Wednesday, December 31, 2025
Electricity and Gas Bill: Households to pay lower gas and electricity tariffs from January 2026 to March 2026
SINGAPORE – Households will pay less for electricity and gas from January to March due to lower energy and fuel costs.
Electricity tariffs for homes will decrease by 0.84 cent per kilowatt-hour (kWh), while gas tariffs will fall by 0.67 cent per kWh, before goods and services tax (GST).
In a statement on Dec 30, grid operator SP Group said the electricity tariffs for households will go down by 3 per cent from the previous quarter.
An average four-room HDB household can expect a $3.17 decrease in its monthly electricity bill before GST, for example.
In a separate statement on the same day, piped town gas provider City Energy said the gas tariff will decrease from 22.35 cents per kWh to 21.68 cents in the next three months.
Both operators attributed the drop in tariffs to lower energy and fuel costs.
Households had to pay more for gas and electricity in the previous quarter due to higher energy costs, according to a Sept 30 Straits Times report.
SP Group and City Energy review the electricity and gas tariffs every quarter based on guidelines set by the regulator, the Energy Market Authority.
The energy cost component of the electricity tariff for each quarter is set using the average natural gas prices in the first 2½ months of the preceding quarter.
The fuel cost component of the gas tariff for each quarter is set using the average fuel prices in the first 2½ months of the preceding quarter.
Electricity and gas tariffs can fluctuate from quarter to quarter due to volatile global fuel prices.
- Daniel Lai is a journalist at the ST Now team, covering breaking news and international affairs.
Tuesday, December 30, 2025
Monday, December 29, 2025
《不惑之旅》（E） 观剧看点总结
不惑之旅 (D) at YouTube and 今日头条 Doubao Report
不惑之旅 (C) at YouTube and 今日头条 Doubao Report
不惑之旅 - 连续剧 (A) and 今日头条 - YouTube Doubao Report
Sunday, December 28, 2025
My 18-year Weight Management Records from 2007-05-28 to 2025-12-28 (by Calorie Restriction, i.e. Dietary Energy Restriction):
Note: According to the Singapore Health Promotion Board, a Healthy BMI is greater than18.5 and less than 23.0. A BMI less than 18.5 would mean that the individual is at risk of nutrition deficiency diseases and osteoporosis.
A BMI equal or greater than 23.0 would mean that the individual is at risk of obesity-related diseases. (Ref: DD-Md2022J28)
As of 2025-12-28,
Note: ### indicates BMI = 23 or > 23
Total number of Monthly Weight monitored was 223 (100%)
The no. of times my healthy BMI between 18.5 and 22.9 was 218 (97.757%)
The no. of times my unhealthy BMI equal or more than 23.000 was 5 (2.243%)
=======================
2007
2007-05-28 morning, my weight = 65.0 kg, BMI = 23.588###
2007-06-28 morning, my weight = 61.0 kg, BMI = 22.136
2007-07-28 morning, my weight = 59.0 kg, BMI = 21.410
2007-08-28 morning, my weight = 58.7 kg, BMI = 21.302
2007-09-28 morning, my weight = 57.5 kg, BMI = 20.866
2007-10-28 morning, my weight = 57.5 kg, BMI = 20.866
2007-11-28 morning, my weight = 56.2 kg, BMI = 20.394
2007-12-28 morning, my weight = 55.5 kg, BMI = 20.140
2008
2008-01-28 morning, my weight = 54.8 kg, BMI = 19.886
2008-02-28 morning, my weight = 54.8 kg, BMI = 19.886
2008-03-28 morning, my weight = 54.5 kg, BMI = 19.777
2008-04-28 morning, my weight = 54.4 kg, BMI = 19.741
2008-05-28 morning, my weight = 54.1 kg, BMI = 19.632
2008-06-28 morning, my weight = 54.6 kg, BMI = 19.814
2008-07-28 morning, my weight = 54.5 kg, BMI = 19.777
2008-08-28 morning, my weight = 54.3 kg, BMI = 19.705
2008-09-28 morning, my weight = 54.9 kg, BMI = 19.923
2008-10-28 morning, my weight = 55.3 kg, BMI = 20.068
2008-11-28 morning, my weight = 54.5 kg, BMI = 19.777
2008-12-28 morning, my weight = 55.6 kg, BMI = 20.177
2009
2009-01-28 morning, my weight = 54.8 kg, BMI = 19.886
2009-02-28 morning, my weight = 55.9 kg, BMI = 20.285
2009-03-28 morning, my weight = 54.8 kg, BMI = 19.886
2009-04-28 morning, my weight = 55.3 kg, BMI = 20.068
2009-05-28 morning, my weight = 55.4 kg, BMI = 20.104.
2009-06-28 morning, my weight = 55.2 kg, BMI = 20.031
2009-07-28 morning, my weight = 55.1 kg, BMI = 19.995
2009-08-28 morning, my weight = 55.2 kg, BMI = 20.031
2009-09-28 morning, my weight = 56.3 kg, BMI = 20.431
2009-10-28 morning, my weight = 55.8 kg, BMI = 20.249
2009-11-28 morning, my weight = 56.2 kg, BMI = 20.394
2009-12-28 morning, my weight = 56.1 kg, BMI = 20.358
2010
2010-01-28 morning, my weight = 55.6 kg, BMI = 20.177
2010-02-28 morning, my weight = 56.5 kg, BMI = 20.503
2010-03-28 morning, my weight = 56.4 kg, BMI = 20.467
2010-04-28 morning, my weight = 55.7 kg, BMI = 20.213
2010-05-28 morning, my weight = 55.1 kg, BMI = 19.995
2010-06-28 morning, my weight = 56.4 kg, BMI = 20.467
2010-07-28 morning, my weight = 55.5 kg, BMI = 20.140
2010-08-28 morning, my weight = 55.8 kg, BMI = 20.249
2010-09-28 morning, my weight = 55.8 kg, BMI = 20.249
2010-10-28 morning, my weight = 55.4 kg, BMI = 20.104
2010-11-28 morning, my weight = 55.6 kg, BMI = 20.177
2010-12-28 morning, my weight = 55.5 kg, BMI = 20.140
2011
2011-01-28 morning, my weight = 55.4 kg, BMI = 20.104
2011-02-28 morning, my weight = 56.5 kg, BMI = 20.503
2011-03-28 morning, my weight = 55.6 kg, BMI = 20.177
2011-04-28 morning, my weight = 55.7 kg, BMI = 20.213
2011-05-28 morning, my weight = 55.6 kg, BMI = 20.177
2011-06-28 morning, my weight = 56.3 kg, BMI = 20.431
2011-07-28 morning, my weight = 56.5 kg, BMI = 20.503
2011-08-28 morning, my weight = 56.9 kg, BMI = 20.649
2011-09-28 morning, my weight = 56.2 kg, BMI = 20.394
2011-10-28 morning, my weight = 56.8 kg, BMI = 20.613
2011-11-28 morning, my weight = 59.0 kg, BMI = 21.410
2011-12-28 morning, my weight = 60.3 kg, BMI = 21.882
2012
2012-01-28 morning, my weight = 61.5 kg, BMI = 22.318
2012-02-28 morning, my weight = 62.7 kg, BMI = 22.753
2012-03-28 morning, my weight = 62.5 kg, BMI = 22.681
2012-04-28 morning, my weight = 61.3 kg, BMI = 22.246
2012-05-28 morning, my weight = 60.7 kg, BMI = 22.028
2012-06-28 morning, my weight = 60.6 kg, BMI = 21.992
2012-07-28 morning, my weight = 61.2 kg, BMI = 22.209
2012-08-28 morning, my weight = 60.8 kg, BMI = 22.064
2012-09-28 morning, my weight = 61.5 kg, BMI = 22.318**
2012-10-28 morning, my weight = 62.3 kg, BMI = 22.608
2012-11-28 morning, my weight = 63.4 kg, BMI = 23.008###
2012-12-28 morning, my weight = 62.9 kg, BMI = 22.826
2013
2013-01-28 morning, my weight = 63.0 kg, BMI = 22.863
2013-02-28 morning, my weight = 62.1 kg, BMI = 22.536
2013-03-28 morning, my weight = 61.5 kg, BMI = 22.318
2013-04-28 morning, my weight = 63.1 kg, BMI = 22.899****
2013-05-28 morning, my weight = 62.3 kg, BMI = 22.608
2013-06-28 morning, my weight = 62.2 kg, BMI = 22.572
2013-07-28 morning, my weight = 62.4 kg, BMI = 22.645
2013-08-28 morning, my weight = 62.6 kg BMI = 22.717
2013-09-28 morning, my weight = 62.4 kg BMI = 22.645**
2013-10-28 morning, my weight = 62.3 kg BMI = 22.609
2013-11-28 morning, my weight = 63.1 kg BMI = 22.899
2013-12-28 morning, my weight = 64.4 kg BMI = 23.371###
2014
2014-01-28 morning, my weight = 63.6 kg, BMI = 23.080###
2014-02-28 morning, my weight = 63.3 kg, BMI = 22.971
2014-03-28 morning, my weight = 62.7 kg, BMI = 22.753
2014-04-28 morning, my weight = 62.7 kg, BMI = 22.753
2014-05-28 morning, my weight = 62.9 kg, BMI = 22.826
2014-06-28 morning, my weight = 63.1 kg BMI = 22.899
2014-07-28 morning, my weight = 62.7 kg, BMI = 22.753
2014-08-28 morning, my weight = 62.2 kg, BMI = 22.572
2014-09-28 morning, my weight = 61.2 kg, BMI = 22.209
2014-10-28 morning, my weight = 61.4 kg, BMI = 22.282
2014-11-28 morning, my weight = 60.2 kg, BMI = 21.846
2014-12-28 morning, my weight = 60.8 kg, BMI = 22.064
2015
2015-01-28 morning, my weight = 61.3 kg, BMI = 22.246
2015-02-28 morning, my weight = 61.8 kg, BMI = 22.427
2015-03-28 morning, my weight = 61.8 kg, BMI = 22.427
2015-04-28 morning, my weight = 62,5. kg, BMI = 22.681
2015-05-28 morning, my weight = 62.4 kg, BMI = 22.645
2015-06-28 morning, my weight = 63.6 kg, BMI = 23.080###
2015-07-28 morning, my weight = 62.3 kg BMI = 22.609
2015-08-28 morning, my weight = 62.2 kg, BMI = 22.572
2015-09-28 morning, my weight = 63.0 kg, BMI = 22.863
2015-10-28 morning, my weight = 63.2 kg, BMI = 22.935
2015-11-28 morning, my weight = 62.6 kg, BMI = 22.717
2015-12-28 morning, my weight = 62.3 kg BMI = 22.609
2016
2016-01-28 morning, my weight = 63.0 kg, BMI = 22.863
2016-02-28 morning, my weight = 62.8 kg, BMI = 22.790
2016-03-28 morning, my weight = 62.0 kg, BMI = 22.499
2016-04-28 morning, my weight = 62.0 kg, BMI = 22.499
2016-05-28 morning, my weight = 62.4 kg, BMI = 22.645
2016-06-28 morning, my weight = 62.1 kg, BMI = 22.536
2016-07-28 morning, my weight = 62.2 kg, BMI = 22.572
2016-08-28 morning, my weight = 62.6 kg, BMI = 22.717
2016-09-28 morning, my weight = 62.8 kg, BMI = 22.790
2016-10-28 morning, my weight = 62,5. kg, BMI = 22.681
2016-11-28 morning, my weight = 62.1 kg, BMI = 22.536
2016-12-28 morning, my weight = 62.3 kg, BMI = 22.608
2017
2017-01-28 morning, my weight = 62.9 kg, BMI = 22.826
2017-02-28 morning, my weight = 62.4 kg, BMI = 22.644
2017-03-28 morning, my weight = 62.8 kg, BMI = 22.789
2017-04-28 morning, my weight = 62.3 kg, BMI = 22.609
2017-05-28 morning, my weight = 62.2 kg, BMI = 22.572
2017-06-28 morning, my weight = 62.6 kg, BMI = 22.717
2017-07-28 morning, my weight = 62.4 kg, BMI = 22.645
2017-08-28 morning, my weight = 61.9 kg, BMI = 22.463
2017-09-28 morning, my weight = 62.0 kg, BMI = 22.499
2017-10-28 morning, my weight = 62.0 kg, BMI = 22.499
2017-11-28 morning, my weight = 61.5 kg, BMI = 22.318
2017-12-28 morning, my weight = 61.5 kg, BMI = 22.318
2018
My Weight 2018-01-28 0934 hr 61.0 kg BMI 22.136
My Weight 2018-02-28 0915 hr 60.7 kg BMI 22.027
My Weight 2018-03-28 0620 hr 61.0 kg BMI 22.136
My Weight 2018-04-28 1005 hr 61.7 kg BMI 22.390
My Weight 2018-05-28 0856 hr 60.5 kg BMI 21.955
My Weight 2018-06-28 0600 hr 61.4 kg BMI 22.281
My Weight 2018-07-28 0600 hr 62.2 kg BMI 22.572
My Weight 2018-08-28 0720 hr 61.4 kg BMI 22.281
My Weight 2018-09-28 0805 hr 62.1 kg BMI 22.535
My Weight 2018-10-28 0750 hr 61.3 kg BMI 22.24
My Weight 2018-11-28 1000 hr 61.5 kg BMI 22.318
My Weight 2018-12-28 0650 hr 62.5 kg BMI 22.681
2019
2019-01-28 at 1000 hr 60.9 kg BMI 22.100
2019-02-28 at 0946 hr 61.0 kg BMI 22.136
2019-03-28 at 0700 hr 62.4 kg BMI 22.644
2019-04-28 at 0828 hr 62.9 kg BMI 22.826
2019-05-28 at 0745 hr 62.4 kg BMI 22.826
2019-06-28 at 0650 hr 62.4 kg BMI 22.644
2019-07-28 at 0736 hr 62.8 kg BMI 22.789
2019-08-28 at 0629 hr 62.4 kg BMI 22.644
2019-09-28 at 0644 hr 61.9 kg BMI 22.463
2019-10-28 at 0740 hr 62.5 kg BMI 22.681
2019-11-28 at 0632 hr 62.8 kg BMI 22.789
2019-12-28 at 0726 hr 62.5 kg BMI 22.681
2020
My Weight 2020-01-28 0625 HR 62.6 kg BMI 22.717
My Weight 2020-02-28 0728 HR 62.3 kg BMI 22.608
My Weight 2020-03-28 0649 HR 61.4 kg BMI 22.281
My Weight 2020-04-28 0810 HR 62.0 kg BMI 22.499
My Weight 2020-05-28 0714 HR 62.3 kg BMI 22.608
My Weight 2020-06-28 0757 HR 60.2 kg BMI 21.846
My Weight 2020-07-28 0715 HR 61.6 kg BMI 22.354
My Weight 2020-08-28 0707 HR 61.1 kg BMI 22.173
My Weight 2020-09-28 0609 HR 60.8 kg BMI 22.064
My Weight 2020-10-28 0818 HR 60.7 kg BMI 22.027
My Weight 2020-11-28 0706 HR 60.9 kg BMI 22.100
My Weight 2020-12-28 0631 HR 60.5 kg BMI 21.955
2021
My Weight 2021-01-28 0638 HR 61.3 kg BMI 22.245
My Weight 2021-02-28 0741 HR 61.2 kg BMI 22.209
My Weight 2021-03-28 0659 HR 61.3 kg BMI 22.245
My Weight 2021-04-28 0659 HR 61.1 kg BMI 22.173
My Weight 2021-05-28 0618 HR 61.1 kg BMI 22.173
My Weight 2021-06-28 0604 HR 61.3 kg BMI 22.245
My Weight 2021-07-28 0642 HR 61.2 kg BMI 22.209
My Weight 2021-08-28 0653 HR 61.5 kg BMI 22.318
My Weight 2021-09-28 0618 HR 61.5 kg BMI 22.318
My Weight 2021-10-28 0549 HR 61.0 kg BMI 22.136
My Weight 2021-11-28 0630 HR 61.3 kg BMI 22.245
My Weight 2021-12-28 0528 HR 61.6 kg BMI 22.354
======================================
2022
My Weight 2022-01-28 0910 HR 61.1 kg BMI 22.173
My Weight 2022-02-28 0642 HR 61.2 kg BMI 22.209
My Weight 2022-03-28 0649 HR 61.4 kg BMI 22.281
My Weight 2022-04-28 0649 HR 61.4 kg BMI 22.281
My Weight 2022-05-28 0549 HR 61.0 kg BMI 22.136
My Weight 2022-06-28 0549 HR 61.0 kg BMI 22.136
My Weight 2022-07-28 0700 HR 60.6 kg BMI 21.991
My Weight 2022-08-28 0640 HR 61.3 kg BMI 22.245
My Weight 2022-09-28 0738 HR 61.7 kg BMI 22.390
My Weight 2022-10-28 0708 HR 61.5 kg BMI 22.318
My Weight 2022-11-28 0706 HR 60.9 kg BMI 22.100
My Weight 2022-12-28 0722 HR 61.1 kg BMI 22.173
========
2023
My Weight 2023-01-28 0537 HR 60.9 kg BMI 22.100
My Weight 2023-02-28 0515 HR 61.4 kg BMI 22.281
My Weight 2023-03-28 0606 HR 61.3 kg BMI 22.245
My Weight 2023-04-28 0738 HR 61.3 kg BMI 22.245
My Weight 2023-05-28 0721 HR 61.0 kg BMI 22.136
My Weight 2023-06-28 0641 HR 61.2 kg BMI 22.209
My Weight 2023-07-28 0700 HR 60.9 kg BMI 22.100
My Weight 2023-08-28 0655 HR 61.3 kg BMI 22.245
My Weight 2022-09-28 0738 HR 61.7 kg BMI 22.390
My Weight 2022-10-28 0708 HR 61.5 kg BMI 22.318
My Weight 2023-11-28 0612 HR 61.4 kg BMI 22.281
My Weight 2023-12-28 0734HR 61.3 kg BMI 22.245
========
2024
My Weight 2024-01-28 0734 HR 61.3 kg BMI 22.245
My Weight 2024-02-28 0510 HR 61.6 kg BMI 22.354
My Weight 2024-03-28 0642 HR 60.9 kg BMI 22.100
My Weight 2024-04-28 0721 HR 61.1 kg BMI 22.173
My Weight 2024-05-28 0537 HR 61.3 kg BMI 22.245
My Weight 2024-06-28 0651 HR 61.5 kg BMI 22.318
My Weight 2024-07-28 0612 HR 61.4 kg BMI 22.281
My Weight 2024-08-28 0747 HR 61.1 kg BMI 22.173
My Weight 2024-09-28 0640 HR 61.1 kg BMI 22.173
My Weight 2024-10-28 0546 HR 61.5 kg BMI 22.318
My Weight 2024-11-28 0706 HR 61.4 kg BMI 22.281
My Weight 2024-12-28 0649 HR 61.9 kg BMI 22.463
=======================================
2025
My Weight 2025-01-28 0625 HR 61.6 kg BMI 22.354
My Weight 2025-02-28 0742 HR 61.5 kg BMI 22.318
My Weight 2025-03-28 0640 HR 61.6 kg BMI 22.354
My Weight 2025-04-28 0734 HR 61.7 kg BMI 22.390
My Weight 2025-05-28 0738 HR 61.8 kg BMI 22.427
My Weight 2025-06-28 0606 HR 62.6 kg BMI 22.717
My Weight 2025-07-28 0757 HR 62.7 kg BMI 22.753
My Weight 2025-08-28 0546 HR 62.6 kg, BMI 22.717
My Weight 2025-09-28 0540 HR 62.2 kg BMI 22.572
My Weight 2025-10-28 0516 HR 62.4 kg BMI 22.644
My Weight 2025-11-28 0810 HR 62.1 kg BMI 22.535
My Weight 2025-12-28 0702 HR 62.2 kg BMI 22.572
=========================
Note:
My current BMI is within the healthy range of 18.5 to 22.9.
For me, the range of healthy weight is 50.9786 kg (BMI = 18.5) to 63.10324 kg (BMI = 22.9).
People with BMI values of 23 kg/m2 (or 25 kg/m2 according to some sources) and above have been found to be at risk of developing heart disease and diabetes.
To be healthy, I must have a healthy weight.
Be as lean as possible without being underweight, as recommended by World Cancer Prevention Foundation, United Kingdom.
=================================
Note: On 2021-05-28, I removed the unimportant details of old records from My Weight Management Records.
=================================
Ref. WeightManagement
AI 人工智能: 韩咏梅：我和AI做朋友的2025年
https://www.zaobao.com.sg/forum/views/story20251228-8020265?utm_source=android-share&utm_medium=app
2025-12-28
和AI打交道的这一年里，我发现自己需要的不再只是解答问题的能力，而是通过真实的观察和理解，发现新问题的能力，还要重新定义什么才是真正应该去解决的问题。
在一个饭局上，有位朋友突然提出一个问题：AI 能不能告诉我，今天上午发生的某个新闻事件？
我们当时并不确定，说不上来像ChatGPT这样的工具，是否已经能够抓取即时发生的新闻资讯。于是，大家索性当场试了一试。
结果它不仅能叙述那件事的经过，当我们请它分析这件事的背景与意义时，它也给出了一个相当有系统的论述。那种论述虽不至于完美，却完整、冷静，而且看起来颇有说服力。
那一刻，我忽然意识到，今年1月因为DeepSeek的出现，我们热热闹闹地谈论“如何进入生成式人工智能的时代”时，某些场景大家以为还需要一点时间才会真正出现。现在回头看，它们已经到来了。这些应用场景在我们不经意间，走进了饭局、走进了办公室，也走进了我们的思考方式里。
延伸阅读
何惜薇：时局动“荡” 需要一个“安”
陈能端：新年关键词
或许你有和我一样的担忧：AI用多了，我们会不会把独立思考的工作交给AI，大脑变得懒惰，渐渐地就变笨了？
前几天我刚巧浏览到著名教育心理学家李惠安（Angela Duckworth），今年5月份在宾夕法尼亚大学毕业典礼上发表演讲“AI时代未来教育的方向”时，向台下的毕业生抛出这个问题。全场很多学生举手，包括她自己。当她再问大家，有没有发现AI让自己变得聪明了一点？这时，几乎全场学生都举手。
研究发现，AI不只是像拐杖一样辅助用户，它也是一个教练，帮用户优化和提升想法，让一些模糊的概念变得清晰，甚至激发出创意。关键是使用者的心态。如果只是被动地接受，AI不会让你更聪明，但是如果你把它当成陪练员，你的学习效率会提高。
在同一个演讲中，李惠安教授引述她老师30多年前说的一句话：“图书馆里的知识都是免费的，但你得要自己带容器。”这句话说得简单而深刻，在AI时代，只要连得上网，知识更不稀缺，会稀缺的是“容器”——一个能装载知识、消化信息、形成判断的思想结构。
过去一年里，我经常用各种大语言模型的AI处理文字工作，它是我的阅读加速器、资料整理助手，也是我在思考新项目做头脑风暴时的伙伴。我还发现，每一次的迭代，它能回答和解决的事情就越多，对用户的帮助也越大。
传统上我们读书、学习、考试，都围绕在已有的知识中寻找答案。我们常被问一些已经大致上有答案的问题，有时是因为对方真的不会，有时只是因为对方想考考我们，于是我们求知若渴地去接受训练。无论是在学校、职场，或者专业领域里，我们被训练得能更快、更准确地找到正确答案。当AI能在数秒内解答几乎所有问题时，我们还需要什么知识？这是教育界最热烈讨论的话题之一。
和AI打交道的这一年里，我发现自己需要的不再只是解答问题的能力，而是通过真实的观察和理解，发现新问题的能力，还要重新定义什么才是真正应该去解决的问题。
让我举个艺术领域的例子，我们可以请AI创作一首巴洛克风格的新乐曲，AI凭着大量的机器学习和运算能力，完全懂得创作出一首新曲，好不好听另当别论。而我们人类如果提这种功能性的问题，只是让AI去重复一些它原本就很懂得演算的事，对整体人类的知识和福祉贡献不大。
如果思考的问题是：能否为天生失明者设计一种体验，让他们可以感受到画家莫奈笔下光影的色彩和情绪？这就能加深整体人类对“美”的理解，甚至创造出一种新的感官体验方式，提升人类对自己的认识。
懂得发问，是AI时代一个核心技能；另一个核心技能，我认为是沟通。在和AI沟通时，如果只问标准的简单问题，它只会给你简单或者言不及义的答案。为了与AI更好地协作出一个有意义的成品，自己必须把脑海中那些习以为常的概念，一层层拆解开，再用更清楚、更直接的方式说出来。我这才意识到，一直以来人与人之间的交流，可以依赖经验、背景或彼此的默契，一语带过想法，甚至有些事情还可以不言而喻。
一旦面对系统，所谓的“心领神会”不存在，如果不把问题描述清楚，AI要么理解错误，要么给你一个看似合理，却完全偏离本意的答案。
这是一种很奇特的反转。一开始我们以为人在和AI说话，是在训练机器，但是在更频繁的互动中，机器也在逼着我们重新学习如何表达，把复杂的概念翻译成真正能被理解的语言。
最近我和AI朋友的关系又有了变化，它现在也是我的“个人助理群”，每个助理分别帮我处理不同项目的资料和报告，从前这是只有富豪和大机构的重要管理层，才能享受到的服务。今天，只要一个付费的AI账号，就可以根据自己的需要定制自己要的服务。
我得坦白说，这篇专栏曾经尝试和AI共同创作，然而做功能性的报告，它完全可以胜任，一旦需要真实经历和个性化的表达，还是会露出“AI味”。所以，我们可以把事务性和功能性的工作交给AI，感性的诗和远方，还是得自己去体会和欣赏。
（作者是《联合早报》执行总编辑）
直面老与死 他们这样书写人生终章https://www.zaobao.com.sg/lifestyle/culture/story20251222-7987712?utm_source=android-share&utm_medium=app
面对生命的衰颓与终点，英国名编辑黛安娜·阿西尔、日本绘本作家佐野洋子与作家若竹千佐子，以及台湾作家郭强生，以晚年之书，为“老去”和“死亡”写下新注解。他们或犀利反思人生，或诙谐记录日常，或幽默描绘独居乐趣，或温柔直面逝去，启发读者重新思考生死。
生与死看似相对，两者却互相勾连，旁观他人死，让亲近的人在悼亡的同时，思索自己的生命。人活得越来越长，是要优雅、勇敢，还是诚实坦然地面对身心的衰颓？英国名编辑黛安娜·阿西尔与日本绘本作家佐野洋子殊途同归，写下晚年之书，为“老去”这件事下了新鲜注解，而今斯人已逝，她们的作品留给后人重新想象。63岁出道的若竹千佐子，具有自传性质的《我将独自前行》出道作被形容为“长者的东京女子图鉴”，出道即获文艺赏与芥川奖。台湾作家郭强生以全新散文《死亡可以是温柔的》，谈起和死亡近身相处的过程。
《问题是，我大概会活很久》（黛安娜·阿西尔著，谢静雯译）
出生英国伦敦的黛安娜·阿西尔（1917-2019）是20世纪的名编辑，与英语文坛极具影响力的作家多有交手，包括法国哲学家、作家西蒙娜·德·波伏娃和加拿大作家玛格丽特·阿特伍德，但大部分时间退居幕后，为人低调。
89岁这年，阿西尔出版了她的“晚年之书”——《问题是，我大概会活很久》，以犀利而通透的笔调，回望她的人生，包括经历过的亲密关系，迈入七旬却要照顾九旬母亲的经验，怀孕和流产的身体记忆，也始终在探讨“老去”这件事。现在的人更加长寿，如何接受和经历“年老”，将成为更多人的共同课题。本书不教人成功、优雅老去，不贩售成功学，不说教和提供解答，更多是真诚而冷静地反思与分享。
本着“活着不道歉，走时尽兴如愿”的心态，阿西尔以《问题是，我大概会活很久》开启另一种生命书写。
《痛快的日子》（佐野洋子著，闫雪译）
走进人生下半场，日本绘本作家发现自己的健忘愈发严重，后又罹患癌症，人生进入倒计时，只剩两年。看似陷入黑暗时期，但日常生活依旧要过，佐野洋子以《痛快的日子》记录了最后的日子，但不见消极不振。她写下各种老年生活的小确幸与小确不幸，包括饮食记忆，和朋友的相处，甚至迷恋韩剧而不可自拔。
虽然涉及老年、独居和死亡课题，《痛快的日子》直白而诙谐，展露了面对生命虽有无奈和不由自主，却可以豁达面对的心态。
《我将独自前行》（若竹千佐子著，杜海玲译）
出生于1954年的若竹千佐子，自孩提时期就想写小说，但一直没有如愿。直到55岁那年，丈夫去世，她一度陷入哀恸，后在儿子的建议下开始写作。
《我将独自前行》是她的出道之作，甫出版就获得文艺赏和芥川奖，创下两个月销售50万册的记录。故事讲述来自日本东北地区的桃子，在24岁那年因东京奥运，离开故乡、抛下婚事，独自来到陌生的东京。她在东京展开新的人生，努力工作，结婚生子，历经丈夫去世、儿女独立，转眼间50年过去。本来觉得年老就意味着失去和寂寞，桃子在日复一日的独居生活中，开始找到了一个人才能体会的乐趣。
具有自传性质的《我将独自前行》，被形容为长者的“东京女子图鉴”，以幽默清新的语调写老年心境，结合作者的现实经历，让人意识到人生永远没有“太晚开始”。
《死亡可以是温柔的》（郭强生）
台湾联合报文学大奖、台北国际书展大奖、金鼎奖、金典奖得主郭强生，曾以《何不认真来悲伤》直视“悲伤”，写兄长和母亲去世，年过50独身的自己扛下照料父亲的责任。长照父亲10年，看见生命点滴流逝，终于耗光的过程，和“死亡”长期近身相处。父逝两年，郭强生出版全新散文《死亡可以是温柔的》，以“念”“思”和“愿”三者为框架，思考自己作为“大龄孤儿”，如何理解送别近亲，以及自己面对生与死的事。
郭强生意识到，双亲的离开就是思考自己尽头的开始。不强求为自己的生命延长时间，而是要为有限的时间注入生命。
ChatGPT: Everyone’s minion... and boss?
Saturday, December 27, 2025
Leasehold homes 99 years: Living on a 99-year clock in Singapore’s leasehold homes
SINGAPORE - My condo is a leasehold one, bought 20 years ago at a price I could afford.
I don’t think I will outlive the 99-year lease. That thought doesn’t bother me, especially when the unit has already served its purpose as a home, an investment and a place of memories.
I live in Tanjong Rhu, where most developments sit on 99-year leases. Today, the value of my condo has appreciated threefold. Along the way, friends have urged me to sell it as the lease runs down. But I have no plans to.
I like the walks in the neighbourhood, the familiarity of faces in the lift lobby, the ease of getting to the beach and to the city from where I live. The home still suits my lifestyle and I enjoy living there. That, to me, is value enough.
My thinking may put me in a minority on a topic that affects many of us. Most households in Singapore live in Housing Board flats, not private condominiums. But condos, too, have leases that end, and the questions about what a home is for and what we hope to leave behind are the same ones that HDB flat owners face.
Once a lease expires, the land goes back to the state. As time runs out in the later years of a lease, the prices are likely to soften.
But between the day you collect your keys and the day the lease runs out lie several decades of living. In those years, a property can give you more than capital gains. It can offer stability, community and the daily familiarity that never appears in a valuation report.
A couple who bought an HDB flat in a mature estate 30 years ago may have seen a new MRT line arrive, watched coffee shops and retail shops multiply, and built up a network of neighbours who help one another.
The flat’s remaining lease today may worry them. But the flat has already delivered decades of use and, in many cases, paper gains they never imagined when they first moved in.
First-generation flat owners in older estates have, in fact, more options than they sometimes acknowledge.
Many bought their HDB flats at modest prices in the 1970s and 1980s. As towns matured and amenities improved, resale values rose. Some owners sold and used the gains to move to larger flats, or to newer units in other estates. Others chose to right-size into smaller flats closer to amenities or nearer to work or medical facilities.
The point is that not everyone must upgrade or cash out, but that system created windows of opportunity.
Home owners who were not emotionally tied to their home could, at various points, have sold their unit when the lease was still relatively fresh and prices were high, then bought a newer flat with a longer remaining lease, or even a small freehold condo if they were willing to trade location and space.
Those who valued the familiar environment and social ties might have chosen to stay put, even if they knew that resale prices might flatten or fall as the lease aged.
The issue of inheritance
You cannot change the 99-year framework, but you can decide how and when to act within it.
Even today, there are HDB flat owners in older estates sitting on substantial gains. A flat bought for under $100,000 decades ago may now be worth several times that amount. Some owners will eventually sell and help the next generation with down payments on their own homes, even if the flat itself is not passed down.
The choices available to a Tanjong Rhu condo owner and a Toa Payoh flat owner may differ in scale, but the underlying trade-offs are similar. Tenure versus location, space versus price, profit versus attachment.
In many Asian families, property is seen as legacy, not just shelter. Parents often think about what they can leave for their children.
This is where some owners want the best of both worlds, which may be hard to achieve.
The Voluntary Early Redevelopment Scheme (VERS), for example, aims to facilitate urban renewal. When it is rolled out, owners of ageing flats in certain sites may vote for the Government to buy back their homes. The scheme is voluntary and not meant to be a wealth-generating programme, the authorities have clarified.
Some owners will be glad to salvage some value from the flats before these plummet on account of the short remaining leases. Others will eye high payouts and it may be hard for them to accept the gap between what they are offered and what they expect. As with all trade-offs, something has to give.
It is true that, for many households, the flat is their single largest store of wealth. Selling can feel like giving up security and holding on can feel like fulfilling an obligation to the next generation.
Yet expectations between generations are changing.
A friend of mine owns a flat in Marine Parade but now lives with her children in a private property. Her children have urged her to sell the 50-year-old flat, but she has refused. Her children tell her that they don’t need it and, in fact, they feel it would create more paperwork for them when their parents pass on.
But to my friend, the flat gives her something to fall back on if she ever needs it and something she can leave to the next generation.
Calculating value
I have chosen to see my Tanjong Rhu condo primarily as a home for my lifetime. If it ends up being useful to the next generation, that will be a bonus.
For my neighbours, it may make more sense to sell. Many home owners have walked away with handsome profits. A two-bedder leasehold condo unit in the area bought for under $500,000 in the early 2000s can fetch more than triple that today.
At Lakeview Estate in Upper Thomson, almost 50 years into its lease, a 1,614 sq ft unit that sold for $620,000 in 1997 changed hands at $1.79 million in March 2024, data from the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) showed.
A unit of similar size in 48-year-old Lagoon View in Marine Parade sold at $1.88 million in May 2025. The seller had paid $450,000 for the unit in 2003. Even Loyang Valley, with just 56 years left on its lease, has seen strong resale prices in these two years.
There are also people willing to buy into very short leases, which means sellers can still find buyers.
In Bedok, a 3,208 sq ft landed house in Jalan Chempaka Kuning with 10 years left on its lease, was sold to an HDB upgrader for $480,000 in August 2024. It’s like paying around $4,000 each month for the property until the lease runs out. Compared with renting, owning a short-lease landed property can be cheaper. Buyers get the lifestyle of living in a landed property at a fraction of the cost.
It’s not unlike the car market. Some people want brand-new vehicles with the latest features. Others happily buy a nine-year-old car with one year left on its certificate of entitlement. The depreciation is low, the upfront cost affordable. Some people may still feel it’s worth it.
So where does this leave leasehold homes?
The law is clear – leases expire and land is recycled. VERS, if it comes, is a bonus, not a solution. Owners who want to lock in value can act earlier; those who hold on should do so with their eyes open.
The key is to recognise that while you cannot control the rules of the system, you can control how you move within it.
If maximising financial value and leaving an asset behind are your main priorities, it may make sense to sell earlier in the lease, realise gains and buy a younger property, whether it is a smaller freehold apartment or a newer HDB flat.
For me, the value of my home lies not just in how much it is worth on paper, or in what might happen after I am gone and the lease runs down further. It lies in the life it has housed, and in the years it still has to offer, even as the number on the deed continues to fall.
- Joyce Lim covers Singapore’s property market and redevelopment trends.
Lawrence Wong's Books read in 2025
Friday, December 26, 2025
Do Not Let the Bright Moon Shine into the Ditch — Entrust Your True Heart to a Real Person
陈芝贤：莫让明月照沟渠 且把真心寄真人
Thursday, December 25, 2025
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No rush more care: Senior-friendly tours catch on as Singapore ages*.
This includes boutique travel agencies like Follow Me Japan and Intriq Journey, which can customise slower-paced itineraries for smaller groups of eight to 10 people.
These itineraries not only factor in more toilet breaks and rest stops, but also emphasise the importance of good food, said Mr Tan.
“Unlike younger travellers, we are not into rushing around and buying clothing, shoes or little souvenirs, he said. “We are more interested in local culture and snacks.”
As Singapore’s seniors grow in numbers, some travel agencies like ISE Travel said they see strong growth potential in targeting this segment, given that more of them are staying active for longer, while having the financial resources to explore the world on their own terms.
But operators who want to tap the silver market must understand the traveller profile, including that some in a group may have mobility or stamina limitations due to medical issues, said ISE Travel managing director Jimmy Ooi.
“They need to feel confident and safe travelling with peers, so that they can enjoy themselves and the social interaction as a group,” he added.
Such tours are typically capped at fewer than 25 people to ensure closer attention while still benefiting from economies of scale. Daily itineraries are shorter, usually starting at 9am and ending around 4pm.
Inter-city commutes are also kept under five hours if possible, he added. Otherwise, stopovers to stretch one’s legs and to get snacks will be included.
Mr Ooi said he entered the silver travel market in earnest in 2022, after he was contacted by Silver Horizon Travel Co-operative, a volunteer-run social enterprise for seniors who love travelling.
Founded in 2012, the co-op organises trips for seniors, by seniors. Dues start at $130 for a lifelong associate membership, and the society currently has over 700 members.
The co-op’s chairman, Mr Victor Seow, said about 60 to 70 new members join the society each year, and that members’ ages range from 40 to over 90.
He expects membership numbers to pick up further as Singapore looks set to become a super-aged society in 2026. This is as the co-op is actively involved in organising tours and events, such as ensuring reasonable wake-up calls, and that walking tours are manageable.
“The tours themselves are a means to an end,” said Mr Seow, a 67-year-old retiree. “At the end of the day, we want our members to form friendships so that they can take care of each other, and to prevent social isolation.”
Mr Seow noted that members have gone on to form walking groups that meet weekly at places such as the Botanic Gardens. Others have volunteered together, such as to distribute goods to needy residents in neighbourhoods such as Jalan Kukoh.
“The best feedback we can get is that they have their own group of friends in the cooperative, and they go out together on their own for meals and even their own travel,” he said.
Mr Ooi said that since it began working with Silver Horizon Travel, his agency has expanded its senior-focused offerings to include cooking classes, wellness sessions, nature walks, craft workshops and skills demonstrations.
It also offers tours with unique experiences, such as overnight stays in traditional abodes like Mongolian gers and Hakka tulou. Even so, these accommodations must offer modern amenities that are comparable with that of a hotel, he added.
Mr Tan, the retired HR executive, said he has been on at least four tours since he joined Silver Horizon Travel in 2013, about a year after the co-op was started. His next trip with his co-op friends is in March 2026, to Shikoku island in Japan.
“I made a lot of friends on these tours, and we share knowledge on exercise and keeping healthy,” he said.
- Chin Soo Fang is senior correspondent at The Straits Times, covering a wide range of topics including community, politics, social issues, consumer, culture and heritage.
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