Acne

Acne
Acne causes unsightly spots. Serious skin conditions affect around seven million of people in the UK alone. They can cause significant emotional distress as well as physical discomfort.
What is it?
Acne is an inflammatory skin condition that causes spots. Spots result from the build up of dead skin cells and grease that block the pores or hair follicles, typically on the face, upper arms, upper back and chest. It is not contagious and is nothing to do with not being clean. Hormonal changes, such as those related to puberty, menstruation and pregnancy, can contribute to acne.
Some medicines will also make it worse, including some contraceptive pills and steroids.
Who gets it?
Most people experience acne at some time in their lives, typically as young adults. Girls tend to develop it slightly earlier than boys - around the ages of 14-17 compared to 16-19 years, respectively. Acne can occur later in life. Around five per cent of women and one per cent of men aged 25-40 continue to have acne after adolescence.
What are the symptoms?
As the pores of the skin become blocked, blackheads develop and small, tender, red spots appear. These can turn into pimples or whiteheads filled with pus.
What is the outlook?
Usually it is a mild condition, most commonly during young adulthood, and will resolve by itself. But for 15% of people it is severe. The spots can become infected and cause significant scarring, particularly if they are scratched or squeezed.
How can it be treated?
Mild acne does not need treating as each inflamed spot will eventually heal. Eating a healthy diet and drinking plenty of water will help keep the skin healthy. Keeping spot-prone areas clean by washing the affected area twice daily with an unperfumed cleanser can help. However, excessive washing and scrubbing of the skin will not help and may make the inflammation worse. More severe acne may need treatment. The aim is to clear the spots and prevent scarring. Treatments work by either unblocking blocked pores, reducing the amount of grease or sebum made by the skin, reducing the inflammation or fighting the bacterium that infects the lesions.
Creams, gels and lotions that can be applied to the skin are available to buy at pharmacies without a prescription. These usually contain antibacterial agents such as benzoyl peroxide, which also works by drying out the skin and encouraging it to shed the surface layer of dead skin. There are several more potent oral tablets that can be prescribed by a doctor if the acne persists. Make-up can be used to cover blemishes but heavy use of concealer may make acne worse. Any scarring will improve with time. Laser therapy, chemical peels, dermabrasion and other treatments have been suggested for acne scarring. Acne can be extremely distressing and it is important to seek help if you are anxious or depressed about it.

Friendship & Marriage

Lots of people want to ride with you in the limo, but what you want is someone who will take the bus with you when the limo breaks down. Oprah Winfrey

Friendship is one mind in two bodies. Mencius

Getting divorced just because you don't love a man is almost as silly as getting married just because you do. Zsa Zsa Gabor

Before marriage, a girl has to make love to a man to hold him. After marriage, she has to hold him to make love to him. Marilyn Monroe

Mobile phone - Just be careful

PLEASE READ IMMEDIATELY. IMPORTANT

DON'T charge your mobile phone the whole night and DON'T keep it near you while charging.
WE HOPE YOU'RE NOT DOING THIS!
Never, ever answer a cell phone while it is being RECHARGED! Recently, a person was re-charging his cell phone at home. Just at that time, a call came in and he answered it with the instrument still connected to the outlet. After a few seconds, electricity flowed into the cell phone unrestrained and the young man was thrown to the ground with a heavy thud. His parents rushed to the room only to find him unconscious, with a weak heartbeat and burnt fingers. He was rushed to a nearby hospital, but was pronounced dead on arrival. Cell phones are a very useful modern invention. However, we must be aware that it can also be an instrument of death. Never use the cell phone while it is hooked to the electrical outlet !

FORWARD THIS INFORMATION TO PEOPLE THAT MATTER IN YOUR LIFE

Peter & Gordon sings World Without Love

6 Energy Guzzling Appliances

AIR-CONDITIONERS
A single split-unit-air-con consumes about 250kwh per month if user for 7 hours every day. The cost $60.18 a month
How to save energy:
* Consider a multi-split system if you require more than one room to be cooled.
* Ensure that the unit is the right capacity to match the amount of cooling required.
* Clean the sir-con filter regularly and have the unit inspected annually. Poorly maintained equipment waste energy.
* Set the thermostat at 25 degC. It is a comfortable temperature for most, yet will not consume that much energy.

REFRIGERATORS
A 300 litre frost-free unit will consume about 115 kwh a month if switched on year round. The cost $27.51 a month.
How to save energy:
* Choose a model with an energy-saver switch which will allow you to determine the setting that provide maximum energy savings without causing condensation.
* Adjust the themostat to the recommended settings
* Allow hot food to cool before putting it in the fridge and cover all food and liquids to prevent moisture from being released. Moisture increases the amount of energy that will be used during the fridge’s defrosting cycle.
* Do not open the door unnecessarily as the cool air will escape.

WATER HEATERS
A 1000 watt instantaneous of tankless unit uses 60 kwk if used for a total of 2 hours daily. The cost $14.33 a month.
How to save energy:
* Use an instantaneous water heater instead of one with a storage tank. The former provides hot water only when needed.
* If you prefer a storage water heater, choose one with a capacity of 23 litres to 27 litres, which is enough for a family of 4 to 6. The bigger the capacity, the more energy consumed.
* Switch on the storage water heater just 20 minutes before taking a bath. Switch if off after that.

WASHING MACHINES
A 450 watt unit without heater consumes 13.5 kwh if used for an hour each day. The cost $3.22 a month.
How to save energy:
* Wash a full load of laundry each time.
* Do not use hot water to wash clothes as heating up the water sucks up more energy. If you must have hot water, using cold water during the rinse cycle will cut energy use by half.
* Do not put too much detergent to avoid having to wash or rinse the load again.
* Pre-soak or use a soak cycle when washing heavily soiled items to asvoid 2 washings.

TELEVISION SETS
A 26-inch conventional TV set consumes about 30 kwh a month if used for 5 hours a day. The cost $7.16 a month.
How to save energy:
* When watching TV, keep the lights in the room low. This saves electricity and reduces glare from your screen.
* Switch off the set when not in use, including the main switch.
* Choose a conventional CRT TV set instead of a plasma set. The latter consumes about 4 times more energy.
* Alternatively, choose an LCD set instead of a plasma set as it consumes less energy.

COMPUTERS
A 300 watt unit, about the maximum power of a 24-inch iMac– consumes about 36 kwh a month is used for 4 hrs a day.
How to save energy:
* Set the power to automatically go into sleep or standby mode after 15 minutes or so of inactivity.
* Switch off the computer when not in use for long periods. This applies to the main switch too.
* Use LCD monitors as they consume half to two-thirds what cathode ray tube monitors do.
* A laptop uses up to 50% less energy than a desktop.

Source: Singapore Power & NEA

10 ways to overcome the shrinking dollar

April 6, 2008 (Straits Times)

10 ways to overcome the shrinking dollar

It takes discipline and a sound investment strategy to combat the corrosive effects of inflation, say financial experts.

1 Cut down spending, live within your means
IPP Financial Advisers investment director Albert Lam's advice is to review your lifestyle and consumption patterns. For instance, you can substitute a branded item with a no-frills one, or switch to a cheaper mode of transport like the bus.

2 Try to save 20% of your pay or more
This is a useful tip especially for those just starting their careers, says head of ipac financial planning's advisory team, Mr Bill Castellas. Establishing a disciplined pattern of 'money behaviour' will go a long way towards building surpluses for long-term investments.

3 Do not be overly conservative
Invest your money instead of leaving all of it in savings deposits or fixed deposits, said Mr Lam. New Independent's financial advisory manager Stanley Sim also suggests that instead of parking spare cash in savings deposits, investors can place it in money market funds that have zero sales charges and offer better rates.

4 Don't rely solely on guaranteed products
Mr Castellas feels that such products, like bonds, might provide peace of mind but only marginal protection against inflation over the long term.

5 Save regularly via an investment platform
The earlier you start investing a small amount that you can afford to set aside, the quicker your investment will grow till it builds up into a significant sum in later years. 'Set aside an affordable sum from your daily expenses each month via a regular savings plan,' said Mr Castellas.You can put it into growth-oriented assets like equities and or real estate investment trusts.'

6 Take on sensible level of investment risk
Build an investment portfolio with a reasonable spread of defensive and growth assets that suit your lifestyle.

7 Invest for returns that will beat inflation
In order to beat inflation, consider investing in a globally diversified portfolio of stocks and bonds with a long-term horizon, said Mr Sim. A moderate-risk portfolio, comprising 60 per cent equities and 40 per cent bonds, should be able to generate a 6 to 8 per cent return a year over the long term.

8 Understand the power of compounding
Start planning, saving and investing as early as possible so you can enjoy the benefits of compounding, said Mr Lam. He suggested investors apply the Rule of 72, a handy tool that illustrates the effects of compounding.To work out how long it will take for your investment to double in value, divide 72 by the percentage return. With a return of, say, 9 per cent a year, to double your money, you will need eight years, that is, 72 divided by nine. Mr Sim noted that if you can invest $10,000 in an instrument that gives you an annual return of 6 per cent, that sum will grow to about $32,000 after 20 years. If you start early, the compounding effects will help you fight inflation by preserving and growing your wealth.

9 Invest in asset classes that appreciate
Both Mr Lam and Mr Sim gave property as an example. But invest in this asset class only if it is within your means. If rents increase at a faster rate than inflation, your property rental yield will provide a healthy return, they said.

10 Limit exposure to depreciating assets
Such assets include consumer goods like cars.

Lorna Tan
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