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Would you buy this flat?
 For the superstitious, this would probably be the worst unit number to have. Patrick Seah, 37, a sales engineer, spotted this unit number at Public Mansion along Balestier Road when he passed by yesterday (31 May) and told STOMP that according to Chinese superstition, "it's not a good omen at all." The number "four", when translated into Mandarin and most Chinese dialects like Cantonese and Hokkien, sounds like the word "death" in these languages. "Even the letter 'C' at the end of the unit number sounds like "death" or "die" in Mandarin!" Patrick added. "It's surprising because some developers would avoid unlucky numbers like 13, or even anything to do with the number 4." The unit is now occupied by Indian nationals, according to Patrick's friend who lives in the next unit. Labels: Phenomena
Another fallen tree
 Mr. Chia Hiok Yoo captured this photo of a collapsed tree at Sembawang Road, beside Sembawang Shopping Centre at about 11 am. yesterday morning. The 48-year-old shopkeeper told STOMP that he had seen the same tree deeply rooted to the ground just the night before when he was passing by the same road. Recently, there seems to be a growing concern about falling trees, especially after the deaths of a dental assistant at Bukit Timah Nature Reserve and two other Singaporeans at Mount Ophir in Malaysia, all involving fallen trees. On 22nd May, another STOMPer, Goh Whye Kok, also sent in pictures of three trees along Geylang Bahru Road, describing one as looking as if it was going “to give way anytime” while saying that the other two might “end up this way sooner or later”. Labels: Nature
Body found near Kallang River
 In what appears to be another case of drowning, a man's body was found this morning (May 30) in a canal connected to the Kallang River, situated behind Kolam Ayer Industrial Estate. 32-year-old Loh Sam Loong, an HR administrator, was driving along Geylang Bahru Road at about 10.45 am. when he saw three SCDF vehicles, an ambulance and a police car at the scene. He also saw SCDF officers rushing towards the canal. This is the latest among the flurry of drowning incidents that happened in just the last two months. In April, a 14-year-old girl drowned in a canal near Bukit Batok West, following the drowning of two boys off the coast of Pasir Ris Park not too long before. Earlier this month, in a shocking turn of events, the body of a 60-year-old woman was found at Lower Seletar Reservoir, just over two hours after the body of a 32-year-old man was retrieved after it went missing following a kayak accident. STOMP has contacted the Police, who said that they received the first call regarding the floating body at 10.25 am. They are still investigating the matter. Labels: Drown
Another death at Lower Seletar Reservoir
Body of 60-year-old woman found not far from where an Indian national drowned on Sunday. In a shocking turn of events, a female body was spotted yesterday at Lower Seletar Reservoir shortly after the body of the man who went missing while kayaking was found. The man was pulled out yesterday at 11.15am, nearly 24 hours after he disappeared into the murky waters, according to The Straits Times, while the 60-year-old woman was discovered at around 1.45pm. The first body was later identified as that of Mr Khoka Mohammed Burhan, 32, an Indian national and a permanent resident working here. The police have not released the woman’s name but have classified her case as unnatural death. Mr Khoka was in 2.5m-deep waters, about 100m from the shoreline in front of the Orchid Country Club. The SCDF officers pulled him out with the help of a diver from the Naval Diving Unit (NDU) of the Singapore Armed Forces. The victim and his wife Noorliza Yahya, 27, had hired the kayak from the People's Association (PA) Water-Venture water sports outlet on Sunday before it capsized. Mr Khoka then pushed his wife onto the capsized kayak, while he kept swimming in the water. It is believed that he ran out of strength and went under. His life jacket was recovered later. Madam Noorliza struggled to steer the kayak towards the shore and waded onto an embankment where she called for help at about 12.15pm using a mobile phone belonging to a worker who was working on the golf course. A search ensued but was called off at 8.30pm because of poor visibility and safety concerns. The search resumed again at 7am yesterday. Captain Raihan Rafiek, SCDF Officer Commanding from Yishun Fire Station, told The Straits Times: 'The search and rescue was not as simple as it seemed. We had to deal with a lot of undergrowth, which slowed down our operations.' Mr Khoka moved here from Dubai where he was working, after he married Madam Noorliza, a Singaporean, last year. He had been working at a shipyard here. The couple, who live with Madam Noorliza's parents in Yishun Ring Road, do not have any children. Meanwhile, the rental of kayaks and canoes at the water-sports outlet, which is run by the PA, remains suspended. It was opened barely two weeks ago. Labels: Drown
Second body found near man who drowned in kayak accident
 The body of the man who drowned after his kayak capsized in the Lower Seletar Reservoir on Sunday was found at 11.15 am on Monday. But just two and a half hours later, a second body was found floating near the Yishun Jetty. Search operations for 32-year-old Khoka Mohammed Burhan, an engineer from India, had resumed at 7am. And some 24 hours after he went missing underwater in the Lower Seletar Reservoir, his body was found.  It was partially submerged - about 50 metres from where his kayak capsized on Sunday, and some 100 metres from the shore near the Orchid Country Club. The search had involved 17 divers from the Naval Diving Unit, the Civil Defence force, and the police. Captain Raihan Rafiek, Officer-In-Charge, Yishun Fire Station, Singapore Civil Defence Force, said, "It's not as simple as what it seems to be. There is a lot of undergrowth in the water itself and that slowed down our search and rescue operation as we sent divers in." MP for Ang Mo Kio GRC Lee Bee Wah came to offer help and comfort to Mr Khoka's wife - 27-year-old Madam Noorliza Yahya - and her family. The couple loved water sports and Sunday's canoeing trip was their second outing at the reservoir. Ms Lee said, "It is a very tragic accident, very sudden. The wife is very strong. The family is very strong. I have spoken to them. At the moment, they do not require any financial help. "They will arrange to go for Haj after this. They want to take a break. The water centre, the paddle centre has already stopped operation, and PA is looking into whether there's anything else that we can do better in order to prevent similar accidents." Just as the search team was leaving, a passer-by at the reservoir made a grisly discovery - the body of an Indian woman was floating near the Yishun Jetty. Nurzatiman Astha said, "When I saw the body there, it was like a quarter submerged. She was wearing this red dress with white pokka dots. Her feet were slightly wrinkled. "She may have fallen off. Because this is like mud at the bottom of the area. It's very obvious. There couldn't be anything you could be doing here, other than to fish. It was very deserted." Police said the woman was in her sixties and are investigating how she fell into the water. - CNA/ms Labels: Drown
Body of man missing in kayak accident found
 THE body of the man missing in a kayak accident at Lower Seletar Reservoir has been found. The body was found at about 11.15am on Monday, off the waters near Orchid Country Club. Officers from the Singapore Civil Defence Force spotted 32-year-old Khoka Mohammed Burhan half submerged in 2.5m deep waters about 15m away from where his kayak capsized. The kayak is believed to have gone under about 100m off the Orchid Country Club golf course shoreline on Sunday.. The deceased and his wife, Madam Noorliza Yahya had hired the kayak from the PA Water-Venture outlet at about 11.15am.  But they apparently rowed out of sight from the outlet to the waters off the country club on the opposite side of the reservoir, where the accident happened. The couple, who both wore life vests, were in the double-seater kayak when it suddenly capsized. Mr Burhan apparently managed to push his wife onto the boat, while he kept on swimming in the water. But he could not keep up and suddenly just stopped and disappeared. The weather was fine at the time of the accident. It is understood he may have lost strength, having rowed the boat for some distance before the mishap happened. His life jacket had apparently loosened and was later recovered. Meanwhile MP for Ang Mo Kio GRC Lee Bee Wah, who was at the scene of the accident, said the family had approached her for help to process a Visa to bring Mr Burhan's brother back from Dubai, where he is working. Labels: Drown
He saves wife, but his life vest slips off, then...
hero hubby disappears into water HE was a strong swimmer and his first thought was for his wife, who couldn't swim.  Their double-seater kayak had capsized while they were paddling in the Lower Seletar Reservoir on Sunday.Struggling in the water, MadamNoorliza Yahya, 27, shouted out that she could not swim. Mr Khoka Mohammed Burhan, 32, immediately swam to her aid. He saved her from going under, and also managed to turn the kayak upright. He then helped her into the kayak and began pushing it towards the shore. When she turned and looked at him, she saw him swimming towards the kayak. She saw his life vest slipping off. He called out her name and then sank into the water. That is the image that will probably haunt Madam Noorliza for the rest of her life. She related the final moments of her hero hubby to her aunt, MadamHalimah. It was a sunny Sunday when the couple decided to go kayaking. Then the tragedy happened. MrKhoka, an Indian national and Singapore permanent resident, went missing in the waters off the shoreline of a golf course at Orchid Country Club. At 11.15am yesterday, his body was found not far from where he had disappeared. About two hours later, a woman's body was found near where MrKhoka's body was found. The New Paper visited the Yishun flat where Mr Khoka and his wife, a clerk at a primary school, lived with her parents. Madam Halimah said her niece was resting and did not want to be disturbed. Ang Mo Kio GRC MP Lee Bee Wah also visited the family earlier yesterday. LOVED THE OUTDOORS  Madam Halimah, 45, a school assistant who is the younger sister of Madam Faridah, Madam Noorliza's mother, said that her niece and MrKhoka loved outdoor sports. They had gone to the People's Association's Water-Venture sports outlet at the reservoir at least twice before the fateful day. She said Mr Khoka was a good swimmer who also knew how to dive. Madam Halimah said that her niece told her that both of them had landed in the water, but they were both wearing life vests. Madam Halimah said: 'Noorliza started shouting to her husband that she could not swim. 'He got the kayak upright again and then helped Noorliza onto the kayak. 'He then pushed the kayak towards the shore. Noorliza saw him swimming towards the boat. But then his life vest slipped off. 'He shouted for help once and then called out Noorliza's name. Then he disappeared.' Madam Halimah said her niece called for help and several Bangladeshi workers at the golf course saw the kayak and helped her push it near the shore, after which Madam Noorliza then waded onto shore. But the workers could not help MrKhoka as they could not swim and did not have life vests, said Madam Halimah. The police and the Singapore Civil Defence Force were then called. INTERNET ROMANCE Madam Halimah said her niece, the elder of twin daughters and the second of three children, had known Mr Khoka for several years. They had communicated through the Internet for some time before getting married. The couple have no children. 'They married in December 2005 and they were planning to start a family soon,' she said. Madam Halimah said Mr Khoka, came from Bangalore and had worked as an engineer here and in Dubai. She said he had recently left his job at a shipyard here and was looking for a job. She said her sister and her brother-in-law, Mr Yahya, 57, operate a canteen at a primary school in Yishun. Madam Halimah said: 'Noorliza's mother and I are very close and when she learned about Noorliza's love for Mr Khoka, she told me about it. We found out that he was a good man and agreed that both of them should get married. 'He was a homely person who loved living near his family. When he married Noorliza, he decided to move in with her to her parents' home.' She said that Mr Khoka's family in India has been informed of the tragedy and his brother would be flying to Singapore from Dubai soon. Ms Lee said the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority has granted MrKhoka's brother a five-week visa. Labels: Drown
Water spout sighted off Singapore's east coast
SINGAPORE: 5-27-2007   A water spout has been spotted from the eastern parts of Singapore. Most callers to the MediaCorp News Hotline reported seeing what looked like a tornado or a twister over the sea. Most said they saw the phenomenon at about 2.30pm and that the phenomenon lasted about 15 minutes. Witnesses said it was moving in a circular motion. The water spout could be seen in several areas including Chai Chee, East Coast Park, Suntec City and Potong Pasir. Last August, a water-spout was also spotted off the coast of Sentosa Island. The National Environment Agency (NEA) said intense thunderstorms were the cause of the phenomenon. The water spout is a narrow column of water that is sucked to the base of a cloud, making it look like a funnel. An average diameter of a waterspout is 50 metres and it has average wind speeds of up to 150 kilometres per hour. The NEA added that water spouts will dissipate rapidly near the coast. It also clarified that water spouts are not rare as there are actually several sightings each year. - CNA/yy Labels: Phenomena
Guan Yin appears in Pulau Ubin?
 According to Raymond Tan, the surface of this quarry in Pulau Ubin bears a striking resemblance to the Goddess of Mercy. In an email to STOMP, the 27-year-old flight attendant wrote that he "was attracted by the view of it, as it does resemble the Goddess of Mercy. Around the quarry you could observe that the surrounding rocks were different from the capture likewise you could see an altar table facing it." STOMP has juxtaposed a photo of the Goddess of Mercy statue next to the picture of the quarry for STOMPers to make your own comparisons. Labels: Phenomena
Another tree falls, another S'porean dies. Experts say of Gunung Ledang:
It's not a place to fool around ANOTHER Singaporean man has died after being hit by a falling tree on Mount Ophir. Mr Abdul Razak Abdul Hamid is the second Singaporean to die tragically on Mount Ophir in less than a week. The 48-year-old Changi Airport security officer was killed around 10pm on Saturday when a tree fell his tent, following a storm. He was killed not far from where 27-year-old trainee teacher Mohammad Rohaizam Tumadi died on 15May, after his tent was hit by a falling tree. To Singaporeans, Mount Ophir is simply a popular trekking and camping destination. But to locals, it is Gunung Ledang, a place associated with folk lore and mythical stories about a princess, Puteri Gunung Ledang, and her magical powers and enchantments. And with two deaths happening so close to each other, as well as the mountain being the site of many freak accidents and tragedies, is there more than meets the eye to this forested peak? Experienced climbers say the 1,276m-high Mount Ophir, on the border of Malacca and Johor, about 50km from Muar, is no walk in the park. Everest conqueror and veteran adventurer Khoo Swee Chiow says that sometimes, accidents can happen when Singaporeans do not show enough respect for the places they visit. Said Mr Khoo: 'Superstitious or not, people have got lost and people have died on Mount Ophir. 'Do not underestimate the place. It is not a place to fool around in.' Mr Khoo said that Singaporeans tend to be complacent on Mount Ophir because of its reputation of being an 'easy' mountain to climb. 'So many Singaporeans have been there and come back with stories that even children can climb the mountain. 'When people get complacent, that's when the danger sets in. I've previously come across groups of first-time climbers who have gone to Mount Ophir without a guide or a map, thinking it's easy. 'Then they end up losing their way.' A Singaporean man was lost for five days on Mount Ophir in November 1998 before he found his way out to a nearby village. Before 2003, the year Mount Ophir was designated a national park, at least three or four groups of Singaporeans would get lost there every year. Since then, it has been compulsory for trekkers to be accompanied by rangers who have gone up the mountain more than 100 times. More than 20,000 Singaporeans visit the mountain annually. Said Mr Khoo: 'For any mountain-climbing trip, always go with a local guide or someone who is very familiar with the mountain. Even maps may not be detailed enough to guide you through.' Mr Leong Kwok Khuen, 40, founder of Edu Outdoor Activities, agreed that often, Singaporean climbers who scale Mount Ophir are not adequately prepared. Said Mr Leong: 'They go with expensive shoes that are not suitable for climbing. Instead of getting proper trekking shoes, they're in their tennis or gym shoes, which often do not provide proper grip and can be slippery. 'And some people may venture off the designated routes when they see something that attracts their attention, such as a waterfall. 'They try to go near the waterfall, which is very dangerous because the track near the waterfall is slippery and near a slope. People can slip and hurt themselves or even die.' Veteran adventurers say there are certain basic rules campers should follow. For example, avoid setting up camp near tall trees, in a valley, or in a large open area. Said Mr Ben Lee, 45, head of Nature Trekker: 'Tall trees attract lightning and have a higher probability of falling. 'In an open area, your tent can get blown away. 'And in a low-lying area, there's a chance of being trapped in a flood if it should rain.' Mr Lee said it's best to pick a spot near a low tree or building, which can protect a tent against the wind. In addition to basic camping fundamentals and common sense aside, some also believe in showing respect for local legends and folklore. Said Mr Khoo: 'On Everest, the local guides have this practice of performing certain prayers before proceeding on a difficult route. 'Do not take such things lightly or dismiss it as superstition. 'I'm not aware of any local practice on Mount Ophir, but wherever you go, do not do things that the locals would not do. 'Always respect the place that you're visiting.'
Labels: Misadventure
Gunung Ledang - Other deaths and near-misses
Singapore  IN the early hours of 15 May, first-year National Institute of Education (NIE) trainee Mohammad Rohaizam Tumadi was killed by a falling tree on Mount Ophir. He had been sleeping in his tent when the incident happened. The National University of Singapore history graduate was completing a seven-day camping course conducted by the NIE. In May 2002, Madam Ivy Ng, a 32-year-old photo shop manager dislocated her left shoulder and sprained her left foot when she lost her grip on the rope three quarters up the mountain and fell, rolling about 10m (four storeys) down a slope before a tree broke her fall. In November 1998, six climbers, including four Singaporeans, were lost for several days in the jungles of Mount Ophir before they were rescued by a team of 10 General Operations Force personnel and a ranger. In August 1997, five Singaporeans were lost for two days while trying to scale the mountain. They eventually followed a stream to reach a rubber plantation. In September 1995, a NUS undergrad, Miss Leong Sheau Ling, 19, died after falling off the Air Pernas waterfall at the mountain. She was with 13 other campus friends when the accident happened. In May 1994, Mr Pang Shui Fu, 29, an assistant engineer, is believed to have slipped and fallen into a lake at Mount Ophir. His friends managed to pull him out but he died on the way to hospital. In November 1992, 21 Singaporean students and teachers and 28 Malaysians were trapped at the foothills of the mountain for half a day after heavy torrential rains. During the rescue, a Malaysian fire officer died when he fell into the Asahan River and was swept away. One of the Singaporeans also almost drowned in the flooded river while trying to get help. In April 1991, Mr Wesley Sim Chin Shing, 24, a die designer, plunged about 200m to his death at Bukit Emas on Mount Ophir. Mr Sim, an experienced climber, died of head injuries. In June 1990, Mr Koh Moh Shean, 19, a Ngee Ann Polytechnic student, was swept away by strong currents at a waterfall on Ophir. He had gone hiking with 11 schoolmates, and was sitting on a rck when a powerful surge of water, believed to have been caused by a sudden downpour, flung him into the river. _________________ Labels: Nature
Unusual green clouds at night
 Wee was intrigued by what he saw outside his window at Block 3A Holland Close last night (16 May). At about 9.30 pm, Wee noticed that “the clouds were greenish, and it wasn’t even raining.” The 42-year-old senior management then took this picture to share it with other STOMPers. Labels: Phenomena
Woman dies after being pinned under fallen tree
Sinagpore  SINGAPORE: A woman died after being pinned under a fallen tree at the Bukit Batok Nature Park. The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it responded to a call on Tuesday morning at 7.10 am. SCDF had to use a power saw to release the woman who was pronounced dead at the scene. Two other women at the park were also injured by the fallen tree. They were conscious but suffered cuts and bruises. The two women were later sent to the National University Hospital (NUH) by SCDF ambulances. NUH said both patients might be discharged on Tuesday. - CNA/so Labels: Misadventure
Girl Died Trying To Save Friend In Pool
Source: The Strait Times 11-5-2007 Singapore  THE adage 'a friend in need is a friend indeed' truly applied to 15-year-old Chan Poh Lian - and she paid for it with her life. The teenager, who died after trying to rescue her friend from drowning at a swimming pool, was hailed for her courage by the State Coroner at her inquest yesterday. The schoolgirl nearly drowned in the attempt and slipped into a coma after she was pulled out of the pool. Taken to the Singapore General Hospital (SGH), she died of multiple organ failure 13 days later, on Sept 18 last year. Yesterday, State Coroner Ronald Gwee ruled that her death was the result of an accident. He was full of praise for what she had done. He said: 'She had very bravely and selflessly attempted to help her friend who had got into difficulties in the water in the swimming pool. 'In the process, she got into difficulties herself and suffered the near-drowning incident.' Poh Lian and another girl had gone to their classmate's condominium apartment in River Valley Road on Sept 6 last year. At about 3 pm, the two visitors decided to swim at the deep end of the condo's pool, which was about 1.8m deep. The classmate sat by the side of the pool. The other girl then had cramps in her leg. She flailed her arms and shouted for help. Poh Lian - who had elementary swimming lessons but had yet to learn to tread water - swam over and tried to help her but soon encountered difficulties. She slipped under the surface even as her classmate flung a lifebuoy into the pool, which the other girl was able to grab. Their cries for help drew residents and security officers from the condominium, who then pulled Poh Lian out of the pool. By then, Poh Lian was already unconscious but still breathing. She was taken to hospital where she was placed on life support. She died 13 days later. Dr Colleen Kim Thomas, from the SGH, noted in his medical report that Poh Lian's condition 'was not salvageable right from the start'. A lack of oxygen and heart failure before her rescue had led to 'irrecoverable brain failure'. In recording a verdict of misadventure, the coroner cleared the hospital of any possible blame. 'There is no evidence to suggest that there had been any criminal negligence in the medical care of the deceased between the time of the incident in the pool and her demise,' he said. Labels: Drown
JURONG GIRL, 6, DROWNS IN SENTOSA HOTEL POOL. HEARTBROKEN DAD SAYS:
It was her first time in pooI  IT was little Anna Lim's first trip to Sentosa. And when her family decided to move from the beach to the Rasa Sentosa swimming pool, she couldn't contain her excitement. t would be the six-year-old's first time in a pool. Sadly, it also turned out to be her last after she drowned on Saturday. Now her grieving father is left with only questions and regret. Questions of how she could have drowned unnoticed in a pool teeming with people and watched over by two lifeguards. Regret that he could not find her in time after she had run ahead while they were walking to the pool. Regret that he could not find the time to teach her how to swim. Mr Andrew Lim tried to stay strong for his family since the tragedy. He was a picture of composure yesterday, a contrast from his wife, Madam Lona, who had been weeping non-stop, unable to come to terms with Anna's death. But when he saw his daughter's body at the wake for the first time yesterday at 6.30pm, he broke down. Bent over her coffin, he whispered something to her body. He later told The New Paper what he had said: 'I'm sorry I didn't save you in time.' It has been almost two days of confusion and heartache for the family from Jurong East. Anna, who is 1.2m tall, was found in the shallower end of the hotel's adult pool (1.3m deep) on Saturday just after 5pm. Questions remain unanswered for the family. How did she end up in the pool? Didn't anybody see her struggling? Why didn't someone help her then? There were two lifeguards on duty then, but they did not see her. At the wake yesterday, Mr Lim, 40, recounted the incident to The New Paper. He said his sister had booked a room at the hotel over the weekend. On Friday, Anna spent the day at the hotel with Mr Lim's father-in-law, sister and her family. The adults even took the children to play by the beach. ENJOYED HERSELF It was Anna's first visit to Sentosa. 'She enjoyed herself so much and insisted on going back again on Saturday,' said Mr Lim, a full-time tutor. He gave in and took his wife and daughter to the hotel at about 4pm. While Mr Lim was walking from the beach towards the swimming pool with his wife, his sister and his sister's two children, Anna ran ahead of them. 'She ran about 10m ahead. When we couldn't see her, we started calling out for her,' recalled Mr Lim. 'I don't think she would have heard us because it was so noisy.' Mr Lim said the pool area was crowded with guests. After searching frantically in the crowd for her, Mr Lim said they decided to see if she had gone up to the room. When they didn't find her there, they went back down to the pool. But his heart sank when he approached the area. Said Mr Lim: 'I saw a group of people around her. From what she was wearing, I knew immediately that it was her.' Anna was wearing a bright blue swimsuit borrowed from one of her cousins, as she didn't have one of herown. He said several guests and the hotel's lifeguards tried to resuscitate her, but failed. 'They administered CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation), but they couldn't revive her,' he said. Recalling those moments of chaos, Mr Lim said he called out to Anna, but she did not respond. 'I knew she was already gone. She didn't have a pulse, her lips were blue and her fingers had turned pale. But I couldn't bring myself to tell my wife then,' said Mr Lim. He said one of the guests who had helped out, later told him that a lot of water had been pumped out of her. Mr Lim said Anna did not know how to swim. And it was her first time in a swimming pool. Shaking his head, Mr Lim said: 'Till now, I'm not sure how she got in. Did she jump in? Did she fall in? I don't know. 'There were so many people there. Somebody should have seen her.' He said Anna seldom ran off too far so he didn't know what prompted her to do so on Saturday. Yesterday, the swimming pool was teeming with hotel guests. Guests who had been there on Saturday said that those helping Anna had tried really hard to save her. Said a guest, who declined to give her name: 'One woman kept pumping and pumping the girl's chest until the ambulance came. 'During those crucial minutes, it just seemed (to take) forever for help to arrive.' Another guest said it had been very crowded that day and it would have been hard for the lifeguards to observe everything. It seems that most guests only realised that an accident had occurred when people started gathering around Anna. The police said they received a call at 5.20pm on Saturday informing them that a girl had been found unresponsive in the swimming pool. She was taken to Singapore General Hospital unconscious and pronounced dead at 7.20pm. The police are investigating the death. Mr Lim, who also has a 3-year-old son, said that Anna was an active girl whom her kindergarten teachers described as the 'dajie' or big sister who took care of her classmates.  PRIMARY ONE ITEMS BURIED She had been looking forward to starting Primary One next year and had convinced her parents to buy her school bag and pencil box in advance, said Mr Lim. Those items, together with some of her favourite clothes and soft toys, will be buried with her. 'She told me that she's scared of pain, so we will bury her,' said Mr Lim. Her funeral is today. Mr Lim has only one regret. Anna had asked him to take her for swimming classes, but Mr Lim never found the chance to. His voice trailing, Mr Lim said: 'She kept wanting to go for swimming classes...but I just didn't have the time to (take her).' Labels: Drown
I found an egg within the egg
 18 year- old ITE student Bellina Koh was amazed to discover not just two yolks within an egg that was being prepared for dinner but another little egg as well.  She told STOMP that her grandmother had bought the egg from a wet market in Ang Mo Kio, and was about to cook it as part of an omelette dish.  “She called us in to take a look when she found the little egg,” she said.  “We cracked the little egg open, and there was just egg white inside it. But we could see that it would have formed yolk if it were left to develop further.”  “I guess this is the perfect time to ask the question which has plagued philosophers, “Which came first, the chicken or the egg?”” she wrote in an email. Labels: Phenomena
After 5 neighbours died in same block in 2 months, residents hire preists to bless block
Click here for actual size  Labels: Phenomena
We lost our Christmas tree!
 This family mourns the loss of their own Christmas tree along Upper East Coast Road. Isabel Sankaran was aroused from her sleep at 4.30am this morning (May 02) when she heard a loud thump coming from her driveway. She was saddened by what she saw. The family's Christmas tree had fallen onto their driveway! Heavy rains over the past few days had weakened the tree's foundations, and the tree came crashing down onto the family's driveway. The tree, planted in 1975, holds a special place in her heart as her family had nurtured it lovingly from a young tree into a 30 ft wonder of nature. Isabel's mother was particularly fond of the tree, and burst into tears upon seeing it lying on the driveway. Isabel, who was born a year after the tree was planted, told STOMP that visitors often looked out for the towering tree in order to find their residence. Christmas won't be the same for the family this year. Labels: Nature |
