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Getting sloshed: It's the way you walk
Labels: WorldS'pore rocked by spate of sex scandals in 2012
Labels: Technology
SINGAPORE: 2012 has been a year of sex scandals in Singapore.
In April, 44 men were charged with having sex with the same underage girl.
The number of men implicated in the online vice ring case swelled to 51 after some time.
The lack of details in the charges drew barbs.
"How is anybody going to know what he is charged for when you don't know who the girl is, you do not know what her age is? We just can't accept the word of the prosecution isn't it?" said lawyer Subhas Anandan.
"Well, we are going to ask the prosecution, the DPP, to give us further particulars. If they do not give us the further particulars, we will take it up in the High Court."
This was resolved later when certain details were disclosed to the defence.
As at mid-Dec 2012, more than 15 men have been dealt with.
The first was former principal of Pei Chun Public School, Lee Lip Hong. He pleaded guilty in April, and was sentenced to nine weeks' jail.
Following him was former executive director of the Singapore Environment Council, Howard Shaw, who was sentenced in July and aborted his appeal.
The saga is far from over as many have claimed trial, so there will be a spillover to 2013.
Outside of courts, the state of affairs was equally dramatic.
An apology came because of the indiscretion of the former Speaker of Parliament, Michael Palmer.
Mr Palmer's year-long affair with People Association's (PA) Laura Ong led to his resignation.
He said: "I have resigned to take full responsibility for a grave mistake that I have committed. I had a relationship with a member of the PA staff working in Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC. While the individual did not work with me directly, Punggol East used to be part of the GRC and continues to work with it. My conduct was improper and it was a serious error of judgement. I have resigned in order to avoid further embarrassment to the PAP and Parliament."
Former Hougang MP Yaw Shin Leong was also expelled from the opposition Workers' Party in February for alleged extra-marital affairs, nine months after he was elected.
Come January, three heavyweights will be jostling for the spotlight in courts.
Professor Tey Tsun Hang will start the ball rolling with his sex-for-grades trial on 10th January.
Then in January, ex-Civil Defence Force top gun, Peter Lim, be in court for corruption charges. His trial is slated to end in late February.
In late January, the sex-for-contracts case against former Central Narcotics Bureau chief Ng Boon Gay, will be mentioned again.
In September, Ng's corruption trial took Singapore by storm, as he and key prosecution witness Cecilia Sue, gave graphic accounts of their relationship.
The judiciary looks set to get busier in the new year, when City Harvest Church's six core members return to court, on accusations of misappropriating funds.
- CNA/xq
Opinion: 12 lessons
Labels: LifestyleSTORY HIGHLIGHTS
- Dean Obeidallah: You are smarter today than 365 days ago
- Obeidallah: You probably learned a few Korean words like "Gangnam Style"
- He says we found out poultry can be a political tool and some people talk to chairs
- Obeidallah: The good news is that we'll soon forget the inane lessons of 2012
Editor's note: Dean Obeidallah, a former attorney, is a political comedian and frequent commentator on various TV networks including CNN. He is the editor of the politics blog "The Dean's Report" and co-director of the upcoming documentary, "The Muslims Are Coming!" Follow him on Twitter: @deanofcomedy
(CNN) -- You are smarter today than 365 days ago. You know more than you did at the end of 2011.
And here's the kicker, you may not even be aware of how much you learned this past year. It's analogous to how you're affected by the hit songs of boy bands. No matter how much you might try to avoid them, you can't, because these songs are everywhere. Consequently, the words are subtly drilled into your head and the next thing you know, you find yourself unconsciously singing along to the songs when they play on the radio.
So regardless if you were paying attention or not, there's a lot of new information from this past year trapped inside your brain. Here are just some of the things we collectively learned in 2012:
Dean Obeidallah
1. Mitt Romney had binders full of women
During the second presidential debate, Romney shared with us that when he was governor of Massachusetts, he had binders filled with information about women he was considering hiring. (When I was a teenager, I, too, had binders full of women. But mine I hid under my bed so my mom wouldn't find them.)
2. We picked up some Korean
We're not fluent yet, but thanks to the Korean pop singer PSY and his song "Gangnam Style," we all learned a few Korean words. And because of the song's ubiquitous music video -- which broke the record as the first video to get more than 1 billion views on YouTube -- some of us even have a vague idea of how to do his famous "horse dance."
3. Women love to read "porn"
The runaway hit book, "Fifty Shades of Grey," created a sensation across the country as women -- many over 30 years old -- bought this sexually provocative book, thus coining the term "mommy porn." In contrast, most men are waiting for the movie because we are more traditional in our "porn" tastes.
4. Poultry can be a political tool
Fast food chain Chick-fil-A went from just serving chicken to serving a political message as the head of the company announced publicly that he opposed marriage equality. Consequently, ordering a chicken sandwich at this chain came with a side dish of right-wing politics.
5. Some people talk to chairs
Clint Eastwood taught us at this year's Republican National Convention that you can have a full conversation on national television with your furniture. Hey, Clint made it OK for you to have a conversation with your couch or end table.
6. "James Bond" met the "The Real Housewives"
CIA Director David Petraeus resigned from his job because his extramarital affair was discovered. This is especially shocking because Petraeus' job as the nation's top spy chief was to keep secrets.
7. Cliffs are not just in nature
As we get closer to a precipitous "fiscal cliff" -- a term more overexposed than "Gangnam Style," it seems -- we have all learned that Congress has truly earned its low approval rating -- any lower and certain infectious diseases may become more popular than Congress.
8. What's the big deal with silver?
U.S. Olympian McKayla Maroney made it clear at the London Olympics that she was not impressed by winning the silver medal with her famous "I'm not impressed" face.
9. The way to reduce gun violence is more guns
At least this is what we were told by NRA's Vice President Wayne LaPierre in December as he called for armed guards to be placed in each of the roughly 100,000 public schools in the country.
10. Reality stars are not just for dysfunctional adults
Child star Alana "Honey Boo Boo" Thompson proved that children can be just as self-absorbed and horribly demanding as adult reality show stars.
11. Calendars are not always reliable
The fact you're reading this means that the Mayan apocalypse did not come to pass. That's good news. The bad news is that I now have to pay late fees on the credit cards I didn't pay because I thought there was a chance the Mayans were right.
12. America is the best democracy money can buy
This year's presidential election saw roughly $2 billion spent by the two campaigns and their supporters. That's more than the annual GDP of numerous countries.
You probably recalled more of these things than you guessed you would. While old acquaintances should not be forgot, the good news is that we will likely soon forget the details of the more inane lessons of 2012. Of course, the bad news is that they may be replaced by even more ridiculous ones in 2013.
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The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Dean Obeidallah.
Conn. gunman Adam Lanza's remains claimed: report
Labels: HealthHARTFORD, Conn. The body of the man who killed 26 people at a Connecticut elementary school has been claimed for burial.
Connecticut Medical Examiner Wayne H. Carver II tells the Hartford Courant Adam Lanza's remains were claimed several days ago by someone who wanted to remain anonymous.
Lanza's burial site also is being kept secret, the newspaper reports.
A spokeswoman at Carver's office told The Associated Press she could not release details about the status of Lanza's remains.
The 20-year-old Lanza killed 20 first-graders and six educators at the Sandy Hook Elementary School on Dec. 14. He also killed his mother in their Newtown home before going on the rampage and then committing suicide.
A private funeral was held earlier this month in New Hampshire for his mother, Nancy Lanza.
Newtown, Conn., memorial vigil
Police have not offered a motive for the killings.
Carver has asked geneticists from the University of Connecticut to study Lanza's DNA for any mutations or other abnormalities that could shed light on his motivation for the shootings, the Courant says.
Hillary Clinton Hospitalized With Blood Clot
Labels: Business
(MICHAL CIZEK/AFP/Getty Images)
By DANA HUGHES and DEAN SCHABNER
Secretary Hillary Clinton was hospitalized today after a doctors doing a follow-up exam discovered a blood clot had formed, stemming from the concussion she sustained several weeks ago.
She is being treated with anti-coagulants and is at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital so that they can monitor the medication over the next 48 hours, Deputy Assistant Secretary Philippe Reines said.
Her doctors will continue to assess her condition, including other issues associated with her concussion. They will determine if any further action is required, Reines said.
Clinton, 65, originally fell ill from a stomach virus following a whirlwind trip to Europe at the beginning of the month, which caused such severe dehydration that she fainted and fell at home, suffering a concussion. No ambulance was called and she was not hospitalized, according to a state department official.
The stomach virus had caused Clinton to cancel a planned trip to North Africa and the United Arab Emirates, and also her scheduled testimony before Congress at hearings on the attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya.
According to a U.S. official, the secretary had two teams of doctors, including specialists, examine her after the fall. They also ran tests to rule out more serious ailments beyond the virus and the concussion. During the course of the week after her concussion, Clinton was on an IV drip and being monitored by a nurse, while also recovering from the pain caused by the fall.
Medical experts consulted by ABC News said that it was impossible to know for sure the true nature or severity of Clinton’s condition, given the sparse information provided by the State Department. However, most noted that the information available could indicate that Clinton had a deep venous thrombosis,which is a clot in the large veins in the legs.
“A concussion (traumatic brain injury) in itself increases risk of this clot. Likely the concussion has increased her bed rest,” said Dr. Brian D. Greenwald, Medical Director JFK Jonson Rehabilitation Center for Head Injuries. “Immobility is also a risk for DVT. Long flights are also a risk factor for DVT but the recent concussion is the most likely cause.
“Anticoagulants are the treatment,” he said. “If DVT goes untreated it can lead to pulmonary embolism (PE). PE is a clot traveling from veins in legs to lungs which is life threatening. Many people die each year from this.
“Now that she is being treated with blood thinners her risks of PE are decreased,” he said. “Blood thinners carry risk of bleeding but are common and can be safely used.”
Dr. Allen Sills, associate professor of Neurological Surgery at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, said it was most likely that the clot was not located in Clinton’s brain, since she is being treated with anticoagulants.
“This is certainly not a common occurrence after a concussion, and is most likely related to either inactivity or some other injury suffered in the fall,” he said.
Dr. Neil Martin, the head of Neurovascular Surgery at the University of California, Los Angeles, Medical Center, said blood thinners are often given for blood clots in the legs, and it is “very unusual” for anticoagulants to be given for blood clots in the head.
But he cautioned about speculating too much about Clinton’s condition before more information is available.
“If we don’t know where it is, there is the possibility of several different indications,” he said. “I don’t know if there is any connection between what she’s got now and the concussion. All I can tell you is, at this point, it’s almost impossible to speculate unless we know what’s going on there.”
Today on New Scientist: 28 December 2012
Labels: WorldBest videos of 2012: Rare view of Challenger tragedy
Watch a rare amateur video of the Challenger explosion, our most-viewed video of the year
Strong jet stream super-charged US Christmas storms
Record snowfall and dozens of tornadoes snarled holiday travel as a powerful winter storm plowed across much of the US, while rainstorms battered the UK
2012 review: The year in life science
The year's biggest stories in life science, including James Cameron's descent into the Mariana trench and efforts to break into Antarctica's buried lakes
Superstorm lessons for adapting to climate change
As the post-Sandy rebuild gets under way, coastal cities around the world will be watching
Best videos of 2012: First MRI movie of childbirth
Watch a unique view of a baby's birth, at number 2 in our countdown of the year's top science videos
Fleadom or death: Reviving the glorious flea circus
The parasite-based sideshows were almost done for by the domestic vacuum cleaner - but they are bouncing back, finds Graham Lawton
Approval for gene-modified salmon spawns controversy
Apparently months late, US regulators have declared genetically engineered fish safe to farm and eat, but final approval could be some way off
Best videos of 2012: New aircraft flies inside out
Watch a novel flying machine use a unique mechanism to propel itself, at number 3 in our countdown of the top videos of the year
2012 review: The year in technology
The year's biggest stories in technology, including Kinect devices that may spot signs of autism and controlling a robot by the power of thought
Superdoodles: The science of scribbling
Far from being a distraction, doodling has an important purpose - and you can harness it
2013 Smart Guide: Wave goodbye to the mouse
The Leap, a 3D motion control device set to launch next year, will let you control your computer with touch-free hand and finger movements
Japan tunnel closed again after crash
Labels: Technology
TOKYO: A five-car crash closed a highway tunnel in Japan on Sunday, just one day after it was re-opened following a ceiling cave-in which killed nine people four weeks ago, police said.
One person was injured in the crash in the congested Sasago Tunnel, some 80 kilometres (50 miles) west of Tokyo.
Nine people died on December 2 when concrete panels suspended from the roof of the tunnel crashed down and crushed vehicles, setting several ablaze.
Highway authorities had reopened the unaffected westbound passageway of the tunnel to two-way traffic on Saturday, after removing similar ceiling panels.
- AFP/xq
'Fiscal Cliff' countdown: Two more days
Labels: LifestyleSTORY HIGHLIGHTS
- Last minute negotiations are underway in Congress to avoid a ''fiscal cliff''
- Without a deal, an end of the year deadline triggers takes hikes and cuts in spending
- President Barack Obama is calling for a House and Senate vote, if negotiations fail
- "We'll let you know as soon as we have some news to make," the Senate minority leader says
As the fiscal cliff looms, what's your New Year's message to Washington? Go to CNNiReport to share your video.
Washington (CNN) -- The Senate's top Democrat and Republican were working Sunday to forge a last minute compromise to stop the U.S. economy from going over a "fiscal cliff" that would trigger large tax increases and sweeping spending cuts in the new year.
At stake in the negotiations, according to a number of economists, is the fate of a still fragile U.S. economy that could be pushed back into a recession by the broad tax hikes and automatic $110 billion cuts to domestic and military spending spelled out by the "fiscal cliff" legislation.
Aides for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, said no details on the negotiations were expected until at least early afternoon when the Senate convenes a session at 1 p.m. ET.
"We've been trading paper all day, and the talks continue into the evening," McConnell told reporters Saturday night. "We've been in discussions all day. We'll let you know as soon as we have some news to make."
Even so, it was unknown if Reid and McConnell could come up with a deal that would be acceptable to House Republicans, who refused just before Christmas to take up a compromise bill because it raised taxes and had no chance of passing the Senate.
President Barack Obama was widely expected during his scheduled appearance Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press" to call for an immediate vote by Congress on a scaled back plan that would only extend middle class tax breaks and unemployment benefits, if the congressional negotiations fail.
The president's appearance on a political talk show is his first in three years, and clearly appears timed to put pressure on lawmakers to get a deal done or take a vote.
The principal dispute continues to be over taxes, specifically over Democrats' demand to extend tax cuts passed under President George W. Bush for families making less than $250,000 a year, while raising the rates on those making more than that.
The expectation is Republicans will try to raise that income threshold to $400,000 and push to keep estate taxes low; Democrats have said they might be open to one such scenario, but not both.
Obama and Democrats have leverage, based on the president's re-election last month and Democrats' gains in the House and Senate in the new Congress. In addition, polls consistently show majority support for Obama's position on taxes, and Democrats insist the House would pass the president's plan with Democrats joined by some Republicans if House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, allowed a vote on it.
"We're now at a point where, in just a couple of days, the law says that every American's tax rates are going up. Every American's paycheck will get a lot smaller, and that would be the wrong thing for our economy," the president said in his weekly address broadcast Saturday.
On Friday, following a meeting with congressional leaders and top administration officials, Obama said he was "modestly optimistic" the Senate leaders would reach an agreement. At the same time, he conceded, "Nobody's going to get 100% of what they want."
However, conservative activist Grover Norquist has vowed to back primary challenges against Republicans who violate his widely signed pledge not to raise taxes. Even if a deal is reached, Norquist has predicted yet more budget showdowns every time the government needs additional money to operate.
The House will reconvene Sunday, and the chamber's Republicans will get together sometime early Sunday night, according to a note sent Saturday to legislators and staffers.
Republicans have opposed any increase in tax rates, and Boehner suffered a political setback by offering a compromise -- a $1 million threshold for the higher rates to kick in -- that his GOP House colleagues refused to support.
The saga has fueled disdain for politicians by many Americans. Such contempt is deserved, said Rep. Steven LaTourette, an Ohio Republican, who is retiring from Congress.
"I think America should be embarrassed by its leadership in D.C.," he told CNN on Friday. "The fact that we have been unable to do things, and instead worried about our next elections. ... I think it's sinful."
CNN's Jessica Yellin, Tom Cohen, Dana Bash, Deirdre Walsh, Lisa Desjardins and Kevin Liptak contributed to this report.
Woman charged with murder in NY subway shove
Labels: HealthLast Updated 9:37 p.m. ET
NEW YORK A woman who told police she shoved a man to his death off a subway platform into the path of a train because she has hated Muslims since Sept. 11 and thought he was one was charged Saturday with murder as a hate crime, prosecutors said.
Erika Menendez was charged in the death of Sunando Sen, who was crushed by a 7 train in Queens on Thursday night, the second time this month a commuter has died in such a nightmarish fashion.
Menendez, 31, was awaiting arraignment on the charge Saturday evening, Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown said. She could face 25 years to life in prison if convicted. She was in custody and couldn't be reached for comment, and it was unclear if she had an attorney.
Menendez, who was arrested after a tip by a passer-by who saw her on a street and thought she looked like the woman in a surveillance video released by police, admitted shoving Sen, who was pushed from behind, authorities said.
In this image provided by the New York City Police Department, a composite sketch showing the woman believed to have pushed a man to his death in front of a subway train on Thursday, Dec. 27, 2012 is shown.
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AP Photo/New York City Police Department
"I pushed a Muslim off the train tracks because I hate Hindus and Muslims ever since 2001 when they put down the twin towers I've been beating them up," Menendez told police, according to the district attorney's office.
Sen was from India, but police said it was unclear if he was Muslim, Hindu or of some other faith. The 46-year-old lived in Queens and ran a printing shop. He was shoved from an elevated platform on the 7 train line, which connects Manhattan and Queens. Witnesses said a muttering woman rose from her seat on a platform bench and pushed him on the tracks as a train entered the station and then ran off.
The two had never met before, authorities said, and witnesses told police they hadn't interacted on the platform.
Police released a sketch and security camera video showing a woman running from the station where Sen was killed.
Menendez was arrested by police earlier Saturday after a passer-by on a Brooklyn street spotted her and called 911. Police responded, confirmed her identity and took her into custody, where she made statements implicating herself in the crime, police spokesman Paul Browne said.
The district attorney said such hateful remarks about Muslims and Hindus could not be tolerated.
"The defendant is accused of committing what is every subway commuter's worst nightmare," he said.
On Dec. 3, another man was pushed to his death in a Times Square subway station. A photo of the man clinging to the edge of the platform a split second before he was struck by a train was published on the front page of the New York Post, causing an uproar about whether the photographer, who was catching a train, or anyone else should have tried to help him.
A homeless man was arrested and charged with murder in that case. He claimed he acted in self-defense and is awaiting trial.
It's unclear whether anyone tried -- or could have tried -- to help Sen on Thursday.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg on Friday urged residents to keep Sen's death in perspective as he touted new historic lows in the city's annual homicide and shooting totals.
"It's a very tragic case, but what we want to focus on today is the overall safety in New York," Bloomberg told reporters following a police academy graduation.
But commuters still expressed concern over subway safety and shock about the arrest of Menendez on a hate crime charge.
"For someone to do something like that ... that's not the way we are made," said David Green, who was waiting for a train in Manhattan. "She needs help."
Green said he caught himself leaning over the subway platform's edge and realized maybe he shouldn't do that.
"It does make you more conscious," he said of the deaths.
Such subway deaths are rare, but other high-profile cases include the 1999 fatal shoving of aspiring screenwriter Kendra Webdale by a former psychiatric patient. That case led to a state law allowing for more supervision of mentally ill people living outside institutions.
Woman Charged With Murder in NYC Subway Push
Labels: Business
A woman who allegedly told New York City police she pushed a man onto the subway tracks because she hated Hindus and Muslims has been charged with murder as a hate crime.
Erica Menendez, 31, allegedly told police that she "pushed a Muslim off the train tracks because I hate Hindus and Muslims ever since 2001 when they put down the twin towers I've been beating them up."
Menendez was taken into custody this morning after a two-day search, and when detectives were interviewing her she allegedly made the statements implicating herself in Thursday night's subway-platform death.
"The defendant is accused of committing what is every subway commuter's worst nightmare -- being suddenly and senselessly pushed into the path of an oncoming train," Queen District Attorney Richard A. Brown said. "The victim was allegedly shoved from behind and had no chance to defend himself. Beyond that, the hateful remarks allegedly made by the defendant and which precipitated the defendant's actions can never be tolerated by a civilized society."
Menendez was due to be arraigned this evening. She could face 25 years to life in prison if convicted of the second degree murder charge.
On Thursday night, a woman shoved a man from a subway platform at Queens Boulevard, and the man was crushed beneath an oncoming train. Police had searched the area for her after the incident.
New York City Subway Pusher Charged With Murder Watch Video
The victim was Sunando Sen, identified by several media outlets as a graphic designer and Indian immigrant who opened a print shop, Amsterdam Copy, on Manhattan's Upper West Side. Sen was struck by the No. 7 train after the unidentified woman allegedly pushed him from the northbound platform at 40th Street and Queens Boulevard at 8:04 p.m. on Thursday.
Witnesses told police they had seen the woman mubling to herself, pacing along the platform. She gave Sen little time to react, witnesses said.
"Witnesses said she was walking back and forth on the platform, talking to herself, before taking a seat alone on a wooden bench near the north end of the platform. When the train pulled into the station, the suspect rose from the bench and pushed the man, who was standing with his back to her, onto the tracks into the path of the train," NYPD Deputy Commissioner Paul J. Browne said earlier today. "The victim appeared not to notice her, according to witnesses."
READ: What to Do If You Fall on the Subway Tracks
Police released brief surveillance video of the woman fleeing the subway station, and described the suspect as a woman in her 20s, "heavy set, approximately 5'5" with brown or blond hair."
It was New York's second death of this kind in less than a month. On Dec. 3, 58-year-old Ki-Suck Han of Queens was shoved onto the tracks at New York's Times Square subway station. Two days later, police took 30-year-old Naeem Davis into custody.
On Friday, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg was asked whether the attack might be related to the increase of mentally ill people on the streets following closures of institutions over the past four decades.
"The courts or the law have changed and said, no, you can't do that unless they're a danger to society. Our laws protect you," Bloomberg said on his weekly radio show.
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