Race of the year: COVID-19 Vaccine

Many scientists are now racing against time to launch their vaccines into market. Many countries cannot wait or ‘tahan’ (bear) any longer the prolong lockdowns. To speed up, vaccines are now being developed using new technology to hack into human cells to turn them into “vaccine-making factories”. No vaccine based on this platform has ever been approved. Traditional virus vaccines used actual viruses and the process could take years to develop and be approved for human use. This is very scary news. Nobody knows the real side-effects of these new vaccines on our human cells and bodies. Worst, these new vaccines only treat the symptoms and not to eradicate the COVID-19 virus.

UNESCO’s listing for our hawker culture?

 

Many people here have this strange behaviour of leaving a mess after having their meals at hawker centres. They expect someone to clean up after them. But when they need the table, they would clean up the mess before occupying it. If everyone could wake up one day and do it in reverse order, hawker centres would be cleaner and a more pleasant place for cheaper meals. It’s easier to change the mountain than to change behaviour. Please keep dreaming! 

Climate Change: It Can Only Get Worse

 

Climate Change is a back-burner in most politicians’ minds. World leaders (with a few exceptions) have limited times in office and this topic is of least concern to them. The current pandemic has brought the globe to a halt and stopped many human activities. This brings some reliefs to earth and allows nature to heal a bit. But it won’t be for long as many nations are now trying to reopen their borders and resume many human activities to revive their economies. On the downside, this pandemic also creates more wastes from single-use items as more people are stuck at home. This is bad news for the environment and counter-productive to reverse climate change, if any. So, it’s back to square-one! It can only get worse.

Virtual Runs-The New Norm

 

Yesterday, 14Nov2020 was World’s Diabetes Day. I took part in this inaugural 5km virtual run but ended up running >6km as I ‘agar-agar’ (estimate) the distance. 

There are no more mass running events during this pandemic. Virtual runs are now the new norm these days.  

Pro: you can run at your own pace and time, no need to rush and jostle with other sweaty runners in close proximities. Some runs even allow you to accumulate your distance clocked over a period of time. Such runs are more eco-friendly with no wastes and zero environmental impact. Also, they cost much less to join.

Con: no fixed route and you wouldn’t know the final distance unless you measure it before your actual run. It’s needed to download and use an app to record your runs. This means you have to carry your bulky phone with you with GPS and data-roaming turned-on throughout your runs. You’re mainly running alone so self-motivation is key to endure the whole workout. Lastly, it’s so easy to cheat-you can ask someone to run for you! Nobody would know. Who really cares!!!

Does Age Matter?

 

In politics, when people like you, you win.

Age is just mind over matter.

At work, you win only when your boss likes you.

Age doesn’t really matter.

If you are old and unemployed, age is the crux of the matter. It’s very tough for these people to secure decent employment that pays decent wages to meet the minimum living standard here. It was reported there are 52,000 full-time workers holding jobs that pay $1300 or less. No breakdown on age group of these low-wage workers was released. I believe they are mostly seniors.

Game Over Yet?

 

The tide is over for this fellow?

He still has less than 2 months to create more havocs and chaos before he steps down.

It’s time to put his paintings down and prepare the next subject!