quick-cooking kind, not instant.
11. Sip a cup of black tea every four hours. Government scientists found that three weeks of drinking five cups a day of black tea reduced cholesterol levels in people with mildly high levels.
12. Berry good news. Adults who ate about a cup of berries a day lowered their blood pressure and raised their HDL (good) cholesterol after eight weeks, according to a new study from Finland.
13. Pay attention to fiber. Studies find that eating 10 to 30 grams of soluble fiber a day -- much more than the average American eats -- reduces LDL about 10 percent. Aim to up your intake slowly though, otherwise you may experience some bloating and flatulence.
14. The use of medication doesn't have to be permanent. If you improve your diet and increase your activity level, you may reduce your cholesterol enough to get off the medication and stay off it!
15. Add half a tablespoon of cinnamon to your coffee before starting the pot. A Pakistani study found that 6 grams cinnamon a day (about 1/2 tablespoon) reduced LDL cholesterol in people with type 2 diabetes by nearly 30 percent.
16. Try turmeric. Small studies have found that curcumin, a component of turmeric, cuts cholesterol. Heat a little oil in a sauté pan, and toss in a tablespoon of turmeric, a dash of salt, and a generous pinch of black pepper (pepper can increase your uptake of curcumin by up to 2,000 percent). Stir for a minute, then add veggies and lean protein for a healthy, sunny dish.
17. Pop edamame as a snack. Just half a cup contains nearly 4 grams fiber, not to mention the soy isoflavones in these soybeans. Consumption of both has been linked to lower cholesterol.
18. Fall in love with olive oil. A study found that people who consumed about 2 tablespoons of virgin olive oil daily for just one week had lower LDL and higher levels of antioxidants in their blood.
19. Put your pizza on a diet. Order a veggie pie with extra vegetables. Or, if you must have meat on your pizza, make it chicken or ham, not pepperoni. Or try clams, shrimp, or anchovies!
20. Practice deep breathing four times a week for two to four minutes. Use this technique when you're faced with a stressful situation to mitigate your body's reactions.
21. Take as prescribed. If you need cholesterol medication, statins are generally prescribed first, but your doctor may also suggest bile acid sequestrants, fibrates or prescription niacin, all of which will help.
22. Make healthy eating easy. If time's an issue, buy "semiprepared" foods. Some examples: boneless, skinless chicken breast; broccoli and cauliflower florets; and bagged salad.
23. Bag the butter. Dip breads in olive oil instead, or try a sterol-based spread. In the kitchen, try replacing butter with olive or canola oil.
24. Make meals picture-perfect. On days when you don't have salad, add a piece of fruit to your lunch. Or better yet, have fruit at lunch and salad with dinner.
25. Get creative with vegetables. Throw frozen veggies (no need to defrost!) into soups.
26. Step to it. Try to get at least 2,000 steps a day just through everyday activities, like vacuuming and gardening. Make it easy and check out a sports store for a pedometer.
27. Bored with your walks? Invite a friend to break up the tedium or try a new route -- both can make for a more enjoyable experience, and time will go much faster.
28. Lower stress levels with an enjoyable hobby. Can't think of one? Jot down your favorite childhood pastimes, then find one you can transfer to your adult life. For instance, if you loved to draw, find a drawing class nearby and sign yourself up!
29. Sprinkle wheat germ or flaxseed (both rich in omega-3 fatty acids) over salads, yogurt, and cereal.
30. Set the alarm on your computer to go off once an hour. This is your signal to get up and take a short, five-minute walk.
2. Eat six or more small meals a day. A large study of British adults found that people who ate six or more times a day had lower cholesterol than those who ate twice a day, even though the "grazers" got more calories and fat!
3. Fix all your sandwiches on whole grain bread. Eating more complex carbs, like whole grain bread and brown rice, can increase HDL levels slightly and significantly lower triglycerides, another type of blood fat that contributes to heart disease.
4. Say cheese! Women who ate a serving a day (about the size of four dice) had higher HDL (good cholesterol) and lower LDL (bad) than those who ate less, according to a study at Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
5. No laughing matter. A recent study showed that diabetes patients who watched funny sitcoms for 30 minutes, along with their standard meds, reduced their heart risk substantially: They had about a 26 percent increase in HDL ("good" cholesterol), compared with a bump of just 3 percent among patients in the control group.
6. Brew it better. If you're worried about cholesterol, stick to paper-filtered and instant coffees. Unfiltered coffees, which are typically made with a French press, contain more of a cholesterol-raising substance called cafestol.
7. Make the move to nonfat milk. If you drink whole milk, switch to 2 percent. If you already drink 2 percent, move to 1 percent. If you drink 1 percent, you're ready for nonfat.
8. Start with soup. Studies show that folks who begin their meals with soup end up eating fewer calories by the end of the day without feeling hungrier. Give it a try with a broth-based soup.
9. Bag some barley. Thanks to its impressive stash of soluble fiber, which slows the digestion of food and the rise of blood sugar, barley is much friendlier to blood sugar than rice for most people. And it lowers cholesterol to boot.
10. Start three days this week with oatmeal, a proven cholesterol-reducer. Use the old-fashioned or quick-cooking kind, not instant.
11. Sip a cup of black tea every four hours. Government scientists found that three weeks of drinking five cups a day of black tea reduced cholesterol levels in people with mildly high levels.
12. Berry good news. Adults who ate about a cup of berries a day lowered their blood pressure and raised their HDL (good) cholesterol after eight weeks, according to a new study from Finland.
13. Pay attention to fiber. Studies find that eating 10 to 30 grams of soluble fiber a day -- much more than the average American eats -- reduces LDL about 10 percent. Aim to up your intake slowly though, otherwise you may experience some bloating and flatulence.
14. The use of medication doesn't have to be permanent. If you improve your diet and increase your activity level, you may reduce your cholesterol enough to get off the medication and stay off it!
15. Add half a tablespoon of cinnamon to your coffee before starting the pot. A Pakistani study found that 6 grams cinnamon a day (about 1/2 tablespoon) reduced LDL cholesterol in people with type 2 diabetes by nearly 30 percent.
16. Try turmeric. Small studies have found that curcumin, a component of turmeric, cuts cholesterol. Heat a little oil in a sauté pan, and toss in a tablespoon of turmeric, a dash of salt, and a generous pinch of black pepper (pepper can increase your uptake of curcumin by up to 2,000 percent). Stir for a minute, then add veggies and lean protein for a healthy, sunny dish.
17. Pop edamame as a snack. Just half a cup contains nearly 4 grams fiber, not to mention the soy isoflavones in these soybeans. Consumption of both has been linked to lower cholesterol.
18. Fall in love with olive oil. A study found that people who consumed about 2 tablespoons of virgin olive oil daily for just one week had lower LDL and higher levels of antioxidants in their blood.
19. Put your pizza on a diet. Order a veggie pie with extra vegetables. Or, if you must have meat on your pizza, make it chicken or ham, not pepperoni. Or try clams, shrimp, or anchovies!
20. Practice deep breathing four times a week for two to four minutes. Use this technique when you're faced with a stressful situation to mitigate your body's reactions.
21. Take as prescribed. If you need cholesterol medication, statins are generally prescribed first, but your doctor may also suggest bile acid sequestrants, fibrates or prescription niacin, all of which will help.
22. Make healthy eating easy. If time's an issue, buy "semiprepared" foods. Some examples: boneless, skinless chicken breast; broccoli and cauliflower florets; and bagged salad.
23. Bag the butter. Dip breads in olive oil instead, or try a sterol-based spread. In the kitchen, try replacing butter with olive or canola oil.
24. Make meals picture-perfect. On days when you don't have salad, add a piece of fruit to your lunch. Or better yet, have fruit at lunch and salad with dinner.
25. Get creative with vegetables. Throw frozen veggies (no need to defrost!) into soups.
26. Step to it. Try to get at least 2,000 steps a day just through everyday activities, like vacuuming and gardening. Make it easy and check out a sports store for a pedometer.
27. Bored with your walks? Invite a friend to break up the tedium or try a new route -- both can make for a more enjoyable experience, and time will go much faster.
28. Lower stress levels with an enjoyable hobby. Can't think of one? Jot down your favorite childhood pastimes, then find one you can transfer to your adult life. For instance, if you loved to draw, find a drawing class nearby and sign yourself up!
29. Sprinkle wheat germ or flaxseed (both rich in omega-3 fatty acids) over salads, yogurt, and cereal.
30. Set the alarm on your computer to go off once an hour. This is your signal to get up and take a short, five-minute walk.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Mind Over Money
The question is: Why? Why don’t we make saving a priority? We certainly know that saving money – like eating broccoli and strengthening our core muscles – is good for us. In the latter cases, we listen. Yoga and Pilates have never been hotter. And broccoli now comes as a baby vegetable, precut and bagged, and even in purple. Yet saving for tomorrow is still a largely ignored and unappreciated skill. There are three reasons for this.
One: Saving today is harder. “If you’re having to spend a disproportionate amount of income on food and gas, it’s hard to save,” says Anthony Pratkanis, a psychology professor at the University of California, Santa Cruz, who specialises in financial issues.
Over in our part of the world, food and fuel prices have increased substantially, eroding much of the income growth we’ve enjoyed in the past few years. According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, food prices soared nearly 40 percent since last year. Meanwhile, crude oil prices have surged more than five-fold since 2002.
What’s worse, the prospect of still spiralling inflation amidst a current slowing global economy will make it more difficult for already strapped households to save.
Two: Credit became too accessible. For years it was simply too easy to get your hands on money to spend. Banks are eager to extend credit to you if you meet their requirements.
A financial cards study by Euromonitor International reported there were 580 million credit cards in circulation in Asia Pacific last year, a 54 percent increase since 2002. Correspondingly, credit cards transactions has increased 62 percent in the same five-year period.
Another study by the Bank for International Settlements, the bank for central banks, noted that many Asian countries such as Singapore and Malaysia, racked up a 200 to 500 percent increase in credit card usage volume, including the use of cards both to make purchases and to withdraw cash, between 1998 and 2005.
With such easy credit available, why save when you could get that big flat-screen TV today and pay for it with a simple swipe of plastic?
Three – and most intriguing: Saving is, was, and always will be no fun. “Saving money,” explains Jason Zweig, author of Your Money and Your Brain, “doesn't feel good.” Think about it this way: Choosing to save almost always means opting for delayed instead of immediate gratification. “You can buy a pair of shoes today,” says Zweig, “or have a nice retirement 20 years from now.” You’re going to buy the shoes because the pleasure of getting something good today is much greater than the pleasure of getting something good years in the future – even if the reward in the future is bigger.
IF IT’S NOT SHOES THAT make you go mushy inside, it may be technology, or rare books. But that’s not only an intensity you feel, it’s an intensity neuroeconomists can see. In recent years, this relatively new breed of experts in economics and neuroscience have started using MRIs to view the brain as it is making money choices.
When something we want to buy comes into view, they see the pleasure centre firing up as we get a feel-good dopamine rush. Similarly, getting a few dollars today is thrilling – more thrilling, in fact, than getting a slightly larger profit tomorrow. And if you have to wait a few weeks or months for that gain, it will have to be much bigger in order to arouse the same interest in your brain. Things way off in the future – like retirement – don’t jostle the pleasure centre much at all.
“HUMANS, LIKE MOST ANIMALS, have a strong preference for immediate reward over delayed reward. If you offer me $10 today or $11 tomorrow, I’ll probably say I’d rather have the $10 today,” says Zweig. Even bigger numbers don’t seem to make a difference. Financial experts routinely use what-if scenarios to try to encourage people to save more and at a younger age. You’ve probably heard that if at age 20, you put $100 a month into an account earning 8 percent interest, you’d have $527,454 at retirement. If you waited until you were 30 to begin, you’d have only $229,388. Yes, the examples are striking, but by Zweig’s logic, they probably aren’t very effective.
“A reward you get in the distant future has no emotional kick to it. It’s just an abstraction,” he says. “Even if you tell people you’ll have a million dollars 30 years from now, the brain doesn’t get it.”
Which, of course, is perfectly rational. “If tomorrow’s reward is based on promises – which retirement is – the people making the promises might be lying, they might not be around 20 years from now, your goals might change, many things could happen,” says Zweig. “So you have this automatic preference for an immediate reward. And that probably comes from our [hunter-gatherer] ancestors.” Back in those days, food was scarce. Given the choice of eating now or maybe eating more later, the cave folk who chose the latter very likely starved to death.
So the question becomes: Knowing what we know about our money and our brains, what mind games can you play to psych yourself into saving?
Visualise your goals. Let’s say you're 31 and you want to retire in 25 years. The key is to make the goal as concrete as you can, says Zweig. Pick your birthday circa 2033 as the day for your retirement goal. Then ask yourself, What do I want to do when I retire? Do I want a villa in Bali, a yacht to sail the seas in, or a paid-off mortgage? It’s different for everyone. But you’ve made retirement tangible: You have the date. You have the goal. Then you give it a name. It becomes “The Villa in Bali Fund.” You put a little Balinese music on your desktop, or cartoons of the beach – whatever reminds you of your goal. Put your account statements in a manila folder and decorate it with coconut trees.
Sound corny? Sure, but what you’re doing, Zweig says, is building an emotional environment that you can save in. All these things work together to motivate you, and then when you see the pair of shoes, it will be easier for you to say to yourself, This is a choice between shoes and Bali. Suddenly, you can leave the shoes in the store.
Rally your team. Use your friends and family as a way to discipline yourself. Tell them what your goal is, and ask them to remind you if you’re about to spend money on something you won’t need. (Tell them you won’t get cranky and will appreciate the help.) You can even do this on the internet. Dean Karlan and Ian Ayres of Yale just launched a website called stickK.com, which lets you post your goal, notify your friends, and set up penalties if you fail. It worked for both founders, who lost a significant amount of weight by pledging a significant amount of money if they didn’t drop pounds. But you could also use it to build an emergency stash, increase your contribution to your retirement savings, or amass an education fund for your kids.
Break it down. Stephen Brobeck, executive director of the Consumer Federation of America, says that one reason many middle-income families don’t save is that they don’t believe they can come up with big enough sums of money to do it effectively. The fact is, he says, small amounts can be quite effective. Start with your change. “It sounds trivial, but we have story after story of people who accumulated hundreds of dollars that way, realised they could do it, and worked harder to get more,” he says. Then add an automatic transfer from checking to savings account every month.
Finally, recognise that the saving process is actually healing. It makes you feel better – a better person, a better spouse, a better parent – to know that you have something put away for your future. Says Brobeck, “You may have to make sacrifices in the short term, but you’ll feel so much better in the medium to long.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
How to Be Your Own Doctor
1. Have a PERF-ect day
Essentially, there are four things you should monitor every day to make sure you are living healthily: the amount of fruit and vegetables you ate that day (fresh Produce); whether you walked and were active (Exercise); whether you got at least 15 minutes of laughter and fun time for yourself (Relaxation); and whether you got enough beans, grains and other high-fibre foods (Fibre). If you can say you did well on all four, your day has been extremely healthy. (Needless to say, this doesn’t apply if you spent the rest of the day say, drinking, smoking and eating chocolate.)
2. Get naked every two to three months
Then, with your partner (or a really close friend), conduct a head-to-toe skin check, looking for any new moles, changed moles, suspicious spots or rashes. Be sure to check your scalp, between your toes and fingers, and also the underside of your arms. If you find anything worrying, see your doctor.
Do the ABCD test when checking moles, looking out for these possible danger signs:
Asymmetry: the two halves don’t match.
Border irregularity: the edges are jagged.
Colour: uneven. Different shades of black, brown or pink can be seen.
Diameter: more than 6mm.
3. Monitor your sleepiness
There are three good ways to tell if you’re not getting enough sleep. First, do you require an alarm clock to wake you up most mornings? Second, do you become drowsy in the afternoon to the point that it affects what you’re doing? Third, do you doze off shortly after eating dinner? If the answer to any of these is yes, you need more sleep. And if you’re getting enough sleep (about eight hours) and still have these troubles, talk to your doctor about your low energy.
4. Measure your height every year after you turn 50
This is especially important for women as a way of assessing posture and skeletal health. A decrease in stature can be as informative as a change in a bone density test for monitoring your overall bone health. If you’re concerned, speak to your doctor.
5. Keep a mental colour chart of how dark your urine is
It may sound weird, but it’s a useful health indicator. Your urine should be a clear, straw colour; if it’s dark or smells strong, you may not be getting enough fluids. If it stays dark-coloured even after you increase your liquid intake, make an appointment to see your doctor. If it’s bright yellow, it may be the B vitamins in your multivitamin tablets (if you take them).
6. Check your heartbeat after you exercise
A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that women with poor heart rate recovery (HRR) after exercise had twice the risk of having a heart attack within ten years as those who had normal HRR. Next time you exercise, like a strenuous 20-minute walk or a jog, count your heartbeats for 15 seconds immediately afterwards, then multiply the result by four to get your heart rate. Sit down and wait two minutes before checking again. Subtract the second number from the first. If it’s under 55, your HRR is higher than normal and you should consult with your doctor.
7. If you have diabetes, check your feet every day
You will be susceptible to foot damage, so examine your feet carefully for any blisters, fungus, peeling skin, cuts or bruises. Because people with diabetes often have some nerve damage in extremities such as the feet, these daily self-examinations give critical clues as to how well you’re monitoring your blood sugar and if you might have nerve damage.
8. Have a cardiovascular check
If you’re over 40, you can request a full cardiovascular screening assessment (for future heart attack and stroke risk) with your doctor. You can also request one if you’re under 40 with a strong family history of heart attack or stroke. Blood cholesterol levels are just one of several factors that need to be measured and assessed, along with smoking status, blood glucose level, ECG results and blood pressure. Measuring cholesterol alone is not enough, as other risk factors may be missed; normal cholesterol levels do not necessarily mean that your overall cardiovascular risk is normal. Ask for advice at your doctor’s surgery.
9. Check your blood pressure every six months
Check with a home blood pressure monitor, or at a clinic. If the top number is more than 140 (130 if you have diabetes) and the bottom number is higher than 90 (80 for diabetics), wait a day, then check it again. If it’s still high, make an appointment with your doctor.
10. Check your hairbrush
If your hair’s falling out, ask your doctor to check your levels of blood ferritin, an indication of how much iron your body is storing. Some studies suggest low levels may be related to unexplained hair loss. Thyroid disease is another fairly common cause.
From the book, 5 Minute Health Boosters, published by Reader’s Digest (January 2010).
Essentially, there are four things you should monitor every day to make sure you are living healthily: the amount of fruit and vegetables you ate that day (fresh Produce); whether you walked and were active (Exercise); whether you got at least 15 minutes of laughter and fun time for yourself (Relaxation); and whether you got enough beans, grains and other high-fibre foods (Fibre). If you can say you did well on all four, your day has been extremely healthy. (Needless to say, this doesn’t apply if you spent the rest of the day say, drinking, smoking and eating chocolate.)
2. Get naked every two to three months
Then, with your partner (or a really close friend), conduct a head-to-toe skin check, looking for any new moles, changed moles, suspicious spots or rashes. Be sure to check your scalp, between your toes and fingers, and also the underside of your arms. If you find anything worrying, see your doctor.
Do the ABCD test when checking moles, looking out for these possible danger signs:
Asymmetry: the two halves don’t match.
Border irregularity: the edges are jagged.
Colour: uneven. Different shades of black, brown or pink can be seen.
Diameter: more than 6mm.
3. Monitor your sleepiness
There are three good ways to tell if you’re not getting enough sleep. First, do you require an alarm clock to wake you up most mornings? Second, do you become drowsy in the afternoon to the point that it affects what you’re doing? Third, do you doze off shortly after eating dinner? If the answer to any of these is yes, you need more sleep. And if you’re getting enough sleep (about eight hours) and still have these troubles, talk to your doctor about your low energy.
4. Measure your height every year after you turn 50
This is especially important for women as a way of assessing posture and skeletal health. A decrease in stature can be as informative as a change in a bone density test for monitoring your overall bone health. If you’re concerned, speak to your doctor.
5. Keep a mental colour chart of how dark your urine is
It may sound weird, but it’s a useful health indicator. Your urine should be a clear, straw colour; if it’s dark or smells strong, you may not be getting enough fluids. If it stays dark-coloured even after you increase your liquid intake, make an appointment to see your doctor. If it’s bright yellow, it may be the B vitamins in your multivitamin tablets (if you take them).
6. Check your heartbeat after you exercise
A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that women with poor heart rate recovery (HRR) after exercise had twice the risk of having a heart attack within ten years as those who had normal HRR. Next time you exercise, like a strenuous 20-minute walk or a jog, count your heartbeats for 15 seconds immediately afterwards, then multiply the result by four to get your heart rate. Sit down and wait two minutes before checking again. Subtract the second number from the first. If it’s under 55, your HRR is higher than normal and you should consult with your doctor.
7. If you have diabetes, check your feet every day
You will be susceptible to foot damage, so examine your feet carefully for any blisters, fungus, peeling skin, cuts or bruises. Because people with diabetes often have some nerve damage in extremities such as the feet, these daily self-examinations give critical clues as to how well you’re monitoring your blood sugar and if you might have nerve damage.
8. Have a cardiovascular check
If you’re over 40, you can request a full cardiovascular screening assessment (for future heart attack and stroke risk) with your doctor. You can also request one if you’re under 40 with a strong family history of heart attack or stroke. Blood cholesterol levels are just one of several factors that need to be measured and assessed, along with smoking status, blood glucose level, ECG results and blood pressure. Measuring cholesterol alone is not enough, as other risk factors may be missed; normal cholesterol levels do not necessarily mean that your overall cardiovascular risk is normal. Ask for advice at your doctor’s surgery.
9. Check your blood pressure every six months
Check with a home blood pressure monitor, or at a clinic. If the top number is more than 140 (130 if you have diabetes) and the bottom number is higher than 90 (80 for diabetics), wait a day, then check it again. If it’s still high, make an appointment with your doctor.
10. Check your hairbrush
If your hair’s falling out, ask your doctor to check your levels of blood ferritin, an indication of how much iron your body is storing. Some studies suggest low levels may be related to unexplained hair loss. Thyroid disease is another fairly common cause.
From the book, 5 Minute Health Boosters, published by Reader’s Digest (January 2010).
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