world class lesson in italics, strikeouts and hyper-linking...

Finally, someone of importance has noted the ever-clum.. efficient world class ticketing system that 1984-ville's world class train network imposes on its world class lemmings commuters. And we're indeed world class in our magnanimity and tolerance of such productivity-regulating systems. Imagine how commuters, who're late for their world class meetings and stuck at Raffles Place station, would have so much time for this...

Not happy? Go buy a car, it's only $40,000 for the cheapest 1-litre model, plus season parking's only $70 a month. With petrol cartels companies supplying costly competitively-priced fuel, road taxes & world class electronic toll gates keeping our world class roads jam-free, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR??! What? Don't want to pay 5 figures for a piece of toilet paper that gives you the right to buy cars? My, my, you're indeed picky...

World cr class, my rear-end, indeed...

rejected for publication in the ST forum

Here's the e-mail reply from the ST:

Thank you for writing to us. We do appreciate your making the effort.

We receive 70 letters on average each day. Limited space means we can
publish only about a dozen every weekday.
This means having to make often-difficult editorial judgments on which
letters to publish.

We regret we are unable to publish your letter this time, and hope you will
appreciate the constraints on space we face every day.
We hope you will continue taking an interest in the Forum Page.

Yours sincerely

Ms Noor Aiza
for Forum Editor
The Straits Times

And here's my e-mail letter to the ST

24/05/2005 03:34PM
Subject: Response to a letter on thimerosal-containing vaccines (ST May 23)

To The Forum Editor (The Straits Times),

I refer to the letter by the Health Sciences Authority, Thimerosal-containing vaccines have little risk (ST, May 23). The letter referred to a study, among others, by researchers at the University of Rochester. The results of this study were published in The Lancet (Pichichero, M. E. et al, 2002. Volume 360, pages 1737 1741). There are certain points that I should bring to your readers attention.

First, the study did not address the issue of the vaccine safety, per se. It is a study on the levels of mercury in infants after vaccination.

Second, the safe level of 29 nmol/L was taken from a study on toxicity in mice, not humans. (Nielsen, J. B. et al, 1994. Archives of Toxicology, volume 68, pages 317 321). It is not uncommon in toxicology research for a finding of toxicity to be noted when symptoms are manifested and not by the measurement of blood concentrations. It is known that the symptoms of mercury poisoning may not be immediately obvious and are often felt years later.

Third, the study revealed that the average amount of mercury in stools of infants who received vaccines containing thimerosal was 81.8 ng/g while that of the control group (i.e. infants on thimerosal-free vaccines) was 22 ng/g. This finding does not prove that vaccines with mercury are safe. We should, instead, be aware that infants are subjected to almost four times the amount of mercury when vaccines with thimerosal are used.

Forth, the safe level of mercury is a widely debated topic. There are as many recommended safety levels as there are researches. In the study, a dose of Hepatitis B vaccine contained 12.5 micrograms (mcg) of mercury. Taking the average birth weight of an infant as 3 kg would mean injecting over 4 mcg/kg of mercury at birth (which, incidentally, is when the first dose of this vaccine is given to babies born here). However, it is interesting to note that a WHO committee of experts on food safety had suggested in June 2003 that the safe level of mercury in food should not exceed 1.6 mcg/kg.

Fifth, mercury is sequestered in organs where it does most damage. Measuring blood levels does not tell us how much mercury is concentrated in the organs. What are needed are studies into the levels of mercury in organs and the correlation of such levels with toxicity.

There is research linking mercury with developmental problems, for example autism. Health care providers in Singapore should make thimerosal-free vaccines available to parents, who should be allowed this option for their children, instead of being forced into a one-size-fits-all vaccination regime. An acceptable standard in another community (often with people of different genetic make-up) does not make the product safe here. It is important that the health authorities and medical profession in Singapore conduct research to develop safety standards suitable for the local population and to critically review those adopted by other countries.

Sincerely,

...Letter ends...

For all concerned parents out there, especially those who are worried about autism, please, please request for mercury-free vaccines for your kids. The jury is still out on this issue, so play safe...

You'll never walk alone...

There's nothing to describe what I felt...

Half-time: AC Milan 3 : Liverpool 0

Full-time: AC Milan 3 : Liverpool 3

Penalties: AC Milan 2 : Liverpool 3


Picture from Liverpool FC website

Congratulations to the Champions of Europe. The trophy is yours to keep.

Model patient whom doctors love...

heh, I've outdone myself this time round... decided to monitor G's health, charting her weight change, performing urine dipstix tests for protein and sugar as well as measuring her blood pressure. Here's an Excel^® file which I did for this purpose...


power siah....colour-coded everything...

heheheheh... no excuse for the OBGYN or any other doctor to accuse us of not managing our health actively... model patients indeed... hey, wait a minute... does it mean that if G's a patient, she's ill? Is pregnancy an illness?

(wonders off into existential mode....)

3rd scan (delayed post)

Well, this is a rather late post, having visited the OBGYN 2 weeks ago. Happy to see that Baby's doing fine as far as the scan can show. The head and limbs are pretty well-formed and the vertebral column may be seen clearly.



G's feeling a bit tired these 2 weeks and she's eating lots more than usual. Will probably need to monitor her blood sugar and pressure closely. Now where're my stethoscope + sphygmomanometer...hey, wait, I think they've got those electronic gizmo at the pharmacy nowadays...

why never read comments?

M has accused me of not responding to her comments, left here. I have only one thing to say, "It's a cross between a Jack Russell and a Poodle that's been eating too much cotton candy!" Naaaaaah :-p

of chalkboard scribbles...

"Where there is no vision, the people perish..." - The Bible

Unbeknownst to myself, I had been perishing of late. Not from want of food or water but from leading an aimless life. Having a child has put a lot of things in perspective and I've been searching (albeit in a staccato manner) for an aim in life.

1. Loving my wife
2. Bringing up kids
3. Carve a career
4. Go to church

It's seemingly all about me. Maybe that's the way it starts. It's about me, learning to give up self-consciousness before taking up Divine appointment. One step at a time. No claims to any inheritance. Just like the other guy in the queue. Not distinguished from anyone. Nobody.

G and I were having drinks with D & his family last night. I have admiration for what D does in his line of work, which is customer service, more often known for attending to the complaints of the average Singaporean with a nouveau riche attitude. He spoke of the pettiness of everyday people, which is a reflection of what goes on inside my head most of the time. And of how he forked out from his own pocket to please those folks. What if I were in his position? My pride is too big to be swallowed.

So, what do I want to do with my life here?



The slate is empty for the Master...

of Episode III...

spotted at Jurong East Bus Interchange during a break from this morning's rush hour...


The Singlish way of pronouncing "Jedi"

Looks like the Jedis hung up their sabres to set up shop in an unobstrusive corner of the galaxy.

of humility...

"...Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God..." - The Bible

If there is one father I want to be like, it is to be like Dr. Wee Kim Wee. And if there's one husband I want to be like, it is to be like him. Imagine, 70 years of marriage, 7 children (6 daughters!!), 13 grandchildren & 13 more great-grandchildren. But most of all, a person who touched the lives of so many in a life time, neither with power nor wealth but with simple charity for the man-next-door.

Go with God...

Dr. Wee Kim Wee (1915-2005)