Fortress Singapore

The security that wasn't...
"This should never have happened. I am sorry that it has." Wong Kan Seng, Deputy Prime Minister, also Home Affairs Minister.

Development:
- Who is he?
- Public help sought
- The face that launched 5.5 million cellphone alerts
- INTERPOL issues global alert
- Commission of inquiry
- Coastal Alert

"Only when something like this happens, everyone suddenly wakes up and becomes security-conscious." Antonio Rappa

Save Money

In the spirit of not overpaying anyone for anything...

Save Money on Investing
Nine ways to maximize your returns -- and minimize taxes and costly mistakes.

Save Money on Food
Satisfy the hunger without starving your wallet. Here are ten ways to save money on groceries and dining out.

Save Money on Transportation
Ten smart strategies to cut your fuel costs, insurance premiums and parking fees.

Save Money on Travel
Get away without breaking the bank with these 15 budget-friendly tips.

Save Money on Utilities
Fifteen quick, cheap and easy ways to cut your electricity, heat and water bills.

Save Money on Phone, Internet and TV
Talk is anything but cheap, not to mention Internet and cable TV. Try these ten tips to hang up on high costs.

Save Money on Credit, Debt & Banking
Don't pay more than you should -- and get all the benefits you deserve -- with these 12 tips.

Save Money on Entertainment
Having fun doesn’t mean you have to blow your budget. Here are 12 ways to stretch your entertainment dollars further.

Source: 8 Spending Categories

LOVE ME, SPOIL ME!

Sunday Times lifestyle frontpage news highlighted the demands of the Singaporean women and...

Ms fuji, 41, MD of an ad agency does not understand all the fuss, "In Japan, many women of my generation don't expect men to do anything special for them. It's nice if he opens the door for me, but I'm physically capable of opening them myself. If he's rich, he can settle the bill but I will be equally fine of going dutch."

Man enough to carry her handbag?

"Whereof one cannot speak, thereof one must be silent." Ludwig Wittgenstein

The Bald Truth

"The true measure of a career is to be able to be content, even proud, that you succeeded through your own endeavors without leaving a trail of casualties in your wake." Alan Greenspan

Ten Ways to be a Leader

Everyone can tell us to be a leader, but they have never tell us how. Here are Dale Carnegie's ten treats...

1. Begin with praise and honest appreciation.

2. Call attention to people's mistakes indirectly.

3. Talk about your own mistakes before criticizing the other person.

4. Give the other person a fine reputation to live up to.

5. Let the other person save face.

6. Praise the slightest improvement and praise every improvement.

7. Ask questions instead of giving direct orders.

8. Use encouragement.

9. Make the fault easy to correct.

10. Make the other person happy about doing the thing that you suggest.

His Quotes
"Any fool can criticize, condemn, and complain - and most fools do."

"It is the way we react to circumstances that determines our feelings."

"Take a chance! All life is a chance. The man who goes furthest is generally the one who is willing to do and dare."

"You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you."

"Act enthusiastic and you become enthusiastic."

"Are you bored with life? Then throw yourself into some work you believe in with all you heart, live for it, die for it, and you will find happiness that you had thought could never be yours."

"Did you ever see an unhappy horse? Did you ever see a bird that had the blues? One reason why birds and horses are not unhappy is because they are not trying to impress other birds and horses."

Dale Carnegie (1888-1955)

10 Things as an Entrepreneur

by Sherry Couch of BizNiche

Children are the ultimate startup. And when they leave for college, it’s their IPO. And when they get married, it’s an M & A deal. And like most startups, these milestones usually take longer and cost more than you predicted. Parental success rates, however, are much better than even the best (seed-stage) venture capitalist’s.

1. I am very good at conceiving an idea.

2. I can commit to something mind, body, and soul for at least nine months.

3. I have the ability to over come adversity, such as eating healthily while puking all day.

4. I can adapt quickly to changing and expanding situations.

5. I stay focused and motivated even with a lack of oxygen to my brain.

6. I am creative: Did you know with satin pajamas and satin sheets you can roll over in bed even with an extra sixty pounds.

7. I am patient—ever known anyone ten months pregnant?

8. I am cool under pressure: I gave birth to a ten-pound baby without a C-section or a properly functioning epidural and did not curse out my husband.

9. I am resilient: I went back to work at my company four weeks after giving birth.

10. I create meaning in the world! Even with all the trials and tribulations of becoming a parent I have chosen to do it twice so far because each new life gives hope and meaning to our world. Just like each new business.


"We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark. The real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light." Plato, philosopher, pupil of Socrates, teacher of Aristotle (428-347 BC)

Built from scratch

Musashino Plateau - Nobuo Takahashi


"It is time for us all to stand and cheer for the doer, the achiever - the one who recognizes the challenges and does something about it." Vince Lombardi 1913-1970, American Football Coach

A History of Evil

"Teach the young people how to think, not what to think." Sidney Sugarman

Up your relationship
Mary Jo Fay, RN, MSN, author of When Your “Perfect Partner” Goes Perfectly Wrong, offers these tips to help you and your partner develop trust in each other.

- Be consistent.
- Be on time. When you have to be late, call and say you’ll be late.
- Be fair, even in an argument.
- Be sensitive to the other’s feelings. You can still disagree, but don’t discount how your partner feels.
- Being a good listener.
- Carry out your fair share of chores.
- Respect your partner’s boundaries.
- Try not to overreact when things go wrong.
- Do what you say you will do, and call when you say you will call.
- Don’t lie — not even little white lies — to your partner or to others.
- Don’t dig up old wounds. Remember that once you say things, you can’t take them back.
- Don't be jealous.

Can Objective Morality Exist Without God?

Can't people who don't believe in God be just as moral as those who do? Why say that the existence of human morality points to the existence of a "Higher Power"? by Michael Horner

If God does not exist then objective moral principles and obligations do not exist. Morality would only be a matter of individual or cultural opinion. But this would mean that torturing babies for fun, rape, & child abuse are not really objectively wrong, and are only a matter of opinion. How likely is it, though, that these atrocities are not really objectively wrong? Can you live with this conclusion? Our deepest intuitions inform us that these actions are horribly wrong.

This is really a summary of a moral argument for God’s existence. Formally it looks like this:

i) If God does not exist, objective moral principles & obligations do not exist
ii) Objective moral principles & obligations do exist
iii) Therefore, God exists

Full article

Anyway, a question, "Is being good a bad thing?"

"Confidence on the outside begins by living with integrity on the inside." Brian Tracy

A Yenn for Success

I am reminded of a message by my school teacher, "If you want to get your picture published, at least do so with your permission and for your reason."



TODAY: Not even 30, Yenn Wong has built herself a mini hospitality empire comprising two boutique hotels — the award-winning JIA Hong Kong and JIA Shanghai — as well as four restaurants, Issimo in Shanghai, Opia in Hong Kong, Graze and Muse in Singapore. Her fifth, KHA, opens in Singapore next month — not bad for someone who has been in the industry for only four years...

"If you want to do something big, you have to have a passion and work very hard. Be humble, listen to those with experience and have a positive attitude. Don’t stress over failures and get too emotional. When you fail, examine why you went wrong and just push on. You won’t get things right the first time, but with every mistake you’ll get better at it. In ten years, I’ll still be dreaming big and doing things that I enjoy. I aim also to have a family, not just a career." Yenn Wong


Henry Ford once said: "If money is your hope for independence you will never have it. The only real security that a man will have in this world is a reserve of knowledge, experience, and ability."

The SECRET to Happiness

So, what is the true secret to happiness?

王若琳 Joanna Wang - Let's Start from Here


In a word: Attitude. If you think
that being rich or popular or wealthy
will make you happy, think again.
Happiness is a matter of the heart
and has little to do with external
events. It’s about how you see
things, not what happens, that
makes the difference.

The most well-adjusted people
are those who choose to look at the
bright side of life.

Instead of dwelling on negative
thoughts, they count their blessings.
They understand that gratitude is
integral to happiness. They develop
positive speech habits and learn to
speak out blessings, not curses.

How you say things makes a big difference
in how you perceive them.

Happy people don’t look for worth
in material things. They understand
that stuff will never fill that empty
void that life sometimes brings.

And finally, research shows that
truly happy people are those who
find peace and purpose in a strong
faith. BY DR BILL MAIER

"We become what we think about all day long. The question is, what do you think about?" Dr. Wayne Dyer

Valentine: The New Rules Of Attraction

Old rule: You can tell if you’re truly attracted to someone in three seconds
New rule: You can’t tell if you’re truly attracted to someone until you’ve had three dates

Old rule: Your mate must meet all the criteria on your “must list”
New rule: A “must list” looks great on paper, but paper won’t keep you warm at night

Old rule: Opposites attract
New rule: Opposites distract

Old rule: Your date’s record collection (or DVD library, or bookshelf) mirrors yours—so you must be soul mates
New rule: You want a person, not an iPod playlist

Old rule: Your first kiss should be a toe-curling experience
New rule: Your first kiss is inconsequential

Old rule: When it’s true love, you think about this person constantly
New rule: When it’s true love, thinking about this person makes you feel good

Nina Malkin is the author of 6X: The Uncensored Confessions

Passing of Ah Meng

SHE used to swing with seeming weightlessness from tree to tree.

Burial preparations: Zoo staff secure the 1,500kg sculpture onto a crane.

Now, the Ah Meng that remains at the zoo is a sculpture.

And it took a team of nine men almost an hour to move it just 50m.

The familiar 1,500kg Ah Meng sculpture was moved from beside the habitat area to her final resting place by the water's edge.

The sculpture was completed in August last year to honour the zoo's best-known resident.

She died of old age on Friday. About 4000 people were at the zoo to send her off. - TNP

Chinese New Year 2008

5 Whys of Chinese New Year Traditions you may not know (adapted)

1. Why must the amount of cash in the hongbao be even-numbered?
Ans: There's a Chinese saying that "good things come in pairs" 好事成双. Odd-numbered amounts are generally associated with money given at funerals. Taipei 101?... Oh No!!!

2. Why must you stay up on the eve of Chinese New Year?
Ans: It is believed that the later children stay up on the eve of Chinese New Year, the longer their parents will live. Mahjong sessions... hehehe :)

3. Why do we wear red-coloured clothes on Chinese New Year?
Ans: Chinese legend tells of a man-eating beast called 'Nian' 年, which lived in the sea near a small village. Every Chinese New Year's Eve, Nian would come ashore to capture livestock and humans for its yearly sustenance. It seems that Nian was frightened by the sight of red banners flying about, the noise of the firecrackers and the light of the lanterns, thus it became a tradition for the Chinese to wear red to frighten it away.
♥ Paint The Town Red :D ♥

4. Why is the Chinese character 'fu' 福 placed upside down?Ans: Turning something upside down is known as 'dao' 倒 in Mandarin, which sounds similar to the Chinese word for 'arrive' 到.
Turning the word upside down means that blessings will arrive. Auspiciousness pours. :)))

5. Why are mandarin oranges exchanged during Chinese New Year?Ans: The Mandarin word for Mandarin word is 'ju' 桔, which sounds like 'ji' 吉, meaning good luck. Another version is that the oranges are called 'kam' 金 in Cantonese, which sound like the Cantonese word for gold. Mmm... Gold Exchange!? ;)

10 Lucky Symbols
Chinese New Year traditions
- All debts must be paid by New Year's Day. Nothing should be lent on this day anyone who does so will be lending all the year.
- One should not use bad language, unlucky words, negative terms and the word 'four', which sounds like the word for death.
- Death and dying are never mentioned and ghost stories are totally taboo.
- References to the past year are avoided as everything should be turned towards the New Year and a new beginning.
- It is believed that if you shouldn't cry as to cry on New Year's day means the coming year will be sorrowful. For this reason children are not told off on this day.
- On New Year's Day, you are not supposed to wash your hair or clean the house, for fear that good luck will be washed and swept away.
- Shooting off firecrackers on New Year's Eve is the Chinese way of sending out the old year and welcoming the New Year.
-On the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve, every door in the house, including windows, must be opened to allow the old year to go out.

The 15 Days of Chinese New Year
Day one: The first day of the lunar New Year. The gods of heaven and earth are welcomed and meat is avoided to promote longevity and happiness.
Day two: Prayers are sent to the gods and ancestors. Dogs receive extra kindness and are well fed; today is the birthday of all dogs.
Day three and four: Son-in-laws pay respect to their bride's parents.
Day five: Named Po Woo, this day is spent at home to welcome the God of Wealth. It is bad luck to visit anyone on this day.
Days six to ten: The Chinese are now free to visit their loved ones, and pray for good fortune in the temples.
Day seven: The birthday of all humans celebrated with a drink made by the farmers from seven types of vegetable. Raw fish is eaten to promote success, and noodles for longevity.
Day eight: Prayers are sent at midnight from the Fujian people, to Tian Gong, the God of Heaven.
Day nine: Offerings are made to the jade Emperor.
Days 10 to 12: Invites are sent to friends and relatives, to visit for dinner.
Day 13: Simple foods are eaten so as to detox after rich foods at friends and relatives.
Day 14:Time is taken for preparation for the Lantern Festival celebration on the 15th night.
Day 15:Jai Cai, vegetarian dishes to be enjoyed by the family.

Tiscali

Chinese New Year exodus exposes Singapore generation gap

BMI & Health Risks

Higher BMI numbers are associated with increased risks of disease and death, from conditions such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers. Research has found that the lowest and highest BMIs are associated with highest risks. So BMI numbers are grouped into categories meant to reflect the degree of risk a person faces. Those people with the lowest risks of disease seem to fall in the 18.5 to 24.9 BMI range, so they are considered to be “normal.” Martica Heaner, M.A., M.Ed.

Classification of Overweight and Obesity by BMI*

BMI Calculator*
"The greatest gift you can give another is the purity of your attention." Richard Moss