The government’s recent cooling measures to moderate property prices are still not enough, according to 60 percent of the 662 online respondents in PropertyGuru’s latest Property Sentiment Survey for the second quarter of 2012. This is 13 percent higher than the 47 percent recorded previously in Q1. There was some good news though. The Property Affordability Sentiment Index (ASI) was up at 87 from 80 in the previous quarter, reflecting a ‘cooling off’ from the sky-high prices seen since Q2 2012.

The Todd family stormed out of the court room after their request for an adjournment for time to examine the evidence provided by a state’s witness was rejected this afternoon. The witness, Luis Alejandro Andro Montes, is Dr Todd’s former colleague and was the last person to see him on the night of June 23. Dr Todd was found hanging in his apartment in June 24 in an apparent suicide.

Once upon a time, the operator of each food stall cleared and cleaned the bowls and plates after his or her customers finished their meals. Foods ordered were carried to the customers. Many years later, the government said, centralised and out-sourced both the clearing and washing operations of all crockery and eating utensils. The result was either customers paid more for their foods or stall operators suffered a cut in their profit margins. Customers ordered and carried their foods themselves – self service, they called it.

Last week, there was information circulating online accusing a girl called 'Aunny' of spreading HIV. The story detailed that a customer at Pure Thai Disco - Singapore had contracted HIV from the girl who was apparently working there and was circulated online with her photo. The story was first posted online by Alexzxc Preztol Zatino on his facebook and had received over 1400 shares.

A TRS Reader notified us of a posting he came across on Facebook that appeared to be promoting Pinoys to apply for positions with Singapore's STATS ChipPAC Ltd. The posting, being shared by a Erny Soriano, was promoting people in the Philippines to apply for a job in the company through Golden Horizon Placement Agency Inc. The full facebook post was as follows:

All Central Provident Fund (CPF) members will continue to enjoy a risk-free interest of 2.5 per cent on their Ordinary Account (OA) savings from 1 July 2013 to 30 September 2013. The CPF Board said the computed interest rate, derived from the major local banks' interest rates for the three-month period, 1 February 2013 to 30 April 2013, worked out to be 0.21 per cent per annum. As this is below the legislated minimum of 2.50 per cent per annum, the OA interest rate for July 2013 to September 2013 will remain unchanged at 2.50 per cent per annum.

Parents from China are willing to buy milk powder from Singapore at a premium and shipping it back to their country, following a series of food safety scandals. Shin Min Daily News reported that some parents in China have been paying double to buy baby formula from Singapore, and are willing to pay up to $200 to have the product couriered to their home, reported the Shin Min Daily News.

I am jobless for almost a year and feel most unjustified about my circumstances. I have about 22 years of IT experience. My last position was with a healthcare voluntary welfare organization. I joined them because I wanted to learn the healthcare industry and the CEO ask me to help them out. 2 months into the job, I started to have mysterious stomach pains. I took quite a few MCs and explained to the CEO my condition as she is a trained nurse.

I refer to Minister Heng Swee Kiat statement: "Paper Qualifications alone is not a ticket to success". The statement conflicts with the practices in many ministries and statutory boards where salaries for the same job scope are differentiated down to the details of whether one attained first- or second-class honours.