"A friend is one to whom one may pour out all the contents of one's heart, chaff and grain together, knowing that the gentlest of hands will take and sift it, keep what is worth keeping and with a breath of kindness blow the rest away." Arabian Proverb
Just as watching someone yawn can induce the behavior in yourself, recent evidence suggests that laughter is a social cue for mimicry. Hearing a laugh actually stimulates the brain region associated with facial movements. Mimicry plays an important role in social interaction. Cues like sneezing, laughing, crying and yawning may be ways of creating strong social bonds within a group.
ST Forum: IN 1977, my husband and I went to the United States on an exchange programme. When we settled into a pleasant town, Scarsdale in New York, a local representative was quick to make us feel at home. He invited us to his church and his home and I was invited to give a talk about Singapore.
To gather material, I visited our United Nations office in New York where the staff were very helpful. Busy as the ambassador was, he spared me a few minutes. The ambassador, Professor Tommy Koh, warmly welcomed me into his office, asked how he could help and loaned me a documentary about Singapore.
He noted my contact details. I didn't expect him to follow up as he was obviously a busy man. To my surprise, he did. We were among a group of newly arrived Singaporeans he and his wife hosted to a Singapore meal at their residence.
Subsequently, Mrs Koh arranged a visit for us to Chinatown to source for belacan, chillies and other Asian condiments. The Kohs invited us back on National Day. When I delivered my baby, Mrs Koh remembered. The Kohs made us feel proud to be Singaporean. We returned home to live because we are proud to be Singaporean.
It was different when my daughter enrolled in Cornell University. When the Public Service Commission (PSC) representative visited her university to meet Singapore scholarship-holders studying there, she hosted a dinner for the scholars. The few non-scholar Singaporeans who were excluded felt unappreciated and undervalued.
When my daughter was posted to Hong Kong by her company, she discovered no active organisation bringing Singaporeans, especially the younger ones, together. The website of the Singapore-Hong Kong Association was outdated.
Shouldn't our Singapore missions, and government officials when they are abroad, do more to reach out to their fellow Singaporeans, and shun them less?
Tan Gek Kim (Mdm)
"If something comes to life in others because of you, then you have made an approach to immortality." Norman Cousins
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.
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."
"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
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
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.
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.
Armed with a backhoe and a handful of markers, Deborah Gordon studies ant colonies in the Arizona desert. She asks: How do these chitinous creatures get down to business -- and even multitask when they need to -- with no language, memory or visible leadership? Her answers could lead to a better understanding of all complex systems, from the brain to the Web.
Ant biologist Deborah M. Gordon has spent decades digging in the Arizona desert to decipher the chemical, genetic and behavioral codes of ant colonies. Contrary to the popular notion that colonies have evolved into efficient, organized systems, she has instead discovered that the long evolution of the ant colony has resulted in a system driven by accident, adaptation and the chaos and "noise" of unconscious communication.
Her studies of the harvester ant have shed light on the evolution of aggregate systems, whether biological or virtual, and may someday yield clues tracing the evolution of the brain from neuron to cortex.
Gordon, a Stanford professor, wrote the acclaimed book Ants at Work, outlining her discoveries in generous, nontechnical detail. "What (Gordon) has discovered by charting the life cycles of 300 ant colonies spread across a 25-acre swath of chapparal are findings which upset many of our assumptions about how the world works." APF Reporter
Speech by a Zainichi North Korean High School Student
A Zainichi North Korean is a North Korean National who lives in Japan. Almost all Zainichi North Koreans have been in Japan for decades, because North Korea does not let it's citizens out. They are a very clannish people, and tend to goto their own schools (comprising a curriculum based around the history of the dear leader Kim Jong-Il), work at their own companies, and socialize within their own circles - all while being under the watchful eye of the Chongryon, a North Korean Nationals Association.
Although North Korea related groups are known to tell their people what to say, there is no information to the contrary so as far as Oniazuma knows this is a genuine speech.
5 Lessons in Life 1 - First Important Lesson - Cleaning Lady.
During my second month of college, our professor gave us a pop quiz. I was a conscientious student and had breezed through the questions until I read the last one: 'What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?' Surely this was some kind of joke. I had seen the cleaning woman several times. She was tall, dark-haired and in her 50s, but how would I know her name? I handed in my paper, leaving the last question blank. Just before class ended, one student asked if the last question would count toward our quiz grade. 'Absolutely,' said the professor. 'In your careers, you will meet many people. All are significant. They deserve your attention and care, even if all you do is smile and say 'hello.' I've never forgotten that lesson. I also learned her name was Dorothy.
2. - Second Important Lesson - Pickup in the Rain One night, at 11:30 p.m., an elderly African-American woman was standing on the side of an Alabama highway trying to endure a lashing rainstorm. Her car had broken down and she desperately needed a ride. Soaking wet, she decided to flag down the next car. A young white man stopped to help her, generally unheard of in those conflict-filled 60s.. The man took her to safety, helped her get assistance and put her into a taxicab. She seemed to be in a big hurry, but wrote down his address and thanked him. Seven days went by and a knock came on the man's door. To his surprise, a giant console color TV was delivered to his home. A special note was attached.. It read: 'Thank you so much for assisting me on the highway the other night. The rain drenched not only my clothes, but also my spirits. Then you came along. Because of you, I was able to make it to my dying husband's bedside just before he passed away... God bless you for helping me and unselfishly serving others.' Sincerely, Mrs. Nat King Cole.
3 - Third Important Lesson - Always remember those who serve. In the days when an ice cream sundae cost much less, a 10-year-old boy entered a hotel coffee shop and sat at a table. A waitress put a glass of water in front of him. 'How much is an ice cream sundae?' he asked. 'Fifty cents,' replied the waitress.
The little boy pulled his hand out of his pocket and studied the coins in it. 'Well, how much is a plain dish of ice cream?' he inquired. By now more people were waiting for a table and the waitress was growing impatient. 'Thirty-five cents,' she brusquely replied. The little boy again counted his coins. 'I'll have the plain ice cream,' he said. The waitress brought the ice cream, put the bill on the table and walked away. The boy finished the ice cream, paid the cashier and left. When the waitress came back, she began to cry as she wiped down the table. There, placed neatly beside the empty dish, were two nickels and five pennies.. You see, he couldn't have the sundae, because he had to have enough left to leave her a tip.
4 - Fourth Important Lesson. - The obstacle in Our Path. In ancient times, a King had a boulder placed on a roadway. Then he hid himself and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the king's wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked around it. Many loudly blamed the King for not keeping the roads clear, but none did anything about getting the stone out of the way. Then a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables. Upon approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the stone to the s ide of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded. After the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the road where the boulder had been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the King indicating that the gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway. The peasant learned what many of us never understand! Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve our condition.
5 - Fifth Important Lesson - Giving When it Counts... Many years ago, when I worked as a volunteer at a hospital, I got to know a little girl named Liz who was suffering from a rare & serious disease. Her only chance of recovery appeared to be a blood transfusion from her 5-year old brother, who had miraculously survived the same disease and had developed the antibodies needed to combat the illness. The doctor explained the situation to her little brother, and asked the little boy if he would be willing to give his blood to his sister. I saw him hesitate for only a moment before taking a deep breath and saying, 'Yes I'll do it if it will save her.' As the transfusion progressed, he lay in bed next to his sister and smiled, as we all did, seeing the color returning to her cheek. Then his face grew pale and his smile faded. He looked up at the doctor and asked with a trembling voice, 'Will I start to die right away'. Being young, the little boy had misunderstood the doctor; he thought he was going to have to give his sister all of his blood in order to save her.
FAKE FRIENDS: are the reason you have no food. REAL FRIENDS: never ask for food.
FAKE FRIENDS: never seen you cry. REAL FRIENDS: cry with you
FAKE FRIENDS: borrow your stuff for a few days then give it back. REAL FRIENDS: keep your shit so long they forget its yours.
FAKE FRIENDS: know a few things about you. REAL FRIENDS: could write a book about you with direct quotes from you.
FAKE FRIENDS: will leave you behind if that is what the crowd is doing. REAL FRIENDS: will kick the whole crowds ass that left you.
FAKE FRIENDS: would knock on your front door. REAL FRIENDS: walk right in and say “I’M HOME!”
FAKE FRIENDS: are for awhile. REAL FRIENDS: are for life.
FAKE FRIENDS: will take your drink away when they think you’ve had enough. REAL FRIENDS: will look at you stumbling all over the place and say “Hey drink the rest of that you know we don’t waste.” Anon
Scott Shane of Case Western recently published The Illusions of Entrepreneurship: The Costly Myths That Entrepreneurs, Investors, and Policy Makers Live By. In the book, he bursts many of the bubbles of entrepreneurship in America. Says he, “People start businesses based on the myths we tell ourselves about entrepreneurship and then are hurt when confronted by reality. Investors believe these myths and invest money and they’re disappointed when they don’t hold true. Policy makers make policy based on these myths and then wonder why the economy isn’t growing with all these entrepreneurs now in it.” If you think you already really know the scoop about entrepreneurship, try taking his test (U.S.). If you score less than 80%, maybe you should buy the book. The Illusions of Entrepreneurship
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As the New Year approaches, traditionally, every households would be busy clearing old stuff...
... more so, it's been found that people living in a moldy home may be more likely to suffer from depression, according to a new study conducted by researchers from the Brown School of Medicine in Providence, R.I., and published in the American Journal of Public Health.
Mio DigiWalker
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