Asian moms hooked on Internet for children, selves-study

SINGAPORE, May 20 - The Internet is a lifeline for Asian mothers, with a survey finding two-thirds use it to shop for themselves and their children and an even bigger number going online to research purchases and talk about them.

The study, by Microsoft Advertising and Starcom MediaVest Group, showed that mothers ultimately hold the purse-strings in the region, influencing purchasing decisions ranging from household staples to big-ticket items such as cars.

And their resource of choice to make these purchases is the Internet, with 58 percent saying they used online networks and online customer reviews before actually buying.

"Mums have become the one-stop shop for family purchases, and brands need to be aware of this influence," Kenneth Andrew, managing director of Microsoft Advertising Greater Asia Pacific, told reporters.

"Mothers are becoming increasingly digitally savvy, and conversely, much more cynical of advertising."

The survey was based on interviews with about 3,000 mothers in eight markets -- China, India, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Japan and South Korea. The respondents ranged from pregnant women to mothers with teenage children.

On average, the survey found that Asian mothers spend 17 hours a week online, and the sites they visited ranged from those offering media, such as music and video download sites, to social networks, to sites specifically catered to children.

But largely, the online activities of mothers depended on the age of their children, with expectant women relying on sites that allow them to interact with other mothers, while those with older children rely on the web for email and searches.

The research was intended to help advertisers focus on a demographic Andrew said had been so far neglected in Asia.

"There is an opportunity for mothers to become an unofficial brand ambassador, as they love to share their views and are very influential," he said.


My views:
I guess everyone uses computer(regardless of their age) to go into Internet almost everyday.Computers are one of the most advance technology that has become essential in our daily life.Some people might even think that they will not be able to survive for a few days without using the computers.No doubt the Internet has made our lives more convenient and better with its advantages,there are also some disadvantages.

Advantages:
1)Leisure activities such as gaming and watching videos.
2)Conducting online lessons or doing elearning home works.
3)Online shopping.
4)Research.
5)Blogging.
6)Chatting on MSN and so on.

Disadvantages:
1)Addiction on using the computer.
2)Causes poor eye sight due to spending long hours on the computer.
3)High electrical bills and so on.

I think that allocating a reasonable amount of time spend on computer everyday is important so that we would not neglect doing other important stuffs or get hooked using the Internet services.We should also be careful not to get hooked to the computer as it will not be easy to cure the addiction.Overall,the invention of the computer and the Internet is beneficial and it will be depended on how the users uses it to maximise the advantages for themselves.

LRT service disrupted after man tripped & fell

SINGAPORE : A man tripped and fell at Keat Hong LRT Station on Monday evening, causing the train service to be disrupted.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said the incident happened at 6.57pm.

The man’s left hand was trapped between the train and platform.

SCDF officers used a cutter and spreader to rescue him.

He suffered abrasion on his arm and legs and was sent to the National University Hospital.

44—year—old Mohamad Effandy Warma, who was at the scene, said: "There’s a lot of activities ... the civil defence (officers) were there, there were two fire engines and I also saw that there were ambulances plus the police.

"We saw ... the stretcher and then they pushed (it) into the ambulance, and then the ambulance goes off. We also saw that the LRT, the carriages were apparently not moving."

Normal LRT service resumed after more than an hour.

SMRT said about 860 commuters were affected by the disruption. It deployed bus bridging services to serve these passengers.

Those who were unable to complete their journey can get a refund at SMRT’s stations over the next three days.

— CNA/al

Over the years there are more and more cases of people jumping down the MRT platform or accidentally fall in.For people who are trying to commit suicide,i think that it is not worth it and they should think twice before acting on impulse.Life is precious and they should not result in committing suicide just because of some issues or problems.They can approach others for help and they must think of the consequences before committing suicide.Not only their love ones would be hurt but also the operations of the trains would be disrupted,causing inconvenience for many people.

People walking along platform should be careful,especially on those MRT stations which is above the ground and do not have platform doors installed as they might fall into the tracks accidentally.Children should not be playing or running around the MRT stations to avoid accidents happening.If there are any items dropped into the railway track,travellers should not attempt to pick it up on their own but approach the staff for help.

The Government had announced that platform doors would be installed in places where the MRT stations are above the ground due to the increase in the number of jumps since 2004.But this will increase the cost and by installing such platforms,the cost will eventually be passed on to commuters at the end of the day.I think that having platform doors might not necessary be useful althought it still helps in preventing people from falling into the tracks.Therefore,i feel that it is only right that people should think of their own safetly before doing any thing.

Burglars disguised as electricians target elderly

SINGAPORE : The number of cases of burglars posing as electricians to gain access into flats has been on the rise since 2006, but the trend reversed last year with a decline of 14 cases.

Many of the victims were the elderly.

77—year—old Madam Lee Phong Tee and her 82—year—old husband, who are victims of burglary, are now wary of strangers knocking on their doors.

"He (burglar) turned off my circuit breaker outside, before lying that my circuit breaker has tripped. He had intended to come and steal from me. I opened the door because he said the government sent him to repair the short circuit," said Madam Lee.

The thief made off with S$900 worth of jewellery and S$600 cash which was meant for their daily expenses.

The police have stepped patrols in various estates. — CNA /ls


Nowadays it is very common to hear that elderly are the victims of fraud cases.It is indeed very cruel to prey on elderly,just because they are old and gullible.The burglar is able-bodied and should go out to find a job for a living instead of committing a crime in order to earn money.The burglar should approach the government or organisations such as CDAC for help if he really requires financial assistance. Spending the money gained by illegal means would not be better than spending our own hard earn money as we would feel guilty about it and be afraid that we would be caught on day.I think that the burglar should spend a thought for the elderly as these jewelleries and cash was meant for their daily expenses and they do not have the physical ability to work and earn a living any more.

I hoped that elderly would be more alert in future and never open their doors to strangers to avoid such incident again.They should also consult their children before making any decision.Neighbours should also look out for one another and if possible,nabbed the burglar before he escapes.