Tuesday, February 28, 2017
Review: A Series Of Unfortunate Events - Who doesn’t like happy endings? When it comes to stories, we are almost conditioned to hope for all things to end well.
A Series Of Unfortunate Events, however, does not hesitate for one moment to dash those hopes right to the ground. In fact, the Netflix television series – much like the children’s book series it is based on – goes to every length to repeatedly remind you, the viewer, of its bleak premise. It actually urges you to stop watching, in order to save yourself the despair of what is to come next.
Even the theme song begins like this:
“Look away, look away… / This show will wreck your evening/ Your whole life and your day/ Every single episode is nothing but dismay.”
And yet, here is the subversive delight of this darkly comic show: despite these ample warnings, we not only feel compelled to continue watching, but somewhere deep in our hardened, cynical hearts, continue to hope for a happy ending.
There’s no real basis for why we do this. The series starts off with our protagonists – siblings Violet, Klaus and Sunny Baudelaire – being told their parents have died in a mysterious fire that burnt their family home to the ground.
They barely have time to grieve when they are whisked off to live with a distant relative, an actor named Count Olaf (Neil Patrick Harris). It quickly becomes clear, however, that Olaf is only interested in the Baudelaires’ family fortune, and will stop at nothing to get it.
The Baudelaires, though, are rather more than ordinary. Violet (Malina Weissman) is an inventor, Klaus (Louis Hynes) is a voracious reader with a great memory, and baby Sunny (Presley Smith) is an amazingly gifted biter. And so begins the children’s attempts to escape Olaf’s clutches. As they do, they learn that there was more to their parents than they knew.
The young actors are well cast (Presley, in particular, is absolutely adorable as the baby who, with the help of some clever CGI, seems to have an endless array of expressions), and hold their own against the much showier performances around them.
Chief among them is Harris. As Olaf, he gets to be gleefully over the top: a bad guy with a penchant for theatrics and bad disguises. It is pure comedic delight to see what outlandish persona Olaf will appear in next as he tries to capture the Baudelaires, particularly since the children spot him every single time.
Harris, however, understands that it is a fine line to tread between villainy and buffoonery, and lets the evil out in just the right amounts, resulting in some unexpectedly disturbing moments – such as when an erstwhile funny scene is instantly transformed when he suddenly strikes Klaus across the face, or when he ever so casually pushes someone off a boat to their death.
The show revels in such emotional sleight of hand. The children are constantly shown rays of hope, only to have them extinguished in ever more depressing ways. Adults entrusted to care for them end up being flawed characters who somehow let them down. So they really aren’t kidding about the series of unfortunate events.
Unexpectedly then, the heart of the show is a character called Lemony Snicket, which was the pen name of the books’ author Daniel Handler. One of the novels’ distinctive features was the author’s self-aware commentary, and here, that takes the form of Patrick Warburton, who breaks the fourth wall, documentary host-style, to address us directly. He starts off as narrator, claiming that he researched the Baudelaires’ story, but it soon becomes clear that he plays a much bigger part in the proceedings. And for all his sombre demeanour and dire pronouncements, he proves to be the one person we – and hopefully, the Baudelaires – can depend on.
Netflix has released eight episodes of the show so far, adapted from the first four volumes in the 13-book series, and they are as odd and enjoyable as the novels were.
Each book is broken up into two episodes, and a host of well-known actors put in immensely enjoyable turns as the various odd characters that pop up, including Aasif Mandvi, Alfre Woodard, Joan Cusack and Don Johnson.
Unlike the rather lacklustre 2004 movie adaptation, the show includes Handler in its writing team, and the results speak for themselves. The script strikes a perfect balance between comedy and drama with a healthy dose of quirk, and is translated brilliantly onto screen through the vision of Barry Sonnenfeld.
Known for directing offbeat projects like The Addams Family movies and the Men In Black trilogy, Sonnenfeld’s vision for the world of the Baudelaires looks like the combined dreams of Tim Burton and Wes Anderson. Scenes shift from candy-coloured suburbs to gothic interiors to steampunk-inspired set pieces, and it is to the show’s credit that it all feels exactly right.
A Series Of Unfortunate Events is, at its heart, a story about three intelligent, decent and caring children caught in a world of selfish, incompetent or dim-witted adults. And for all their resourcefulness, the Baudelaire children can’t seem to overcome the limits of their situation – ultimately, it is the people who call the shots, unsuited to the position as they may be, who determine the outcome of the story.
It is a theme that feels familiar to many of us: being forced to contend with leaders and people in charge who claim to have our interests at heart but are, at best, incapable and at worst, wicked. In many of our lives, we have been or still are the Baudelaire children.
And perhaps that is what compels us to keep watching, despite the lack of a happy ending. The Baudelaires’ lives are steeped in misfortune, and don’t seem to get any better. But onward they go, together, still hoping. Perhaps there is something to be said for that.
Former Soviet Gymnast Korbut Sells Off Olympic Medals - Olga Korbut, the gymnastics darling of the 1972 Munich Olympics who has apparently fallen on hard times, has sold off her Games medals and other trophies through a U.S. auction house.
Thirty-two lots, including two golds and a silver from the Munich Olympics, fetched $333,500 (£268,087) in a weekend online sale by Heritage Auctions for the former Soviet gymnast who now lives in Arizona, auction house spokesman Chris Ivy told Reuters on Monday.
The top item was her team gold medal, which brought $66,000 for the 61-year-old Korbut, a native Belarusian who moved to the United States in 1991.
Russia's Gazeta.ru news reported that she has had financial difficulties. "Medals saved Korbut from hunger," said the Gazeta.ru headline, the BBC reported.
At the age of 17, the 4-foot-11 (1.5 m) Korbut made a giant impression across the globe at the Munich Games with electrifying routines that brought her team, balance beam and floor exercise gold and a silver in the uneven bars.
Four years later Korbut, who triggered an explosion of interest in gymnastics, added another gold and a silver at the Montreal Olympics.
Sale items included one of her performance leotards, her 1972 BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award and various Soviet medals.
What Do Millennial Travellers Want? - Young, fabulous – and extremely experiential. That’s how some millennials perceive themselves to be.
Now, tour company Contiki has come forward to state – with the backing of a survey – that millennials are, in fact, on the lookout for new experiences when they travel.
In a phone interview from the Swiss Alps in Switzerland, Contiki global chief executive officer Casper Urhammer (“I’m here for a meeting”) reveals that 65% of respondents agree that experiences are the most important thing in life.
“Millennials are most interested in travel to learn about other cultures, above everything,” Urhammer offers.
“They want to create meaningful social connections, with the locals they meet and the people they travel with. Which is why social travel is so great,” he adds.
Conducted last year with over 5,000 respondents between the ages of 18 and 35, the survey reveals that social experiences reign supreme (74%), with cultural, food and intellectual experiences taking second, third and fourth place respectively.
“Millennial travellers are essentially looking for local experiences. Food is a significant driver of travel, where the types of places they go to and the experiences they want to have are very often centred around foodie experiences,” he says, citing examples such as taking cooking classes in Italy and walking tours of markets in Barcelona.
Education and learning also proved to be popular aspects among the respondents from Contiki’s global key markets.
“We’re seeing an emergence in travellers wanting to learn a new skill while they travel, whether it be how to cook paella in Spain, or understanding the story behind the coffee bean in Costa Rica,” Urhammer says.
By definition, Urhammer says, millennials are those born between 1980 and 1994. However, he stresses that being a millennial traveller is more about some key personality traits.
“There’s a desire for adventure and to see the natural beauty of our world. They want to put themselves out of their comfort zone and try new experiences.
“It’s not just about looking at sights anymore, although that is still important. They now want to be hands-on and have immersive experiences in the places they visit and with the people they meet,” he explains.
When asked how the new generation of travellers differs from their older counterparts, Urhammer says holidays for millennials is not just a matter of seeking rest and relaxation.
Contiki global chief executive officer Casper Urhammer says millennials rank new experiences as the most important thing in their travels.
“What might have changed is what they travel for,” he says, adding that it’s not uncommon for young adults to visit a destination just to see the filming site of their favourite TV shows or catch their favourite musician perform live in a concert.
“We’re living in a world with a lot of information. People consume a lot of media and we are exposed to various contents,” Urhammer continues, adding that some of these contents, such as social media postings, can inspire one to travel.
Interestingly, the survey also highlighted the psyche of young adults.
“There’s increasingly more importance placed on a healthy body and mind, with our travellers continuously looking to stay healthy on the road through their meal choices, activities, and less and less consumption of alcohol,” notes Urhammer.
He adds that millinennials believe in equality and want to make a difference in the world. They also have a strong belief in multiculturalism and peace.
Those beliefs are also inspiring millennials to be bolder in making their decisions as well as be more open to the idea of travelling, Urhammer reckons.
“They are more amicable and are always up for an adventure,” he offers. “Cultural experiences and local experiences are more important than partying.”
Of course, another question that springs to mind is: What are the top destinations for millennials in 2017?
They are Europe, the United States, Canada and Japan, says Urhammer.
“They all offer experiences,” he says of the common thread regarding those top destinations. “Travel to Europe still has the biggest appeal to the millennial audience, with USA coming in a close second, followed by Canada.”
Destinations aside, Urhammer says that appealing to millennial travellers boils down to choice, connectivity, flexibility and free-and-easy time.
“We know millennials aren’t one homogenous group and don’t all want the same travel experiences. They want a travel experience that reinforces their individuality but still with the safety and security that group travel provides,” he says, adding that WiFi connection at accommodations is a necessity.
Of course, “me time” shouldn’t be discounted as millennials want to be able to explore venues at their own pace.
After all’s been said and done, what does the future hold for the young adult travel market? Urhammer has his money on the resurgence in group travel.
“Travel is so accessible now, and so fragmented, that it actually becomes quite lonely. You can stay in a nice hotel, and book experiences online. But it’s the people that you share them with, and the new friendships you make, that you’ll remember forever,” he concludes.
This Chinese Massage May Boost Your Workout, And Beat Stress Too - Starting to see some impressive results from your New Year workout regimen? To give your performance a boost, it is now a great time to introduce new aspects to your training that will help you get even more out of your workout.
Here are some suggestions on how to boost your workout results with massage, which will also help your body detox and enjoy some well earned recovery and relaxation.
Sport massage
Probably the best well known massage for regular exercisers, a sport massage is particularly beneficial when training to allow you to recover, assess and treat minor injuries before they become worse, reduce the risk of future injury and relieve tender areas.
It is not the most relaxing of massages and can be uncomfortable as muscles can be sore, but the benefits are well worth it.
Tui na massage
Tui na is a traditional Chinese massage but with a firmer and more vigorous technique to not only relax but also improve muscle and joint pain – great for when you’ve been working out.
It can also help improve sleep, important to rest and recover the body after hitting the gym, and can also reduce stress, which could help you shift any stubborn pounds.
Chi Nei Tsang massage (Taoist abdominal massage)
With a modern diet of stress, lack of sleep, and too much highly processed and high-sugar food, many people struggle to soothe their stomachs, reporting poor digestion and excess abdominal fat.
Derived from qi gong, Chi Nei Tsang massage reportedly helps to calm the nervous system and has a calming and detoxifying effect on the body.
Shiatsu massage
A study published back in 2014 suggested that shiatsu massage could aid sleep, important for overall health and well-being but also for recovery of muscles after a workout.
The small study found that self-administered pressure techniques of shiatsu, the traditional Japanese massage, may help the body to prepare for sleep and help insomnia sufferers stay asleep for longer. – AFP Relaxnews
Trump Meets China's Top Diplomat Amid Tensions - U.S. President Donald Trump, who has attacked China on issues from trade to the South China Sea, held his first face-to-face talks with a member of the Chinese leadership on Monday, and the White House said it was a chance to discuss shared security interests and a possible meeting with President Xi Jinping.
State Councilor Yang Jiechi, China's top diplomat, met Trump briefly after talks with the new U.S. National Security adviser, H.R. McMaster, Trump's son-in-law and senior adviser, Jared Kushner, and White House chief strategist Steve Bannon.
A senior U.S. administration official said discussions included bilateral cooperation and the possibility of arranging a meeting between Trump and Xi, but no date was set.
The official said the meeting with Trump lasted five to seven minutes.
White House spokesman Sean Spicer called it "an opportunity to say 'hi' to the president" before Yang left.
"This was an opportunity to begin that conversation and talk to them on shared interests of national security," he said at a regular news briefing.
China's Foreign Ministry cited Yang as telling Trump that China was willing to enhance exchanges with the United States at all levels, expand coordination and cooperation, and respect each others' core interests and major concerns.
"Ensuring the steady and healthy development of China-U.S. ties will surely benefit both peoples and the world as a whole," the ministry paraphrased Yang as saying.
Yang, who outranks China's foreign minister, was the first top Chinese official to visit the White House since Trump took office on Jan. 20.
His visit followed a phone call between Yang and U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson last week, during which the two affirmed the importance of a constructive U.S.-China relationship.
It was the latest step by the world's two largest economies to try to put relations back on an even keel after a rocky start following Trump's election victory.
Trump has been a strong critic of Beijing, accusing China of unfair trade policies, criticizing its island building in the strategic South China Sea, and accusing it of not doing enough to constrain its neighbor, North Korea.
Trump incensed Beijing in December by talking to the president of Taiwan and saying the United States did not have to stick to the "one China" policy, under which Washington acknowledges the Chinese position that there is only one China, of which Taiwan is a part.
Trump later agreed in a phone call with Xi to honor the "one China" policy in a diplomatic boost for Beijing, which vehemently opposes criticism of its claim to self-ruled Taiwan.
In an interview with Reuters on Thursday, Trump pressed China to do more to rein in North Korea's nuclear and missile programs, saying Beijing could resolve the issue "very easily if it wanted to."
China dismissed Trump's remarks, saying on Friday the crux of the matter was a dispute between Washington and Pyongyang. Beijing has repeatedly called for a return to negotiations between Pyongyang and world powers.
As Yang held talks at the White House, senior officials from the United States, Japan and South Korea met at the State Department to discuss additional measures to choke off funding to North Korea's weapons program.
"The officials considered other possible measures under national authorities, including means to restrict further the revenue sources for North Korea's weapons programs, particularly illicit activities," they said in a joint statement.
They also agreed that North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile programs directly threatened their security and "strong international pressure" was needed to push back at Pyongyang, the statement said.
Plans for renewed contacts with North Korea in the United States were canceled last week after the U.S. State Department denied a visa for the top envoy from Pyongyang, the Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday.
Indian With Chinese Name On MyKad Was Adopted - A 34-year-old man, who gained unwanted fame after photos of his MyKad (pic) went viral on social media for purportedly having looks that did not match his name, is indeed a Malaysian.
Netizens had alleged that the man, Pang Chee Pin, was a Bangladeshi as he did not look Chinese.
A visit by The Star to the Segamat Baru address on the MyKad revealed that Pang was brought up by his adoptive Chinese family since he was born, but was no longer staying there.
His cousin, who only wished to be known as Susan, 50, said she used to live with him since he was a one-year-old.
Pang, she said, was adopted and brought up by her late uncle.
“He and I are cousins. But when my uncle died some 25 years ago, my parents took him in and cared for him. He left our home about six years ago.
“The last time we met was about three years ago in Kuala Lumpur Hospital where he was hospitalised due to a kidney problem,” she said when met at her house here yesterday.
She added that they have lost contact with each after that.
Susan said her uncle gave Pang a Chinese name after he adopted him from his biological Indian family in Simpang Renggam.
She added that Pang used to have an Indian name after he was born, adding that her uncle had asked permission from the relevant authorities to allow him to change it to a Chinese name.
Pang can speak fluent Mandarin, Hakka and Cantonese dialects and went to the same Chinese primary school as Susan.
“According to my mother, Pang was adopted by my uncle and his wife to help lessen the burden of his biological family,” she said, adding that her late uncle also had two daughters.
Susan said she was aware about the viral posting of her cousin’s MyKad, adding that the police had visited her house on Sunday to record her statement.
She said the man in the MyKad was indeed a Malaysian, and hoped that people would stop sharing the post on social media.
Monday, February 27, 2017
Oscar-Nominated Film The Red Turtle Has No Dialogue - For director Michael Dudok De Wit, seeing his film The Red Turtle get nominated for an Oscar for animated feature was a shock.
“The competition was really strong,” he said from his home in London. “I knew our film had a chance. It was unlike any of the other films. But many other films had a huge chance, I think. I was honestly quite nervous!
“On top of that, another French film was nominated, My Life As A Zucchini, also handmade like our film. Kubo And The Two Strings was mostly handmade as well. I’m just delighted with all the nominees and of course, for our film and my team.”
The Red Turtle is a dialogue-less film that follows a castaway on a deserted tropical island populated by turtles, crabs and birds.
How did the project first come together, from such disparate cultural backgrounds and influences?
It’s a miracle. It was a very unlikely cooperation. (Studio Ghibli co-founder/Red Turtle artistic director) Isao Takahata has a mind that is interested in European culture, and I love Japanese art and traditional art especially.
We were from totally opposite parts of the world and we each had an openness and a curiosity about each other’s culture.
What was behind the choice to tell this story without dialogue?
The whole thing started with an invitation from Studio Ghibli saying, “If you want to make your first feature film, we are interested in making it.”
It was a total dream offer – it was so surreal. I’ve seen and admired all of their films, and on top of that they are very independent-minded. My reply was, ‘Yes, of course!’
In the beginning I had some dialogue in my script, just a few moments to feel closeness to the main characters.
We experimented with that but … at some point in development, we dropped all the dialogue.
But I felt strongly that it should feel as though the people in the film can talk, and they do – it’s just that in our film we don’t see them talk. We wanted it to be very natural.
What does it say about the academy and the animation community that such a diverse spectrum of animated films were nominated this year?
It’s striking: On one hand, the members have voted for some very solid quality computer-animated films which have a traditional approach to the story.
And on the other hand, they chose two films from Europe that were handmade, made on a small budget, and a film from Oregon with puppet animation which was beautifully, beautifully made.
In other words, they clearly had a very open attitude.
Some films are more experimental than others, but they all have a place among the nominations.
Over To You, Hendra - Morten Frost will hand over all his duties to Hendrawan as far as the Special Squad is concerned in a special meeting at the Academy Badminton Malaysia (ABM) in Bukit Kiara today.
“The Special Squad will have their own planning and separate budgets. I’ll hand over whatever that is needed to be handed over,” said the Badminton Association of Malaysia technical director after the National Championships on Saturday.
“Hendrawan will be in charge of all the paper works, reports, booking of flights and filling up the BWF whereabout forms for doping for the players under his care. My job scope is slightly smaller now,” added Frost.
The BAM formed the Special Squad last week to quell the feud between world No. 1 Lee Chong Wei and Frost over training matters.
Hendrawan is the chief coach of the Special Squad. Besides Chong Wei, the others in the squad are reigning national champion Lim Chi Wing, Iskandar Zulkarnain Zainuddin, Soo Teck Zhi, Soong Joo Ven and Chong Yee Han.
Frost said there would not be any selection issues for team events like the Sudirman Cup in Australia in May despite having two separate squads.
“Hendrawan can propose the names directly to the coaching and training committee (CNT) headed by Datuk Seri Nozra (Zakaria) for tournaments. If there are any disputes, let the CNT decide,” he said.
“This arrangement will work. It’s simple and not complicated. It all depends on the people administering it. As long as we stay professional, it’ll work just fine.”
On the recently-concluded National Championships, Frost was happy to see heart-warming performances by a few younger players.
“We’ve the talents and I believe Malaysia’s future in badminton is bright,” said Frost.
Chi Wing, 21, did well to defend the men’s singles title. There were first-time champions like M. Thinaah (women’s singles) and Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie (mixed doubles).
In the women’s doubles, juniors Pearly Tan Koong Lee-Toh Ee Wei showed promise in their quarter-final defeat to third seeds Lim Yin Loo-Yap Cheng Wen.
You Need To Pay More Now To Visit Historical Angkor Wat - Admission into Cambodia’s fabled Angkor Wat nearly doubled in price, in an attempt to offset declining tourist spending in the country.
As of Feb 1, visitors who may not have been aware of the price change were most likely in for a bit of sticker shock, after the price of a one-day pass increased from US$20 (RM88.50) to US$37 (RM164).
Three-day passes to the Angkor Archaeological Park in Siem Reap province also spiked from US$40 (RM177) to US$62 (RM274), while week-long passes are now US$72 (RM318.50), up from US$60 (RM265.50), reports its local English newspaper The Phnom Penh Post.
First announced last summer, the move follows a similar price hike enacted at another popular tourist destination. Entry fees to the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh spiked from US$6.25 (RM28) to US$10 (RM44).
Tickets to the National Museum and Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum also rose from US$3 (RM13) to US$5 (RM22).
Officials point out that the price hike for many of the sites is the first imposed in 25 years and long overdue.
The move also comes amid reports of increased tourist visits last year, but lower total revenue.
In a report released last week, tourism officials revealed that total revenue dropped by US$500mil (RM2.22bil) to US$3bil (RM13.37bil) last year, despite a 5% increase in international tourist arrivals. In fact, the country received more than 5 million visitors, crossing that threshold for the first time, points out The Phnom Penh Post.
Industry experts attribute the difference to a growing shift from high-end to budget travellers and the growing number of Chinese tourists travelling on cheaper package deals.
Conversely, the shaky values of the Euro, Canadian loonie and US greenback have also had an effect on visits from tourists from those parts of the world, resulting in less spending, experts said.
Likewise, the proliferation of airline stop-overs in Cambodia have also led to shorter stays.
Your Penis May Shrink After This Surgery, But Will It Return To The Same Size? - After prostate removal for cancer, men sometimes complain to their doctors that their penis shrank, but a new study from Japan suggests they should not lose hope.
Following men for up to two years after surgery, researchers found the patients’ penises were shortest a few days after their procedures. Penis lengths generally returned to normal after one year, however.
The study’s lead author said the research was started after encountering a few patients complaining of penis shortening after prostate removal, which is known medically as a radical prostatectomy.
Past reports mentioned shortened penises after prostate removal, but the results were a bit different, said Dr Yoshifumi Kadono, of Kanazawa University Graduate School of Medicine Science.
“Therefore, we started our study to obtain our data,” he said.
For the new study, the researchers measured the penis lengths of 102 men before having their prostates removed and then at 10 days after surgery and again one, three, six, nine, 12, 18 and 24 months later.
The men’s stretched penis lengths were shortest 10 days after surgery, when measurements were an average of about 0.10cm shorter than before prostate removal.
By the one-year mark, the men’s penises generally returned to original lengths, which averaged about 11.72cm, according to the results in BJU International.
The researchers wanted to know what caused the shortening and if any particular variable, such as the size of a man’s prostate gland, would predict which men would experience this effect.
Based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the patients, the researchers noticed some internal changes. Specifically, the portion of the urethra directly below the bladder moves up into the body after surgery, but moves back down after some time.
“However, further research is needed to elucidate long-term changes of (penis length) with respect to the influence of sex hormones or changes in penile blood flow after (radical prostatectomy),” said Kadono.
The new findings may be useful for men who have low-to-moderate self esteem tied to their perceived lost penis length after their surgery, he added.
The findings may not represent reality for all men, however.
Most men will have some penis length loss after surgery and sometimes that will be permanent, said Dr. John Mulhall, who is director of the Male Sexual and Reproductive Medicine Program at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York.
“If you have documental length loss at six months, then you shouldn’t expect that to improve at 12 months,” said Mulhall, who wasn’t involved in the new study.
He said the loss of penis length can be attributed to two issues. For example, muscle contractions may pull the penis into the body, but that relaxes over time. Men may also experience after surgery the loss of erection tissue.
“Once that muscle degenerates, it’s gone,” he told Reuters Health.
Dr Drogo Montague, who wasn’t involved in the new study but often treats urological issues in men after prostate removal, also said some penises may appear shorter after surgery due to scar tissue that builds up when men have sex with partial erections.
The patients included in the new study would generally be considered to be normal weight, noted Montague, who is a professor of surgery at the Center for Genitourinary Reconstruction Glickman Urological and Kidney Institute Cleveland Clinic in Ohio.
“So these findings won’t necessary be generalisable because of the prevalence of obesity,” he said.
Mulhall said medications like Viagra and Cialis – known as PDE5 inhibitors – are shown in previous research to guard against lost penile length after prostate removal.
In addition to PDE5 inhibitor, Montague said men can get prostheses and other interventions to strengthen their penises.
Girl, 5, Dies Of Asthma Attack After Doctor Refused To See Her For Being Minutes Late To Appointment
Girl, 5, Dies Of Asthma Attack After Doctor Refused To See Her For Being Minutes Late To Appointment - A five-year-old British girl who was turned away by a doctor for being a few minutes late for an appointment died of an asthma attack that very day.
But the doctor is still practising medicine in South Wales after being given a warning following a secret disciplinary hearing, a local daily reported.
Ellie-May Clark, who lived in Newport, was scheduled to see Dr Joanne Rowe at 5pm on Jan 26, 2015 after suffering an asthma attack. She had several serious asthma attacks in the past six months.
It was an emergency appointment but Dr Rowe turned the girl and her mother away because they were late.
Clark said they were four minutes late, while an official report said they were eight minutes late.
As the receptionist was busy when they arrived, it was 5.18pm when the receptionist called Dr Rowe to ask if she would see Ellie-May.
Dr Rowe said that the patient was more than 10 minutes late and turned them away.
They were told to come back to the clinic in the morning.
Another doctor at the clinic questioned the decision, as it was an emergency appointment, the report said.
At 10.35pm that night, Clark found Ellie-May had suffered another attack and stopped breathing. She was rushed to hospital but died.
A National Health Service report found Dr Rowe's refusal to see Ellie-May to be the 'root cause' of the child's death.
She was issued a warning after a hearing held behind closed doors.
Ellie-May's grandmother, Brandi, told the daily: "We've never even had an apology from Dr Rowe, who got away with just a slap on the wrist after her clock-watching attitude killed our beautiful girl."
Alvin Chau Back With Second Wife - MACAU entertainment tycoon Alvin Chau has managed to woo back his second wife Heidi Chan, according to Guang Ming Daily.
The couple appeared together at their company’s anniversary celebration with their children recently, suggesting that Chau had managed to win back her heart after trying for months.
Previously, the media reported that they were in the process of a divorce after Chau was publicly seen holding hands with Malaysian model-actress Mandy Lieu, who has a son and a daughter with him.
When approached by reporters, Chan declined to comment while Lieu’s manager said she would take care of her children in England.
> China Press reported that Malaysian singer-actress Lee Sinje continued her charity work while busy looking after her twin baby boys.
The 40-year-old artiste, who is one of the founders of Little Yellow Flower Foundation, attended a Chinese New Year celebration with underprivileged kids recently in Puchong.
The foundation provided free lunch for children since three years ago, Lee said.
She said the foundation would set up a new centre in Puchong in April to provide educational activities for the children while waiting for their parents to return home from work.
Saturday, February 25, 2017
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