Lakers coach Jackson bids farewell after playoff

Phil Jackson, the most successful coach in NBA history, walked gingerly off the court for what is likely to be the final time following the Los Angeles Lakers' season-ending loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday.
Having led the Chicago Bulls to six championships in the 1990s, and the Lakers to five since, the 65-year-old has called it a career after his 20th season as a head coach.
"All of my hopes and aspirations are that this is the final game that I will coach," Jackson told reporters after his Lakers were swept from the playoffs in a crushing 122-86 defeat to the Mavericks.
"This has been a wonderful run. I go out with a sour note after being fined 35,000 dollars by the league earlier today."
The NBA fined Jackson earlier in the day for comments made about the officiating in the series.
The penalty hardly detracts from the astounding career the Hall of Famer Jackson has enjoyed, including the 11 NBA titles and suffering just 10 playoff series losses.
There is considerable caution about declaring a definitive end to Jackson's career as he has walked away from the game before only to return after a break.
Jackson ended his tenure with the Bulls in 1998, and after a one-year absence, joined the Lakers in the 1999-2000 season. Following a loss with Los Angeles in the NBA Finals in 2004, Jackson took another year out before rejoining the Lakers for a second stint in the 2005-06 campaign.
Lakers All Star Kobe Bryant, who has won each of his five titles with Jackson as coach, said he a hard time imagining playing for anyone else.
"It's tough to put into words what he's meant for me," Bryant said. "I grew up under him. The way I approach and think about things, a lot of it comes from him because I've been around him so much.
"It's a little weird for me to think of what next year is going to be like."

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Asteroid's Approach in November

An asteroid the size of an aircraft carrier will come closer to Earth this autumn than our own moon does, causing scientists to hold their breath as it zooms by. But they'll be nervous with excitement, not with worry about a possible disaster.
There's no danger of an impact when the asteroid 2005 YU55 makes its close flyby Nov. 8, coming within 201,700 miles (325,000 kilometers) of Earth, scientists say.
So they're looking forward to the encounter, which could help them learn more about big space rocks.
"While near-Earth objects of this size have flown within a lunar distance in the past, we did not have the foreknowledge and technology to take advantage of the opportunity," Barbara Wilson, a scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., said in a statement. "When it flies past, it should be a great opportunity for science instruments on the ground to get a good look." [Photos: Asteroids in Deep Space]
Getting to know YU55
Asteroid 2005 YU55 is about 1,300 feet (400 meters) wide. It was discovered in December 2005 by the Spacewatch program at the University of Arizona in Tucson.
Because of the asteroid’s size and orbital characteristics, astronomers have flagged 2005 YU55 as potentially dangerous down the road. But the upcoming encounter is no cause for alarm, researchers said.
"YU55 poses no threat of an Earth collision over, at the very least, the next 100 years," said Don Yeomans, manager of NASA's Near-Earth Object Program Office at JPL. "During its closest approach, its gravitational effect on the Earth will be so minuscule as to be immeasurable. It will not affect the tides or anything else." [5 Reasons to Care About Asteroids]
This round space rock has been in astronomers' cross hairs before. In April 2010, astronomers at the National Science Foundation's Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico generated some ghostly radar images of 2005 YU55 when the asteroid was about 1.5 million miles (2.3 million km) from Earth.
But those pictures had a resolution of just 25 feet (7.5 meters) per pixel. The November close pass should provide some sharper images.
"When 2005 YU55 returns this fall, we intend to image it at 4-meter resolution [13 feet] with our recently upgraded equipment at the Deep Space Network at Goldstone, California," said JPL radar astronomer Lance Benner. "Plus, the asteroid will be seven times closer. We're expecting some very detailed radar images."
A radar astronomy opportunity
Radar astronomy employs the world's biggest dish-shaped antennas. The antennas direct microwave signals at celestial targets that can be as far away as the moons of Saturn.
These signals bounce off the target, and the resulting "echo" helps researchers create radar images. These images can then be used to reconstruct detailed, three-dimensional models of the object.
With 4-meter-per-pixel resolution, the new views of 2005 YU55 should be pretty sharp, perhaps even showing boulders and craters, researchers said.
"We're talking about getting down to the kind of surface detail you dream of when you have a spacecraft fly by one of these targets," Benner said.
The data collected from Arecibo, Goldstone and ground-based optical and infrared telescopes also should help detail the mineral composition of the asteroid, researchers said.
"This is a C-type asteroid, and those are thought to be representative of the primordial materials from which our solar system was formed," Wilson said. "This flyby will be an excellent opportunity to test how we study, document and quantify which asteroids would be most appropriate for a future human mission."
The capabilities of the Goldstone antenna, in California's Mojave Desert, and of Arecibo are complementary. The Arecibo radar is about 20 times more sensitive and can detect asteroids about twice as far away. But its main dish is stationary, so it can see only about a third of the sky. Goldstone is fully steerable and can see about 80 percent of the accessible sky, so it can track objects for longer periods and can image asteroids at finer spatial resolution, researchers said.
Researchers are eager to train the instruments of both facilities on 2005 YU55 in November.
"So stay tuned," Yeomans said. "This is going to be fun."

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Lets Get Ready to Rumble! Pacquiao VS Mosley

Manny Pacquiao and Shane Mosley may have faced off in one of the least intimidating stare-down photos ever Friday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

After Pacquiao and Mosley both made weight for their WBO welterweight title fight, which will air via pay-per-view at 6 p.m. Saturday, the two approached each other for their pose and broke into laughter.

Neither Pacquiao, who weighed in at 145 pounds, nor Mosley, who came in at 147, have shown any disdain toward each other while promoting their fight. They have shared a mutual respect and continued to commend each other at the weigh-in.

“I believe Shane Mosley is a strong fighter, a good fighter,” Pacquiao said after making weight. “I had to train hard and focus on the fight.”

Most of the approximately 4,000 fans at the weigh-in — some of whom waited more than six hours to snag the best possible seat — were there to cheer on Pacquiao.

The demand was so overwhelming that no one else was allowed in and the arena’s doors were shut about 2:20 p.m., 40 minutes before the fighters were scheduled to tip the scales.

The pro-Pacquiao crowd initially booed any mention of Mosley’s name, before the card’s promoter and Top Rank President Bob Arum urged otherwise.

“Let’s give credit where credit is due,” Arum said. “In this era, one of the great, great fighters has been ‘Sugar’ Shane Mosley.”

Mosley knows Pacquiao is the one attracting all the attention and hype for the fight. He doesn’t mind playing second fiddle.

“None of this is getting under my skin,” Mosley said. “It’s going to be an exciting fight. The whole world needs to watch this.”

Sportscaster James Brown served as the master of ceremonies at the weigh-in and spoke positively about the lack of trash talk between Pacquiao and Mosley. The fans showed their agreement by letting out a round of applause.

The kindness between Pacquiao and Mosley is unique in the boxing world but clearly something that comes naturally to both of them. Before they went their separate ways, they gave each other a quick embrace.

The next time Pacquiao and Mosley see each other, their intent will be more malicious.

All eight fighters on the pay-per-view main card made weight. The full weigh-in results are posted below.

World Welterweight Championship Bout: Manny Pacquiao (145) vs. Shane Molsey (147)

World Super Bantamweight Championship Bout: Wilfredo Vazquez, Jr. (122) vs. Jorge Arce (122)

Super Middleweight Bout: Kelly Pavlik (170) vs. Alfonso Lopez (169)

Continental Americas Super Lightweight Championship Bout: Mike Alvarado (139) vs. Ray Narh (140)

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Only in the Philippines

I have now been in this country for over six years, and consider myself in most respects well assimilated. However, there is one key step on the road to full assimilation, which I have yet to take,and that's to eat BALUT.

The day any of you sees me eating balut, please call immigration and ask them to issue me a Filipino passport. Because at that point there will be no turning back.
BALUT, for those still blissfully ignorant non-Pinoys out there, is a fertilized duck egg.

It is commonly sold with salt in a piece of newspaper, much like English fish and chips, by street vendors usually after dark, presumably so you can't see how gross it is.

It's meant to be an aphrodisiac, although I can't imagine anything more likely to dispel sexual desire than crunching on a partially formed baby duck swimming
in noxious fluid. The embryo in the egg comes in varying stages of development, but basically it is not considered macho to eat one without fully discernable feathers,
beak, and claws. Some say these crunchy bits are the best. Others prefer just to drink the so- called 'soup', the vile, pungent liquid that surrounds the aforementioned feathery fetus...excuse
me; I have to go and throw up now. I'll be
back in a minute.

Food dominates the life of the
Filipino. People here just love to eat.
They eat at least eight times a day. These eight official meals are called, in order: breakfast, snacks, lunch, merienda, merienda ceyna, dinner, bedtime snacks and
no-one-saw-me-take-that-cookie-from-
the-fridge-so-it-doesn't-count.

The short gaps in between these mealtimes are spent eating Sky Flakes from the open packet that sits on every desktop. You're never far from food in the Philippines .
If you doubt this, next time you're driving home from work, try this game. See how long you can drive without seeing food and I don't mean a distant restaurant, or a
picture of food. I mean a man on the sidewalk frying fish balls, or a man walking through the traffic selling nuts or candy. I bet it's less than one minute.

Here are some other things I've
noticed about food in the Philippines :

Firstly, a meal is not a meal without rice - even breakfast. In the UK , I could go a whole year without eating rice. Second, it's impossible to drink without
eating. A bottle of San Miguel just isn't the same without gambas or beef tapa. Third, no one ventures more than two paces from their house without baon (food in small container) and a container of something cold to drink.

You might as well ask a Filipino to leave
home without his pants on. And lastly, where I come from, you eat with a knife
and fork. Here, you eat with a spoon and fork. You try eating rice swimming in fish sauce with a knife.

One really nice thing about Filipino food culture is that people always ask you to SHARE their food. In my office, if you catch anyone attacking their baon, they ill
always go, "Sir! KAIN TAYO!" ("Let's eat!"). This confused me, until I realized that they didn't actually expect me to sit down and start munching on their boneless bangus.

In fact, the polite response is something like, "No thanks, I just ate." But the principle is sound - if you have food on your plate, you are expected to share it, however hungry you are, with those who may be even hungrier. I think that's great!

In fact, this is frequently even taken one step further. Many Filipinos use "Have you eaten yet?"
"KUMAIN KA NA?") as a general greeting, Irrespective of time of day or location. Some foreigners think Filipino food is fairly dull compared to other Asian cuisines.
Actually lots of it Is very good: Spicy dishes like Bicol Express (strange, a dish named after a train); anything cooked with coconut milk; anything KINILAW; and anything ADOBO.
And it's hard to beat the sheer wanton, cholesterolic frenzy of a good old-fashioned LECHON de leche (roast pig) feast. Dig a pit,light a fire, add 50 pounds of animal fat on a stick,and cook until crisp. Mmm, mmm...you can actually feel your arteries constricting with each
successive mouthful.

I also share one key Pinoy trait --- a sweet tooth. I am thus the only foreigner I know who does not complain about sweet bread, sweet burgers, sweet spaghetti, sweet banana ketchup, and so on. I am a man who likes to put jam on his pizza. Try it!
It's the weird food you want to avoid. In addition to duck fetus in the half-shell, items to avoid in the Philippines include pig's blood soup (DINUGUAN); bull's esticle soup, the strangely- named "SOUP NUMBER FIVE"(I dread to think what numbers one through four are); and the ubiquitous, stinky shrimp paste, BAGOONG,and it's equally stinky sister, PATIS.

Filipinos are so addicted to these latter items that they will even risk arrest or deportation trying to smuggle them into countries like Australia and the USA, which wisely ban the importation of items you can smell from more than 100 paces.

Then there's the small matter of the purple ice cream. I have never been able to get my brain around eating purple food; the biquitous UBE leaves me cold.

And lastly on the subject of weird food, beware:
that KALDERETANG KAMBING (goat)
could well be KALDERETANG ASO (dog)...

The Filipino, of course, has a well-developed sense of food.
Here's a typical Pinoy food joke: "I'm on a seafood diet.

"What's a seafood diet?" "When I see food, I eat it!"

Filipinos also eat strange bits of animals --- the feet, the head,
the guts, etc., usually barbecued on a stick. These have been
given witty names, like "ADIDAS" (chicken's feet);

"KURBATA" (either just chicken's neck, or "neck and thigh"

as in "neck-tie"); "WALKMAN" (pigs ears); "PAL" (chicken wings);

"HELMET" (chicken head); "IUD" (chicken intestines), and

BETAMAX" (video-cassette-like blocks of animal blood). Yum,yum. Bon appetit.

WHEN I arrived in the Philippines from the UK six years ago,one of the first cultural differences to strike me was names.

The subject has provided a continuing source of amazement and amusement ever since. The first unusual thing, from
an English perspective, is that everyone here has a nickname.
In the staid and boring United Kingdom , we have nicknames in kindergarten, but when we move into adulthood we tend, I am glad to say, to lose them.

The second thing that struck me is that Philippine names for both girls and boys tend to be what we in the UK would regard as overbearingly cutesy for anyone over about five.Fifty-five-year-olds colleague put it.

Where I come from, a boy with a nickname like Boy Blue or Honey Boy would be beaten to death at school by pre-adolescent bullies, and never make it to adulthood. So, probably, would girls with names like Babes, Lovely, Precious, Peachy or Apples. Yuk, ech ech. Here, however, no one bats an eyelid.

Then I noticed how many people have what I have come to call "door-bell names". These are nicknames that sound like -well,
doorbells. There are millions of them. Bing, Bong, Ding , and Dong are some of the more common. They can be, and frequently are, used in even more door-bell-like
combinations such as Bing-Bong, Ding - Dong, Ting-Ting, and so on.
Even our appointed chief of police has a doorbell name Ping.

None of these doorbell names exist where I come from, and hence sound unusually amusing to my untutored foreign ear.

Someone once told me that one of the Bings, when asked why he was called Bing, replied, "because my brother is called Bong".
Faultless logic.

Dong, of course, is a particularly funny one for me, as where come from "dong" is a slang word for well; perhaps "talong" is the best Tagalog equivalent!!!

Repeating names was another novelty to me, having never before encountered people with names like Len-Len, Let-Let, Mai-Mai, or
Ning-Ning. The secretary I inherited on my arrival had an unusual one:
Leck-Leck. Such names are then frequently further refined by using the "squared" symbol, as in Len2 or Mai2. This had me very confused for a while.

Then there is the trend for parents to stick to a theme when naming their children. This can be as simple as making them all begin with the same letter, as in Jun, Jimmy, Janice, and Joy.

More imaginative parents shoot for more sophisticated forms of assonance or rhyme, as in Biboy, Boboy, Buboy, Baboy (notice the names get worse the more kids there are-best to be born early or you could end up being a Baboy).

Even better, parents can create whole families of, say, desserts (Apple Pie, Cherry Pie, Honey Pie) or flowers (Rose, Daffodil, Tulip). The main advantage of such combinations is that they look great painted across your trunk if you're a cab driver.

That's another thing I'd never seen before coming to Manila -- taxis with the driver's kids' names on the trunk.

Another whole eye-opening field for the foreign visitor is the phenomenon of the "composite" name. This includes names like Jejomar (for Jesus, Joseph and Mary),
and the remarkable Luzviminda (for Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, believe it or not). That's a bit like me being called something like "Engscowani" (for England , Scotland , Wales and Northern Ireland ). Between you and me, I'm glad I'm not.

And how could I forget to mention the fabulous concept of the randomly inserted letter 'h'. Quite what this device is supposed to achieve, I have not yet figured out, but I think it is designed to give a touch of class to an otherwise only averagely weird name.
It results in creations like Jhun, Lhenn, Ghemma, and Jhimmy. Or how about Jhun-Jhun (Jhun2)?
How boring to come from a country like the UK full of people with names like John Smith. How wonderful to come from a country where imagination and exoticism rule the world of names.

Even the towns here have weird names; my favorite is the unbelievably named town of Sexmoan (ironically close to Olongapo and Angeles). Where else in the world could that really be true?

Where else in the world could the head of the Church really be called Cardinal Sin?

Where else but the Philippines !

Note: Philippines has a senator
named Joker, and it is his legal
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Floyd strikes again

Floyd Mayweather Jr. is at it again.

While fight fans eagerly anticipate the welterweight showdown between boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao and former world champ Shane Mosley, the controversial boxer picked up his bullhorn and downplayed Pacquiao's opponents.

“Leftovers,” Mayweather told Fighthype.com’s Ben Thompson as he belittled Pacquiao’s victories over his former opponents, including Mosley.

“Because when he comes to my house, the only thing he can eat is leftovers. Shane was already a beaten fighter,” said Mayweather.

Mayweather was referring to Pacquiao’s wins over boxing great Oscar de la Hoya and Ricky Hatton.

In May 2007, “Pretty Boy Floyd” scored a split decision against De La Hoya before stopping Hatton in 10 rounds months later.

Pacquiao, however, scored dominating victories over the same opponents.

The Filipino champion forced De la Hoya to quit on his stool after 8 rounds in 2008.

In 2009, Pacquiao knocked Hatton out in just 2 rounds.

This coming Saturday (Sunday in Manila), Pacquiao will be facing Mosley, a boxer Mayweather defeated by unanimous decision.

Mayweather, who is taking a hiatus from boxing because of his legal woes, claimed he is not interested in watching the Pacman-Mosley clash.

“You know what I'm going to be doing Saturday night? Saturday night, I'm, going to be watching Lady Gaga on HBO, the best network in the world,” said the undefeated boxer.

The undefeated Mayweather is considered as Pacquiao’s closest rival in boxing pound-for-pound status.

He is, however, being accused of ducking the more popular Filipino champion.

“The things is this, Floyd Mayweather has never been scared of Manny Pacquiao at all. Never! At all!” he claimed.

He again dared Pacquiao to take an Olympic drug test, the same issue that he has been using against the Filipino champion.

“All I say everyday is this, just take the test! Floyd's scared of you? Okay. If I'm scared of you, why won't you take the test?” he said.

In a separate report by Boxingscene.com, Pacquiao said he doesn’t think Mayweather is interested to fight.

He, however, agreed that a Mayweather fight would be good for the sport.

"Yes, I believe that [boxing is healthier when that happens], but I don't think he really wants to fight," Pacquiao said.

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Prince William Kisses to his Lovely Pinay Nanny

Bacolod City (Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN) - Royal nanny Araceli "Lillie" Piccio said Prince William thanked her twice for coming to his wedding and, along with his bride Kate, kissed her on seeing her at the reception at Clarence House on Friday (April 29).
Piccio, who is from Bacolod City, in central Philippines, was the lone Filipino invited to the royal wedding, having served as a nanny to both Prince William and Prince Harry, and later working for their mother Princess Diana.
"I cried at the wedding. It was both a happy and sad occasion for me," she told the Philippine Daily Inquirer in a telephone interview.
Piccio was happy to see the boy she had cared for turn into a handsome young man and finally get married, but she wept at the thought that his mother, Princess Diana, could not be at his wedding.
"The princess would have been so proud of him," she said.
Piccio said she had breakfast, lunch, snacks and dinner at Clarence House on the day of the wedding and went home past 8 p.m. on Friday.
With the rest of the staff
When Prince William and his bride arrived at Clarence House from the Buckingham Palace reception in a dark blue Aston Martin, Piccio, along with the rest of the staff, lined up in the courtyard.
She said they were briefed to curtsy when the royals arrived.
"When Prince William drove in there was loud applause from everyone and all of a sudden I heard him call out 'Hi Lillie' and he came up to hug and kiss me, as if he really missed me," Piccio said.
"I was dumbfounded ... I was not able to say anything."
"He said he was so happy I came to his wedding and asked how I was. He also said he liked my dress," Lillie said. She wore a dress made by Bacolod designer Lourdes Lipa.
She added that Kate, who also kissed her, asked how she knew Prince William.
According to Piccio, Prince William told his bride that "She (Piccio) looked after Mummy before."
Stopped to talk
"I told her I had been working for the family since William was a baby. She (Kate) was beautiful and sweet," she said. "Everybody was looking at us because Prince William and Kate stopped to talk to me."
Asked if Kate was like Princess Diana, Piccio said, "Nobody can wear the shoes of Princess Diana. She was one of a kind, she was beautiful, kind and generous. She taught her boys to be humble."
Prince Charles and his wife, Camilla, arrived at Clarence House later, she said.
"Prince Charles came up to me and asked how I was and asked where I was working, and I told him I was retired," she said.
Piccio added that she was having snacks when someone tapped her on the shoulder.
"When I looked up, it was Prince Harry. I tried to get up to curtsy to him but he told me to sit and he kissed me," she said.
A lovely couple
Later in the evening, Piccio said she saw Prince William come down dressed in his tuxedo along with his wife who was wearing a white gown to go to another party at Buckingham Palace.
"He looked so handsome, and she looked beautiful," she said.
On Saturday, Piccio said she was surprised to get a call from Bernie, the butler at Clarence House.
"He told me Prince William told him before he left to make sure to call and thank me for attending his wedding, and that he was so happy that I was there," she said.
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Singapore's Leader Face Election Test

The prime minister is admitting mistakes and even apologizing. It's a sign that the party that has dominated Singapore and told the island state what's best for a half-century could be facing its strongest electoral challenge.
The People's Action Party, with the son of Singapore founding father Lee Kwan Yew at the helm, is still expected to overwhelmingly win Saturday's parliamentary election and remain in power for at least the next decade.
But more seats are being contested than ever before, by a new crop of well-educated opposition candidates. A gradual opening of traditional media alongside unfettered Internet debate has meant an increasingly substantial discussion of campaign issues, such as immigration and housing costs.
"The opposition in the past was not able to recruit because there was a very strong climate of fear for a very long time," said Gillian Koh, a senior research fellow at Singapore's Institute of Policy Studies. "The situation today is very different. We've seen a liberalization of the political space."
Dozens of PAP posters even have been defaced — nearly unheard of in this Southeast Asian country, where vandalism can get you a caning, the Colonial-era punishment famously meted out to American teenager Michael Fay in 1994.
"I'm not against the PAP," 35-year-old restaurant manager Francis Loh said at a Workers Party rally last weekend. "I just want more opposition in Parliament and someone to speak for the poor people."
The PAP has had to evolve as Singaporeans traveled and studied abroad more and became better educated. Gone are the days from the 1960s to 1980s when the elder Lee would imprison suspected communists without trial for years, and when he told the state-owned Straits Times in 1987, "We decide what is right. Never mind what the people think."
In recent speeches, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong — Lee Kwan Yew's son — has warned voters to avoid opposition candidates, reminding them that the government favors pro-PAP districts with funding for improvements to the public housing where about 80 percent of Singaporeans live.
But he also has admitted several mistakes, including failing to build enough public housing overall and not expanding the transportation network to accommodate a surge in foreign workers.
"We're sorry we didn't get it exactly right, but I hope you'll understand and bear with us," he said. "We made mistakes, we have slip-ups. We must apologize, acknowledge, put it right."
In power for 52 years, the PAP controlled all but two of the last parliament's 84 seats. The opposition never has held more than four. This year, opposition parties are contesting 82 of 87 seats.
The bedrock of the PAP's support is its delivery of jobs and education, its reputation for an efficient, corruption-free bureaucracy and a history of savvy policy choices — such as embracing English as a common language — that helped boost gross domestic product per capita to $43,867 last year from $428 in 1960.
The economy, based on manufacturing, shipping, finance and tourism, expanded a record 14.5 percent last year.
Rights groups condemn Singapore's use of the death penalty for drug couriers. Speech about race and religion is severely restricted and defamation lawsuits by PAP leaders have bankrupted opposition figures and deterred criticism of the government.
But Singapore is hardly a pariah. It's a staunch ally of the U.S., has close ties to China's leadership and has helped facilitate regional integration.
"Singapore's great virtue is that they have been able to skirt this fine line between democracy and autocracy, having the mechanics of democracy without the substance, but it's worked," said Benjamin Reilly, a political scientist at Australian National University.
Rich people love the place and trust the PAP. Singapore has the world's highest percentage of millionaires — households with at least $1 million in liquid assets — at 11.4 percent of the country's 5 million population, according to Boston Consulting Group.
"When I consider investing in Singapore, I don't have to worry about political instability, something that I can't say about some other countries," said Ravi Thakran, managing partner of a $650 million private equity fund of luxury goods maker LVMH.
The central figure in the PAP and modern Singapore life has been Lee Kuan Yew, a Cambridge-trained lawyer who was prime minister from 1959 to 1990 — during limited self-rule under the British, through a two-year federation with Malaysia that ended in 1965, and then during independence.
At 87, Lee is still an influential Cabinet minister. Famed for his blunt rhetoric, Lee took part in the nine-day official campaign that ended Thursday, warning Singaporeans that only the PAP can ensure prosperity.
"Don't rock this foundation," Lee said last week. "Remember, don't risk your assets, property values, job opportunities."
The PAP traditionally attracted Singapore's best and brightest, such as Michelle Lee, 35, who attended the most prestigious high school, graduated with honors from London School of Economics and worked at financial houses and the central bank.
But she's running for the opposition Singapore Democratic Party.
"Before I went to university, I was very pro-PAP," said Lee, now a high school teacher. "But my eyes were opened. I would not be able to live with myself if I joined the PAP."
Newspapers and television, which are closely controlled by the government, have begun airing a few dissenting views.
Reilly said the government could afford even more liberalization. "I think if they did that the PAP would win anyway. They have performance legitimacy," he said.
The government's most important policy decision since the last election in 2006 was to allow a surge of foreign workers. About 150,000 foreign workers entered Singapore per year from 2007 to 2009, and they now make up about one-third of the island's 3 million work force.
Singaporeans complain that the foreigners have depressed wages, boosted housing prices and clogged public transportation — and opposition leaders are tapping into that unease.
"The problem started with the crazy number of foreigners they brought in the last few years," said Chua Beng Huat, a sociologist at National University of Singapore. "They were looking for growth at all costs. The quality of life for Singaporeans has actually declined, especially for the middle class and lower."
The government cut back the number of workers allowed in to 80,000 last year, but stuck to its argument that foreigners are essential to expand the economy.
Speculation about Singapore after the elder Lee dies has increased since he suffered an abnormal heart rhythm in 2008. Some observers predict investor confidence could suffer or that the PAP could split into factions.
"When he dies, I don't think Singapore will go down because he built a good foundation," said Lilian Tan, a 50-year-old flower shop owner. "In my heart, I respect Lee Kuan Yew a lot. I don't know about the opposition, I only know about the PAP. As long as they do a good job, we only need the PAP."
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Taiwan's Natural Taroko Park

With friendly people, great food, and a number of attractions, Taiwan is a destination that should be on every tourist's travel plans for 2011.

What should really persuade potential tourists to visit are Taiwan's natural attractions, with the Taroko National Park near Hualien getting top billing.

Here are some of the park's top spots.

Taroko Gorge

A view of the Taroko Gorge.The Taroko Gorge is a spectacular 19-kilometer long canyon in Taiwan's east coast a short drive from Hualien. The climate is usually cool and humid, but again perfect for any of the trekking options at any of the long or short trails available, biking or whitewater rafting.

It's just over 60 kilometers from the coast, yet it is home to some of the highest peaks in Taiwan at over 3,400 meters.

It can be easily visited by bus, car or scooter and has enough treks to keep you busy for several days, but most people usually only visit it on one.

How to get there

Taroko Gorge is close to Hualien, so an early morning start is recommended. That is unless it's raining or you're traveling with kids, in which case I recommend renting a scooter.

Be aware that most of the rental agencies will ask for an International Driver's License, and the drive from Hualien to the Gorge will take about 30 minutes along a beautiful (and dangerous) road snaking next to the Liwu River.

Beaches near Taroko Gorge

Head to the beach for a great end to your day.

One of the best ways to call off a day at the gorge is by heading to any of the great nearby beaches: Hualien beach, picture-perfect QiXingtan beach (reachable along the bike trail from Hualien too) or Jici beach for those who want to hit the surf when in season.

Tunnels, shrines and waterfalls

Pilgrimage at the Taroko Gorge.

More Taroko National Park highlights include the Tunnel of 9 Turns (a man-made pedestrian-only tunnel that follows the river offering dramatic views), a dip in the Eternal Springs Shine during the unbearably hot summer months, a walk up the steps to Hsiang-Te temple and getting wet in the Water Curtain Tunnels along the trail to Baiyang Waterfall (currently closed due to landslide danger).

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Bin Ladin Shot while unarmed? Good For Him!!!

The compound in Abbottbad, Pakistan where Al-Qaeda mastermind Osama bin Laden was killed on May 1. The United States revealed Tuesday that Osama bin Laden was unarmed when US commandos shot him dead and said the Pakistani authorities had been kept in the dark because they might have tipped off the Al-Qaeda leader

The United States revealed Tuesday that Osama bin Laden was unarmed when US commandos shot him dead and said the Pakistani authorities had been kept in the dark because they might have tipped off the Al-Qaeda leader.
Unusually frank remarks from the CIA chief betrayed the extent of the distrust between the United States and Pakistan, a nuclear-armed ally and key partner in the war against the resurgent Taliban in neighboring Afghanistan.
"It was decided that any effort to work with the Pakistanis could jeopardize the mission," Leon Panetta told Time magazine in an interview. "They might alert the targets."
US officials, meanwhile, debated whether to scotch conspiracy theories by releasing a "gruesome" photo of the dead bin Laden, conscious that such an image would likely inflame strong passions in parts of the Muslim world.
Focus: Details on bin Laden raid raise more questions
The White House gave the fullest account yet of the dramatic and momentous raid on Sunday night that killed the architect of the September 11, 2001 attacks and sparked scenes of relief and joy around the Western world.
But officials did not clearly explain why bin Laden was shot dead and not captured, given that he was unarmed, fueling speculation that the elite Navy SEAL team had been ordered not to take him alive.
"In the room with bin Laden, a women -- bin Laden's wife -- rushed the US assaulter and was shot in the leg but not killed," White House spokesman Jay Carney said. "Bin Laden was then shot and killed. He was not armed."
Pressed about the so-called "kill mission," Carney said there had been significant resistance, a "volatile firefight," and insisted: "We were prepared to capture him if that was possible."
The fact that, after a years-long manhunt, bin Laden turned up in an fortified compound in Abbottabad, home to the Pakistani equivalent of the West Point and Sandhurst military academies just two hours' drive north of Islamabad, has been greeted with incredulity.
Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari rejected as "baseless" charges that his country extends safe haven to extremists, but outraged US lawmakers are calling for billions of dollars in aid to be cut back or dropped entirely.
The Obama administration last year said it would seek another $2 billion for Pakistan's military, on top of a five-year, $7.5 billion civilian package approved in 2009 aimed at weakening the allure of Islamic extremists.
US analysts were scouring documents and computer files seized from bin Laden's hideout for evidence after top counter-terrorism official John Brennan said it was "inconceivable" he had not had some kind of support network.
White House: Bin Laden corpse photo 'gruesome'
For a decade, Islamabad has been America's wary Afghan war ally, despite widespread public opposition and militant bomb attacks across the nuclear-armed country that have killed several thousand people.
But Pakistan has never been fully trusted by either Kabul or Washington, which accuse its powerful military of fostering the Afghan Taliban it spawned during the 1980s resistance to the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan.
Pakistani intelligence officials said the nation's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency had no idea bin Laden was holed up in Abbottabad, despite searching the compound in 2003 while it was still under construction.
In a Washington Post opinion piece, Zardari acknowledged the US commandos carried out the raid without Pakistani collaboration -- but stressed Islamabad had initially helped to identify the Al-Qaeda courier who led them to bin Laden.
US officials say DNA tests have proven conclusively that the man shot dead above the eye in Sunday's raid was indeed the Al-Qaeda leader who boasted about the deaths of nearly 3,000 people in the September 11 attacks.
But they are also mulling whether to release a photo as proof.
"It is fair to say it is a gruesome photograph... it could be inflammatory," Carney said. "We are reviewing the situation."
In Sunday's operation, which lasted less than 40 minutes, Navy SEALs, arriving in two helicopters, stormed bin Laden's compound, which stood out from other properties because of its towering perimeter walls and heavy security.
In addition to the bin Laden family, two other families resided there: one on the first floor of the main residence and another in a second building.
"On the first floor of bin Laden's building, two Al-Qaeda couriers were killed along with a woman who was killed in cross-fire," Carney said.
"Bin Laden and his family were found on the second and third floor of the building. There was concern that bin Laden would oppose the capture operation and indeed he resisted."
After the firefight, the "non-combatants were moved to a safe location as the damaged helicopter was detonated," Carney said. "The team departed the scene via helicopter to the USS Carl Vinson in the North Arabian Sea."
US officials have revealed how the trail for bin Laden had gone cold for years until August 2010, when the CIA tracked a courier and his brother to the large compound in Abbottabad, north of Islamabad.
Interview: bin Laden death will not affect Al-Qaeda
After months of top-secret planning, the operation came down to a simple command delivered by Obama on Friday -- "it's a go."
On Sunday, the president and his top lieutenants gathered in the White House Situation Room to watch the dramatic operation unfold. Then came confirmation that bin Laden -- codenamed "Geronimo" -- was now "EKIA": Enemy Killed in Action.
The fifth person killed in the raid was believed to be one of bin Laden's sons.
The United States says bin Laden received Muslim rites before his body was "eased" into the Arabian Sea on Monday so no one could turn his grave into a shrine. Muslim leaders have condemned the sea burial.
Focus: Navy SEALs shine in risky bin Laden strike
With Pakistan's main Taliban faction vowing vengeance, the United States said Tuesday it was closing its consulates in the cities of Lahore and Peshawar to the public until further notice.
Hundreds of curious Pakistanis descended on the bullet-riddled villa Tuesday that had hidden bin Laden from the world, some taking pictures and home videos of the battered compound.
Gathering outside to get a look at the now notorious high-walled villa, dozens of youths staged a demo mocking the United States, shouting "Osama is alive!"

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