[一] 遇到人生中的贵人时，要记得好好感激，因为他是你人生的转折点。
[二] 遇到可相信的朋友时，要好好和他相处，因为在人的一生中，能遇到的知已不多。[三] 遇到匆匆离开你人生的人时，要谢谢他走过你的人生，因为他是你精采回忆的一部分。
[四] 遇到曾经和你有误会的人时，要趁现在解清误会，因为你可能只有这一次机会解释清楚。[五] 遇到曾经恨过的人时，要微笑向他打招呼，因为他让你更加坚强。
[六] 遇到曾经背叛你的人时，跟他好好聊一聊，因为若不是他今天你不会懂这世界。[七] 遇到曾经爱过的人，记得微笑向他感激，因为他是让你更懂爱的人。
[八] 遇到曾经偷偷喜欢的人时，要祝他幸福唷！因为你喜欢他时，不是希望他幸福快乐吗。[九] 遇到你真的爱的人时，要努力争取和他相处下去，因为当他离去时，一切都来不及了。
[十] 遇到现在和相伴一生的人要百分百感谢他爱你，因为你们现在都得到幸福和真爱。From ST, Review
By Chua Mui Hoong
KV Stanly and ML Parashu were young rookie reporters in Mysore, India, when they met a prostitute who changed their lives.They were in a park for a photo shoot, for a story on the harsh life of the city's horse-cart workers. A lady standing under a tree derided them. 'You're wasting one day's earning by taking this picture,' she told the cart workers.
'These reporters put you in the newspaper so they get a byline. Tomorrow, they will move on to another story and you will still be struggling here.'
She challenged the reporters: 'Why don't you write my story?'
Disturbed by the encounter, they looked for her the next day to hear her story.
She took them to her 'home' - a strip of pavement where her son sat studying.
Mr Stanly wrinkles his nose as he tells me: 'She had been sold to a brothel by her husband. After a few years, the brothel also threw her out. She's stinky and drunk. Her clients are the lower class and poor labourers. All she wanted was to make sure her son has a decent life.'
For Mr Stanly and his friend Mr Parashu, that was a defining moment. They pooled funds to take the woman and her son off the streets into a spartan home.
Her next challenge for them: 'You are helping me but I am an old lady. What about all the other young girls in the brothels?'
Their consciences pricked, the two young men started Odanadi Seva Samsthe, a group that helps rescue girls from prostitution. They went on to build a shelter to house, school and train these women.
'I also trained in therapy, so I could do psychotherapy for the women and help them recover,' Mr Stanly told me over lunch.
He was one of 200 young leaders attending the Asia 21 Young Leaders' Summit held in Singapore over the weekend.
I asked if he ever got into trouble with criminal gangs that run the brothels and he nodded matter-of-factly. 'It's a fact of life. I've been hospitalised several times.'
Today, Odanadi, which means soulmate in the Kannada language, has rescued more than 400 girls from prostitution. It organises an advocacy group for prostitutes and has helped rehabilitate hundreds of women into mainstream jobs. A few were married in well-publicised ceremonies, helping to remove the stigma against girls forced into prostitution.
The organisation received a special award last Saturday from the New York-based Asia Society, which organised the summit.
As I spent the next two days among the participants, I would learn that stories like Mr Stanly's are common among this unusual lot of people, activists who did not stand by in the face of injustice, but rolled up their sleeves to change their respective corners of the world.
Mr Ravi Krishna, a lawyer trained in Pennsylvania, America, had a comfortable state counsel job in India. He often accompanied his frail mother to hospital and grew incensed at the way patients were dying en route to hospitals because there was no proper ambulance service.
He got together with friends to set up an ambulance service.
Called 1298 - Dial for Ambulance, the service uses technology to overcome the challenges of navigating the back lanes of Mumbai.
GPS (Global Positioning System) and RTS (Realtime Tracking System) track the location of 24 vehicles every moment of the day and night. Mr Krishna wants to use Google Earth maps to help in navigation - with ambulances sending back pictures of uncharted back lanes to widen Google Earth's future coverage.
To do so requires each ambulance to be fitted with a laptop computer. Problem: Traditional laptops which are fan-ventilated and run on hard discs are vulnerable to damage in Mumbai's treacherously bumpy, dusty environment.
Solution: Mr Krishna is talking with Taiwan company Via to use its fanless computers that do not run on hard discs.
As Mr Krishna told his story over dinner, Mr Faiysal AliKhan peppered him with questions.
Turns out Mr AliKhan, a logistics professional by day, runs a foundation devoted to rural development in Pakistan. 'We have the same problem about having no ambulance service and we're thinking of setting one up,' he said.
After dinner, the two caught up with each other and promised to get in touch. Despite the periodic tension between the two countries, development work knows no boundaries when activists like these are bound by a common zeal to improve the lives of those around them.
Many of those at the forum had incredible stories to tell - of how they moved beyond self, work and family to do something for others.
There was Filipino military commander Dennis Eclarin, who decided to build lives. He started a microfinance foundation to reach the highland and most remote parts of the Philippines.
Then there was Mr Mitchell Pham, who fled Vietnam in a rickety boat when he was 13, with 65 others or so. The boat ran out of food, then water and fuel.
A cruise liner passed them by - with clueless tourists waving and taking pictures of the refugees in their dire straits. The next ship was an oil tanker, whose captain rescued the refugees.
'That was my leadership moment,' said Mr Pham. 'I learnt that even if you are in business, carrying on with your life, you can choose to ignore others' call or you can choose to make a difference and help. The cruise captain chose one, the oil tanker captain chose another.'
Mr Pham stayed at an Indonesian refugee camp for 1 1/2 years before settling in New Zealand, where he now runs an IT company and is active in business and community organisations, having chosen not to ignore others' problems.
Closer to home, there was Ms Eileena Lee, who started an online support group nine years ago for gay and lesbian people in Singapore. She now runs Pelangi Pride Centre, a resource centre on gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender issues.
'I never saw myself as a leader. But I suffered in my own journey when I came out as a lesbian woman, and if I can do something to help others on that journey, I felt I had to.'
As a panellist at a discussion put it, it is about starting small, and making one plus one equal not two, but 11.
Listening to stories of these activists' 'leadership moments', learning what spurred them to act, I was humbled into silence.
I am a columnist but for once I have no point of view to offer, nothing but these stories from those who make a difference.
From Slashdot comments
by quokkapox
You make new friends every day!
Haha, "New friends every day." Get it?! LOL.
It's not so funny when it happens to you or your family. Wait until someone you know gets it. You won't be laughing anymore.
Haha, that guy has a limp. Haha, that woman is blind. Haha, that kid is retarded. Hahaha. Fucking hilarious.
Whatever you do, don't get Alzheimer's disease. It sucks.
My grandmother just turned 94 and has advanced Alzheimer's disease. She can barely walk anymore. I devote a few hours of my life every single day to caregiving. If you've never known someone like this, you really have no idea what's involved. Yeah, we could put her in a home. We could watch her die sooner that way, wearing diapers and ceaselessly, hopelessly calling out for someone to please take her home. As it is now, she wears diapers, but at least we always change them. In nursing homes, they don't.
Have you ever had someone you know and love, who helped raise you and even changed *your* diapers and then helped teach you how to count and how to read and how to do puzzles and math and typing and how to play games, who taught you the names of the plants that grow out in the back yard? And now she can smile and say "Hello", and tell you to get the hell out because she don't know who you are a moment later?
That's Alzheimer's. You can be helping to manage her most intimate financial affairs completely honestly, you can be doing her laundry and getting her medicine and bringing her groceries and cooking her meals and washing her dishes and vacuuming her floors and helping her get to the doctor and even wiping her ass, when she cannot do it herself anymore, and yet she'll still tell you she loves you one night, and the next morning she wants you to go away, go to hell, or just please, please take her home. Because she doesn't know what home means anymore. She's already at home, and she doesn't know who you are anymore.
She knows what she knew in 1920 or 1930 sometimes, funny stories she can still tell sometimes, but she mixes up everyone's names; she doesn't know who is who anymore. She used to speak three languages, English, German, and French. But now she often speaks gibberish, a weird combination of whatever words she still can recall. She can't always understand simple sentences. She's like a kid who cannot learn.
Alzheimer's sucks; nursing homes suck. Go visit one someday if you doubt me. My grandmother's genes and her circumstances allowed her to outlive two of her children. She never got cancer, but that's what killed her elder son at 50. She had a heart attack thirty years ago, but she didn't die of heart disease. That's what killed her elder daughter at 60. Yet my grandmother lives on, as her mind slowly disintegrates.
She still likes to watch children playing, or to meet a drooling baby, maybe a child of someone who helps care for her, brought over to visit. She still likes to pet her cats and smile and watch them roll on the floor with catnip at her feet, she still can interface with her two grandchildren, she still has a sense of humor that we all can understand and sometimes laugh about together.
She doesn't know what year it is or what day it is, and sometimes she can't remember how to properly hold a spoon (or she'll try drinking from it like a straw). But she especially likes bananas and squash and sweet potatoes and chocolate chip cookies. I know this because I'm there sometimes to remind her to take another bite. She says "This is good, thank you!"
And sometimes when you help lift her into bed at night, she'll tell you she loves you. I guess that helps make it all worthwhile.
Anyway, this is what will happen to you if you don't die of anything else or get hit by a bus before your brain starts to degrade. I suppose it hasn't been all bad, I have learned a lot caring for my grandmother. But she is no longer able to offer her opinion.By Adam Khoo
I just completed one of my final Introductory Seminars for my Patterns of Excellence Program and am happy to report that my next Intake 5-8 April is Almost Full. However, I want to relate to you an interesting experience I has with one of the participants who
signed up last night.
He told me that the reason he chose to sign up eventually (he heard about my program 3 years ago, but never took action) was because his problems has become so severe that he could not take it anymore. His wife decided to leave him, he lost his job and suffered a mild heart attack just a few days ago. All this pain finally drove him to do something to change his life.
He told me that he wanted to come to the program to learn how to make all his problems go away. he said he wanted to be a successful and happy person like me who seemed to have no problems. He will only be happy if his life was free of problems and he believed that I could help him achieve this.
That's when I stopped him and said, 'You have got the WHOLE WRONG IDEA!' 'I cannot make your problems go away!' In fact, I believe that the more successful you are, the more problems you will have. Everyone has problems at any given point of time in their lives. In fact, I would bet that Bill Gates (the world's richest man) has his own set of problems and I can tell you that his problems are a lot bigger than yours and mine.
The only people without problems are those lying in the graveyard. So, if you want to have no problems, then GO AND DIE (of course I did not say this...he would have slapped me and not signed up).
But the question people always ask is why must life be full of problems? Why can't everything go the way we want? Why must things be so difficult? Why do some people get hit with such big problems in life sometimes? (e.g. kids run away, wife leaves them, diagnosed with cancer, business failure).
Well, I believe that whenever a 'problem' arises in our life, it is God's way of tapping us on the shoulder and telling us that we need to learn something or change our thoughts or actions.
If we keeping falling ill, it's a tap on the shoulder that we are not eating right, not exercising enough or thinking of negative thoughts (emotional stress is the number of cause of physical illness). If our kids don't want to listen to us, it's a tap on a shoulder that we are not listening or spending enough time with them.
If you receive complaints about your work, it is a tap on the shoulder that you are not putting enough effort or you are doing things the wrong way. If you keep getting into arguments with your partner, it is a tap on the shoulder that you doing what is required to sustain a good relationship.
When we acknowldege God's taps, learn the lesson and take positive action, we will move closer towards our goals and dreams in life. The trouble with most people is that they IGNORE the taps by justifying, avoiding, denying, giving excuses or blaming someone
else for the problems arising. They say things like 'The stupid boss is just finding fault!', 'the clients are just unreasonable', 'my kids are so ungrateful and defiant', 'these chest pains will go away', 'I wish my wife will quit nagging...just ignore her'.
So, what does God do when you don't learn and do something to his taps? He starts tapping EVEN HARDER! This is when your problems start getting worst! Your business starts losing clients, the chest pains get worst, your kids start arguing and shouting back, quarrels with your partner gets more and more frequent.
And if you continue to IGNORE these taps, God will do whatever it takes until he gets his message across to you that you need to change your thoughts and actions. He will HIT YOU ON THE HEAD WITH A BRICK. This is when those major problems whack you in life... Your partner leaves you, your kids run away from home, you suffer a heart attack or you go bankrupt.
Some people will finally get the message and start changing their life for the better. Unfortunately, some people will always continue blaming, get depressed and give up completely. How are YOU dealing with God's shoulder taps now?
BREAKFAST: Pulau Tikus
BRUNCH: Tanjung Bungah
Assorted fruit and vegetable fritters and gooey battered tee kueh, 12pm to 5pm daily except on the eve and first day of Chinese New Year.
LUNCH: Penang Road and Burma Road
TEA: Padang Brown and Swatow Lane
DINNER: Little India
SUPPER: Lorong Baru
By Sam Harris
1. Atheists believe that life is meaningless
On the contrary, religious people often worry that life is meaningless and imagine that it can be redeemed only by the promise of eternal happiness beyond the grave.
Atheists tend to be quite sure that life is precious. Life is imbued with meaning by being really and fully lived. Our relationships with those we love are meaningful now; they need not last forever to be made so. Atheists tend to find this fear of meaninglessness - well, meaningless.
2. Atheism is responsible for the greatest crimes in human history
People of faith often claim that the crimes of Hitler, Stalin, Mao and Pol Pot were the inevitable product of unbelief. The problem with fascism and communism, however, is not that they are too critical of religion; the problem is that they are too much like religions.
Such regimes are dogmatic to the core and generally give rise to personality cults that are indistinguishable from cults of religious hero worship. Auschwitz, the Gulag and the Killing Fields were not examples of what happens when human beings reject religious dogma; they are examples of political, racial and nationalistic dogma run amok.
There is no society in human history that ever suffered because its people became too reasonable.
3. Atheism is dogmatic
Jews, Christians and Muslims claim that their scriptures are so prescient of humanity's needs that they could only have been written under the direction of an omniscient deity.
An atheist is simply a person who has considered this claim, read the books and found the claim to be ridiculous. One doesn't have to take anything on faith, or be otherwise dogmatic, to reject unjustified religious beliefs.
As the historian Stephen Henry Roberts once said: 'I contend that we are both atheists. I just believe in one fewer god than you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours.'
4. Atheists think everything in the universe arose by chance
No one knows why the universe came into being. In fact, it is not entirely clear that we can coherently speak about the 'beginning' or 'creation' of the universe at all, as these ideas invoke the concept of time, and here we are talking about the origin of space-time itself.
The notion that atheists believe everything was created by chance is also regularly thrown up as a criticism of Darwinian evolution. As Richard Dawkins explains in his marvelous book, The God Delusion, this represents an utter misunderstanding of evolutionary theory.
Although we don't know precisely how the Earth's early chemistry begat biology, we know that the diversity and complexity we see in the living world is not a product of mere chance. Evolution is a combination of chance mutation and natural selection. Darwin arrived at the phrase 'natural selection' by analogy to the 'artificial selection' performed by breeders of livestock. In both cases, selection exerts a highly non-random effect on the development of any species.
5. Atheism has no connection to science
Although it is possible to be a scientist and still believe in God - as some scientists seem to manage it - there is no question that an engagement with scientific thinking tends to erode, rather than support, religious faith.
Taking the US population as an example: Most polls show that about 90 per cent of the general public believes in a personal God; yet 93 per cent of the members of the National Academy of Sciences do not. This suggests that there are few modes of thinking less congenial to religious faith than science is.
6. Atheists are arrogant
When scientists don't know something - like why the universe came into being or how the first self-replicating molecules formed - they admit it. Pretending to know things one doesn't know is a profound liability in science. And yet it is the lifeblood of faith-based religion.
One of the monumental ironies of religious discourse can be found in the frequency with which people of faith praise themselves for their humility, while claiming to know facts about cosmology, chemistry and biology that no scientist knows. When considering questions about the nature of the cosmos and our place within it, atheists tend to draw their opinions from science. This isn't arrogance; it is intellectual honesty.
7. Atheists are closed to spiritual experience
There is nothing that prevents an atheist from experiencing love, ecstasy, rapture and awe; atheists can value these experiences and seek them regularly. What atheists don't tend to do is make unjustified (and unjustifiable) claims about the nature of reality on the basis of such experiences.
There is no question that some Christians have transformed their lives for the better by reading the Bible and praying to Jesus. What does this prove? It proves that certain disciplines of attention and codes of conduct can have a profound effect upon the human mind. Do the positive experiences of Christians suggest Jesus is the sole saviour of humanity? Not even remotely - because Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims and even atheists regularly have similar experiences.
There is, in fact, not a Christian on this earth who can be certain that Jesus even wore a beard, much less that he was born of a virgin or rose from the dead. These are just not the sort of claims that spiritual experience can authenticate.
8. Atheists believe there is nothing beyond human life and human understanding
ATHEISTS are free to admit the limits of human understanding in a way that religious people are not. It is obvious that we do not fully understand the universe; but it is even more obvious that neither the Bible nor the Quran reflects our best understanding of it. We do not know whether there is complex life elsewhere in the cosmos, but there might be. If so, such beings could have developed an understanding of nature's laws that vastly exceeds our own.
Atheists can freely entertain such possibilities. They also can admit that if brilliant extraterrestrials exist, the contents of the Bible and the Quran will be even less impressive to them than they are to human atheists. From the atheist point of view, the world's religions utterly trivialise the real beauty and immensity of the universe. One doesn't have to accept anything on insufficient evidence to make such an observation.
9. Atheists ignore the fact that religion is extremely beneficial to society
Those who emphasise the good effects of religion never seem to realise that such effects fail to demonstrate the truth of any religious doctrine. This is why we have terms such as 'wishful thinking' and 'self-deception'. There is a profound distinction between a consoling delusion and the truth. Still, the good effects of religion can surely be disputed.
In most cases, it seems that religion gives people bad reasons to behave well, when good reasons are actually available. Ask yourself which is more moral: Helping the poor out of concern for their suffering, or doing so because you think the creator of the universe wants you to do it, will reward you for doing it or will punish you for not doing it?
10. Atheism provides no basis for morality
If a person doesn't already understand that cruelty is wrong, he won't discover this by reading the Bible or the Quran - as these books are bursting with celebrations of cruelty, both human and divine. We do not get our morality from religion. We decide what is good in our good books by recourse to moral intuitions that are (at some level) hard-wired in us and that have been refined by thousands of years of thinking about the causes and possibilities of human happiness.
We have made considerable moral progress over the years, and we didn't make this progress by reading the Bible or the Quran more closely. Both books condone the practice of slavery - and yet every civilised human being now recognises that slavery is an abomination.
Whatever is good in scripture - like the golden rule - can be valued for its ethical wisdom without our believing that it was handed down to us by the creator of the universe.
During one of our seminars, a woman asked a common question. She said,"How do I know if I married the right person?"
I noticed that there was a large man sitting next to her so I said, "It depends. Is that your husband?"
In all seriousness, she answered "How do you know?" Let me answer this question because the chances are good that it's weighing on your mind. Here's the answer.
EVERY relationship has a cycle. In the beginning, you fell in love with your spouse. You anticipated their call, wanted their touch, and liked their idiosyncrasies. Falling in love with your spouse wasn't hard. In fact, it was a completely natural and spontaneous experience. You didn't have to DO anything. That's why it's called "falling" in love... Because it's happening TO YOU.
People in love sometimes say, "I was swept of my feet." Think about the imagery of that expression. It implies that you were just standing there; doing nothing, and then something came along and happened TO YOU.
Falling is love is easy. It's a passive and spontaneous experience. But after a few years of marriage, the euphoria of love fades. It's the natural cycle of EVERY relationship. Slowly but surely, phone calls become a bother (if they come at all), touch is not always welcome (when it happens), and your spouse's idiosyncrasies, instead of being cute, drive you nuts. The symptoms of this stage vary with every relationship, but if you think about your marriage, you will notice a dramatic difference between the initial stage when you were in love and a much duller or even angry subsequent stage.
At this point, you and/or your spouse might start asking, "Did I marry the right person?"
And as you and your spouse reflect on the euphoria of the love you once had, you may begin to desire that experience with someone else. This is when marriages breakdown. People blame their spouse for their unhappiness and look outside their marriage for fulfillment. Extramarital fulfillment comes in all shapes and sizes. Infidelity is the most obvious. But sometimes people turn to work, church, a hobby, a friendship, excessive TV, or abusive substances. But the answer to this dilemma does NOT lie outside your marriage.
It lies within it. I'm not saying that you couldn't fall in love with someone else. You could. And TEMPORARILY you'd feel better. But you'd be in the same situation a few years later. Because (listen carefully to this):
THE KEY TO SUCCEEDING IN MARRIAGE IS NOT FINDING THE RIGHT PERSON; IT'S LEARNING TO LOVE THE PERSON YOU FOUND.
SUSTAINING love is not a passive or spontaneous experience. It'll NEVER just happen to you. You can't "find" LASTING love. You have to "make" it day in and day out. That's why we have the expression "the labor of love." Because it takes time, effort, and energy. And most importantly, it takes WISDOM. You have to know WHAT TO DO to make your marriage work. Make no mistake about it. Love is NOT a mystery. There are specific things you can do (with or without your spouse) to succeed with your marriage.
Just as there are physical laws of the universe (such as gravity), there are also laws for relationships. Just as the right diet and exercise program makes you physically stronger, certain habits in your relationship WILL make your marriage stronger. It's a direct cause and effect. If you know and apply the laws, the results are predictable... you can "make"
love.
Love in marriage is indeed a "decision"... Not just a feeling.
我一直在跟你说话，一直在跟所有众生说话，但是你和众生不想听。
现在你想听，一定不会听不见，谁想听都能听见。
只要我说的道理是真的，是你幻觉还是真的佛意，又有何分别呢？
为什么人世间有这么多苦难？
人世间的悲惨事，且听屠房夜半声，人间苦，冤憎会，亲别离。
人和人又是什么？
百世修来同船渡，千世修来共枕眠。
我和我身边的人将来会怎么样？
欲知前世事，今生受者是，欲知未来事，如今作者是。
Far East Square Flea Market
Far East Square, 26 China Street
What: 40-plus stalls mostly set up by retired senior citizens. Founded and organised by Madam Neo Poh Choo eight years ago, the market now turns into an open-air karaoke corner at 7pm when amateur warblers belt out evergreen Chinese songs with accompanying line dancers
When: Every Saturday, Sunday and public holiday; noon to 10pm
Wares: A range of second-hand goods, from jade jewellery to crockery to hardware
Price range: From $1
Stall rental: $10
Who you might see there: Bargain-hunters sniffing for household items on the cheap, collectors hunting for genuine vintage articles and bored senior citizens looking for companions to chat with
Zouk Flea and Easy
Zouk, 17 Jiak Kim Street
What: 70 stalls
When: One Sunday every three months; 2 to 7pm
Wares: A mind-boggling mix of second-hand CDs, clothes, bags, shoes and accessories
Price range: From $1
Stall rental: $20
Who you might see there: Much like the clientele of Zouk's nightclub scene, posers and fashionistas abound. The only difference is that instead of nursing a drink in hand, many nuzzle a little pooch
China Square Central Flea Market
China Square Central, 18 Cross Street
What: 80 stalls spread over two levels with the first floor concentrating on usual bazaar fare like clothes and accessories and the upper floor on South-east Asian antiques
When: Every Sunday; 10am to 6pm
Wares: An eclectic range of goods from vintage tin toys to Teresa Teng vinyl records to trendy clothes
Price range: From 50 cents to $5,000
Stall rental: $38
Who you might see there: Antiques enthusiasts and the occasional local celebrity hawking his or her friends' wares. Organiser Michael Poh has several photographs of himself and artistes like Carole Lin framed beside his shop at China Square Central
Tanglin Mall Second-Hand Fashion and Jumble Bazaar
Level 1 covered walkway of Tanglin Mall, 163 Tanglin Road
What: As its name suggests, a range of second-hand goods is offered by 59 stall-holders
When: First and third Saturday of every month; 3 to 11pm
Wares: Knick-knacks from mugs and hair accessories to clothes and household items, depending on which sellers are there
Price range: From $1
Stall rental: $70
Who you might see there: Expats, youths and shoppers afraid of the weekend Orchard Road crush
Flee!@Gas Haus
Gas Haus, 114 Middle Road
What: Organised by three young women - Joanne Lim, Aveline Chan and Rachel Lim - the 27-stall strong flea market started out as a meet-up session for members of an online trading community to which they belong
When: Infrequent, Oct 14 next; noon to 6pm
Wares: Predominantly second-hand clothes, accessories and bags
Price range: From $2
Stall rental: Between $14.40 and $22, although a new bidding system in place may push rents up
Who you might see there: Young women between 16 and 24 on a shopping rampage
Shopaholics Aristocrats
Graze, 4 Rochester Park
What: Chi-chi flea market with champagne cocktails and finger food, housed in a casual-chic restaurant
When: Twice a year, to be confirmed; 11am to 5pm
Wares: A funky range of high-street fashion and designer clothes from America, Europe and Australia; jewellery, shoes and homeware. Unlike most flea markets, however, new stuff outstrips the old here
Price range: $10 for home-made honey, to $1,500 for a Balenciaga bag
Stall rental: $200 to $300 per stall, depending on size required
Who you might see there: Tai tais in training
Amrasa Spas Organic Flea Market
Bishan Park II, off Ang Mo Kio Ave 1
What: About 10 booths with stuff purportedly good for your body. Organised by Amrasa Spas to complement its philosophy of organic living - that is, free from harmful chemicals
When: The event was held for the first time last Saturday, and may be held monthly; 8am to 7pm
Wares: Furuna coral (a bird's nest substitute) with organic bean sprouts; shower-heads with health properties
Price range: $2 to $140
Stall rental: Free. But the organisers may charge around 20 per cent commission on stall takings once the event takes off
Who you might see there: Joggers, qigong aunties and former model-actress Jazreel Low, a co-director of the spa
MAAD
Red Dot Traffic Building, 28 Maxwell Road
What: About 30 vendors housed in a 600 sq m area
When: Every Sunday; 11am to 6pm
Wares: Original T-shirts, handmade toys, jewellery, paintings and sculptures
Price range: $19.90 for an iPod skin to $500 for a painting
Stall rental: $35 per day. Must commit to four Sundays in a row
Who you might see there: Bohemian artists and casual fashionistas with their pets
This and That Bazaar
Clarke Quay, 3 River Valley Road, at the central fountain square
What: 45 vendors over 3,000 sq ft
When: Starting Oct 28 and 29, thereafter last weekend of every month (for example, Nov 25 and 26), and Dec 9 & 10; noon to 9pm
Wares: From jewellery to high-end clothes and handbags. Children's toys, home furnishings, electronics. Two free tables reserved for women's rights organisation Unifem
Price range: $19 for jewellery; over $200 for a necklace
Stall rental: $600 for the weekend, for a 2m by 1m table
Who you might see there: Tourists and young professionals
Flea Day
Last two held in Timberlux centre (326 Havelock Road). Looking for new venue
What: About 200 vendors
When: Next one will be held early next year; noon to 7pm
Wares: Services like henna painting, manicures, home-made accessories. Stalls awarded on a ballot system. You have to e-mail a picture of yourself and your goods a month before the event
Price range: $5 for a T-shirt to $100 for a vintage dress
Stall rental: $30 to $45
Who you might see there: Hip and happening types; expats. Fashion editors have been spotted helming stalls there
Sunday@Holland Village
Opposite Holland Village Shopping Centre
What: 40 stalls selling warehouse stocks of clothes and cosmetics; second-hand personal effects
When: Every first and third Sunday of the month; 4 to 9pm
Wares: Second-hand clothing and plastic toys
Price range: From $1
Stall rental: $20
Who you might see there: Filipino maids, residents, expats and nurses living in nearby hostels
Sungei Road Thieves' Market
Pitt Street, Larut Road and Pasar Lane. Boundaries marked by Jalan Besar, Weld Road, Sungei Road and Kelantan Road
What: As many as 488 vendors
When: Daily; 1 to 7pm
Wares: Second-hand jeans, baby clothes, socks, watches, lawn mowers, vacuum cleaners, rice cookers and toilet seats
Price range: Jeans as cheap as $1 a pair, watches for less than $5; bargain, bargain, bargain
Stall rental: No rental cost, but on a first-come, first-served basis. Must be Singaporean; no new products
Who you might see there: Bangladeshi, Chinese and Indian foreign nationals; tourists; backpackers
Location: 1 Selegie Road, #06-26 Paradiz Centre Singapore 188306 (Tel: 63340123 / Fax: 63342664)
Registration Hours: Mon to Fri: 12:00pm - 9:30pm; Sat: 10:30am - 5:30pm; Sun & Public Holidays: Closed
JLPT4: Basic 1, 2, 3; 36 x 3 = 108 hrs; S$285 x 3 = S$855
JLPT3: Intermediate 1, 2, 3; 36 x 3 = 108 hrs; S$305 x 3 = S$915
Location: 402 Orchard Road #05-15/16 Delfi Orchard Singapore 238876 (Tel: 67373601 / Fax: 67375080)
Registration Hours: Mon to Fri: 9:30am - 8:30pm; Sat: 9:00am - 4:00pm; Sun & Public Holidays: Closed
JLPT4: Elementary 1, 2 + Intermediate 1, 2; 24 x 4 = 96 hrs; S$200 x 2 + S$210 x 2 = S$820
JLPT3: Intermediate 3, 4; 24 x 2 = 48 hrs; S$230 x 2 = S$460
Hougang Japanese Language School
Location:
Registration Hours: Mon to Fri: 1:30pm - 8:00pm; Sat: 1:30pm - 4:30pm; Sun: 11:00am - 3:30pm
JLPT4: Beginner 1, 2 + Intermediate 1; 40 + 44 + 32 = 116 hrs; S$190 + S$220 + S$170 = S$580
JLPT3: Intermediate 2 + Advance 1 + JLPT3 Preparatory Class; 44 + 38 + 40 = 122 hrs; S$220 + S$200 + S$210 = S$630
Location: 350 Orchard Road, #12-07 Shaw House, Singapore 238868 (Tel: 62380288 / Fax: 62380233)
Registration Hours: Mon to Fri: 9:00am - 10:00pm; Sat & Sun: 10:00am - 7:30pm; Public Holidays: Closed
JLPT4: Basic 1, 2; 60 x 2 = 120 hrs; S$520 x 2 = S$1040
JLPT3: Intermediate 1, 2; 60 x 2 = 120 hrs; S$580 x 2 = S$1160
Location: No.2 Finlayson Green #11-05 Asia Insurance Building, Singapore 049247 (Tel: 63271377 / Fax: 62515744)
Registration Hours: Mon to Fri: 2:00pm - 10:00pm; Sat & Sun: 10:00am - 6:00pm; Public Holidays: Closed
JLPT4: Elementary 1, 2, 3; 30 x 3 = 90 hrs; S$200 x 3 + S$15 x 3 (Textbooks) = S$645
JLPT3: Elementary 4, 5; 30 x 2 = 60 hrs; S$200 x 2 + S$22 + S$24 (Textbooks) = S$446
Location: 141 Cecil Street, #07-03 Tung Ann Association Bldg, Singapore 069541 (Tel: 62206884 / Fax: 62260286)
JLPT4: Elementary 1, 2, 3; 36 x 3 = 108 hrs; S$225 x 3 = S$675
JLPT3: Intermediate 1, 2, 3; 36 x 3 = 108 hrs; S$270 x 3 = S$810
What do dating agencies offer and how much does it cost to join? And just how do you meet your perfect mate? Find out in our handy guide.
20, Raffles Place, Ocean Towers #14-01. Call 65360100.
Targets: High-flying executives. The company has close to 500 members in its database since it opened last June. About 40 per cent are expatriates.
Costs: $1,400 buys you membership for 12 months or 14 dates, whichever comes later.
How guy meets girl: Clients are interviewed for more than an hour by agency staff, who try to form a picture of the ideal mate. They arrange a lunch date or after-work drinks at one of the company's 15 affiliate restaurants and night spots such as Gusto, Hibiki Restaurant and Sake Salon, Ocho Spanish Restaurant & Tapas Bar and Amici Italian
restaurant.
Drinks At Eight
30, Raffles Place, Caltex House #23-00. Call 6233 6863.
Targets: People who enjoy the high life. The newest agency on the block started operations in March and has some 85 members.
Costs: $680 for eight dates of your choice. In addition, enjoy a bottle of 2003 Sauvignon Blanc or 2002 Pinot Noir on the house (for this month only).
How guy meets girl: Clients fill up about 10 pages of forms describing their ideal dates. Agency staff throw in shopping companionship and offer grooming tips to clients for their dates at fine-dining restaurants such as Senso, Fuenti and Le Bistro. There are also wine appreciation yacht cruises.
30, Robinson Road, Robinson Towers #03-01C. Call 6225 4465.
Targets: Executives, entrepreneurs and expatriates. Launched last June, Two To Tango has more than 500 members.
Costs: $960 for 12 pre-screened dates in a year.
How guy meets girl: Couples are paired off after screening by the agency. Clients get discounts on various activities. Image consultants also give lessons on grooming and etiquette at discounted rates. There is a Pets Dating Programme, where two pet lovers who do not want to leave their pets home alone can double date with pets in tow.
24, Raffles Place, Clifford Centre #21-02. Call 6532 0010.
Targets: White-collar professionals. Set up in June last year, 90 per cent of its 600-strong database comes from the professional sector, including lawyers and accountants.
Costs: $850 for annual membership package, including 12 introductions; $580 for half-year membership, including six introductions.
How guy meets girl: Couples are e-matched according to their stated profiles, physical and personality preferences as well as analysis of their handwriting samples.
Red, White And True
Nagarathar Building, 5, Tank Road #02-03. Call 6737 9239.
Targets: Anyone yearning for that special someone. Since its opening in January this year, the agency has registered close to 200 members.
Costs: $55 for each match, no registration fees. From next month, the first date will cost $80 (inclusive of a registration fee of $55), while subsequent dates cost $25 each.
How guy meets girl: After meeting an agency staff for an assessment, a match is found and phone numbers exchanged. When the company has enough people on the database, it is planning to organise Speed Introduction, singles parties, self-help workshops and seminars.
Targets: Those in their late 20s to early 40s. Set up in November last year, it has more than 900 members today.
Costs: Free of charge for women. But men have to buy a gold membership at $19.90, $39.90 and $59.90 for three, six and 12 months respectively. The platinum membership costs $39.90, $69.90 and $99.90 for three, six and 12 months respectively. Those who sign up for the platinum membership have higher chances of finding a match.
How guy meets gal: Both parties sign up online and are matched by a computer system. The guy invites the girl to a movie. Tickets are hand-delivered to their homes. The couple simply turn up for the movie. Upcoming plans are for bowling dates, swimming dates, clubbing dates and coffee dates.
Eats In Osaka
Most people I know who have been to Osaka have left impressed by the dining scene there. 'The food there is great,' was the general response when I mentioned that I would be going there.
And no wonder. Osaka, the second most important city in Japan after the capital Tokyo, can boast of being ichiban when it comes to certain kinds of food.
Do you know, for example, that it is the city of okonomiyaki (a pancake that contains shredded cabbage and yam) and the deadly blowfish? Or that it is where the founder of Nissin invented the first instant ramen in the 1950s? Or even that the ubiquitous plastic food replicas which adorn the windows of Japanese restaurants had their origins there?
Restaurants that have been around for more than a century still stand today. While some have grown into multi-outlet chains, others are content to stay pretty much unchanged, happy to focus on maintaining quality rather than quantity.
Most eateries are tiny, though that is no indication of how good they are. Food seems a healthy obsession with the Japanese, and Osaka is a good place to satisfy that craving.
A recent four-day eating trip to the city left me impressed with the variety of food available. And contrary to expectation, you do not have to pay very much even at the famous, albeit small, eateries.
Fugu
Fugu, or blowfish, is famous for being poisonous, and it is not uncommon in the past to hear of people dying from eating it.
But such cases are rarer these days and usually involve people who are not trained to prepare it. A 1958 law in Japan requires all chefs who prepare fugu to have a licence, so go to a reputable place. You should feel perfectly safe in Zuboraya, one of the most popular fugu restaurants in Osaka with six branches.
The one at Dotonbori, a busy street mall near the Namba underground station that is packed with shops, cinemas and restaurants, is the main branch. The narrow, five-storey eatery is right in the middle of the mall, and you spot it by a giant replica of a puffed-up blowfish above its entrance.
Fugu has a crunchy texture and the best way to savour that is to eat it raw. To make it easier on your jaw, the meat is sliced so thin that it's translucent. Dipped lightly in ponzu sauce, the flavour is light and refreshing.
The sashimi set (1,600 yen or S$25.50) also includes strips of fugu skin, which has the firm texture of chilled pig's skin. For the main course, opt for a nabe set (2,650 yen), which is a Japanese hotpot that comprises chunks of the fish as well as cubes of tofu and vegetables.
Once cooked, the meat becomes less crunchy but remains firm and smooth. Add another dish of grilled fugu with mayonnaise (850 yen) and you will have enough food for two persons.
Zuboraya Restaurant
1-6-10 Dotonbori, Chuo-ku
Tel: 06-6211-0181
Opening hours: 11am to 11.30pm
Whale Meat
Knowing that the rest of the world is aghast at the idea of eating whale meat, this speciality restaurant, which has been around since 1967, has put up a website in English declaring that the meat it serves is approved by the International Convention for the
Regulation of Whaling (ICRW).
According to the eatery, the ICRW 'mandates that as much as possible all whales taken for research under Article VIII be processed and the proceeds dealt with as the permitting Member Government (in this case, Japan) directs.
'Therefore, after the scientists have examined the whales and taken the data they seek, the meat and blubber from whales are sold to defray the high costs of research.' Even if your conscience is soothed by that piece of information, not everyone will take to whale meat.
Tokuya's speciality is hari-hari nabe (4,200 yen), which is whale meat in hotpot. The sliced meat, which looks like beef, is coated with water chestnut powder. When cooked, the powder forms a slippery coat over the chewy meat, which is tough like beef but has a slightly fishy taste.
Besides whale meat, the nabe also comes with lots of mustard leaf shoots, called mizuna. They look like dou miao (peashoots) but have the distinct bite of mustard. There are also small pieces of Mexican chilli pepper to add some kick to the broth.
Tokuya Restaurant
1-7-11 Sennichimae, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi
Tel: 06-6211-4448
Opening hours: 4 to 11pm; opens at 2pm on weekends and public holidays. Closed on last Sunday of February
Okonomiyaki
This pancake made from flour, egg, shredded cabbage and yam is so popular in Osaka that there are many restaurant chains specialising in it. Chibo is one of the most popular, with 50 outlets. Its biggest branch is in the Dotonbori shopping area.
You can choose all sorts of stuffing for your pancake. Try the special, called Chiboyaki (2,100 yen), which has a mix of beef, pork, squid and shrimp. Or try something more unusual with cheese and corn.
The killer for the okonomiyaki here is the sweet sauce and mayonnaise that are squirted on top, before being covered by a heavy blanket of bonito flakes.
Chibo Restaurant
Chibo-Dotonbori Bldg, 1F-4F, 1-5-5 Dotonbori, Chuo-ku
Tel: 06-6212-2211
Opening hours: 5 to 11pm, closes at 10pm on Sundays and public holidays
Udonsuki
Udon cooked in a hotpot may not sound very exciting, but you'll be won over after a single slurp of the thick noodles in Mimiu. Udonsuki has been the restaurant's trademark since 1928.
Neither too firm nor too soft, the noodles are cooked in a clear but tasty broth. Those who want a bit of kick can add a dash of minced ginger and spiced radish to the cooked noodles.
The set (4,000 yen), which is enough for two, comes with a starter of sashimi, a skewer of grilled meat and sherbet before the suki (another name for hotpot) is brought to the table.
Besides udon, other ingredients that go into the pot include beancurd skin, mushroom, Japanese yong tau foo and some very sweet clams. You also get a single live prawn that comes inside a small lacquer box. The meal ends with dessert, which was oranges and strawberries with whipped cream when I was there.
Mimiu Restaurant
4-6-18, Hirano-macho, Chuo-ku (near Honmachi subway station)
Tel: 06-6231-5770
Opening hours: 11.30am to 9.30pm
Sushi Bars
No foodie should visit Osaka without hunting down Yoshino Sushi Restaurant, a tiny sushi bar that has been around since 1841. It was renovated just a year ago though, so it does not look its age.
Current head chef Oyama-san, 69, has been working there since 1962, and many of his regulars - corporate bigwigs with offices in the area - have been patronising the eatery for almost as long.
It is famous for its unique Osaka boxed sushi. Cooked rice is first pressed into a small, open wooden box and pieces of marinated fish are placed on top. A flat piece of wood is then used to press it down lightly.
The square slab of pressed sushi is cut into neat rectangular bite-sized pieces before it is served. The rice, which comes studded with mushroom and vegetables, is flavoured with vinegar while the fish is well-marinated. The resulting sushi is so tasty that there is no need for soya sauce or wasabi on the table.
A serving of eight pieces of assorted sushi topped with fish, prawn or egg costs 2,500 yen. Another specialty here is the senbajiru (400 yen), a fish and radish soup. The secret is in the water, which comes from the area and gives the soup a clear, sweet taste.
Yoshino Sushi Restaurant
3-4-14 Awaji-machi, Chuo-ku (near Exit 1 of Honmachi subway station)
Tel: 06-6231-7181
Opening hours: 9am to 9pm (closed on weekends and public holidays)
Fish Market
Unless you're catching it yourself, where can you get fish fresher than at a fish market? Which is why sushi fans should seek out the sushi restaurants next to the Osaka Wholesaler Market.
The market is where the catch of the day is auctioned every morning. If you can get out of bed at 4am, join in the action.
But try to get a guide who can explain what is going on. Otherwise, the proceedings may not make much sense to you as bidding is conducted through hand signals and eye contact. What's better is breakfast at one of the eight tiny sushi restaurants next to the fish market.
These are where the market workers go after their morning's work, but many Japanese celebrities have been spotted tucking into the delectable fish and rice too. Check out eatery No. 3, Endo Sushi. It is 100 years old this year and there is good reason for its longevity.
The sushi comes in a set of five pieces for 1,000 yen. One piece is topped with tuna belly or toro, the most expensive cut of fish, but the rest are a mix and match of whatever the chef lays his hands on.
My set comprised toro, hamachi (yellowtail), tai (seabream), uni (sea urchin) and unagi (smoked eel). The rice is not pressed as hard as the Tokyo version Singaporeans are
more used to, but what's more unexpected is that it is slightly warm. This is the warm sushi Endo is famous for. It came about because business here is so brisk that the chefs cannot afford to wait for the rice to be cooled.
There is no wasabi in the sushi and instead of dipping the sushi in a dish of soya sauce, you merely brush the sauce lightly on top of the fish. That is all it needs.
Endo Sushi Restaurant
1-1-86 Noda, Fukushima-ku
Tel: 06-6461-7773
Opening hours: 5am to 2pm
Snacks
If you love those prettily packaged Japanese pastries with red bean paste, you have to drop in at Tsuraya Hachiman, a cake shop-cum-cafe. It was established in 1864 and moved to its current location, just a five-minute walk from Yoshino Sushi, in the 1960s.
It is famous for monaka, a square rice-flour wafer encasing some very sweet red bean paste. The shop sells an average of 2,500 pieces of these a day at 160 yen each. If these are not to your liking, you can choose from 3,000 other types of pastries.
Many of them are also filled with red bean, though prices vary. The shop manager explained that the beans come from different places, thus the difference in prices. The pastries make good gifts with their beautiful packaging. Or you can enjoy them with a cup of tea at the cafe at the back of the shop.
Tsuraya Hachiman Restaurant
4-4-9 Imabashi, Chuo-ku
Tel: 06-6203-7281
Opening hours: 8.30am to 7pm
Red Bean Shop
The tiny Meoto Zenzai seats only about 10 people at three tables, so be prepared to squeeze in among strangers. It is in a lane off one of the street malls in the Dotonbori area next to the busy ancient Hozenji Temple.
It serves only red bean soup with a single mochi (glutinous rice ball) in it. The hot dessert is perfect when you need to take a break from your shopping on a wintry afternoon.
A set of two bowls of the soup costs 500 yen and includes a cup of green tea and a piece of salt-encrusted seaweed that you chew on in between sips of the dessert.
Meoto Zenzai
1-2-10, Namba, Chuo-ku (along Hozenji Street)
Tel: 06-6211-6481
Opening hours: 10am to 10.30pm
What are the warning signs of some of the world's natural disasters and how should you react?
Thanks to a geography lesson, 10-year-old British schoolgirl Tilly Smith saved the lives of at least 100 holiday-makers on Phuket's Maikhao Beach on Dec 26. She raised the alarm after recognising signs of a tsunami, and the beach cleared out before the waves hit.
Here's how to spot brewing natural disasters and survive them.
Avalanche
What is it: A large mass of snow, ice and other debris that suddenly slides down from a mountain slope. This can be caused by a rise in temperature or an earthquake. It is prevalent in the European Alps.
Warning signs: If the snow beneath you collapses or sends cracks across the ground, get ready to flee. Watch out also for heavy snowfall and strong winds.
Survival tips:
(Source: Canadian Avalanche Association - www.avalanche.ca)
Blizzard
What is it: It is a severe weather condition where strong winds of more than 56km per hour bear a great load of snow, reducing visibility drastically.
According to the National Weather Service in the United States, most blizzard-related deaths are caused by traffic accidents on icy roads or hypothermia - low body temperature - due to prolonged exposure to cold. Blizzards occur in Northern Europe, North America and Japan.
Warning signs: Strong, sustained winds and a lot of snow, which reduces visibility.
Survival tips:
(Source: The University of Illinois Extension Disaster Resources)
Bushfire
What is it: Bushfires start when fuel, in the form of leaves and wood, is ignited by a lightning strike, a flame or, in some cases, spontaneous combustion. Also known as wildfires, they can spread as quickly as 20km per hour. The speed depends on the kind of fire - grass fires spread more quickly than forest fires.
Warning signs: If you encounter persistent hot and dry weather in fire-prone countries like Australia, get set to face the heat.
Survival tips:
(Source: Emergency Management Australia)
Cyclone
What is it: Also known as hurricane or typhoon, the tropical storm causes winds that hit speeds of 119km per hour or more, according to the US-based Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema). They are common in countries such as China, Japan and the Philippines, as well as in America's southern East Coast, the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico.
Warning signs: Hurricanes also spawn tornadoes and trigger off floods. As they approach, the skies will darken and winds will gain speed. The best defence is to check the weather forecast before going on a trip as typhoons can be predicted at least a day in advance.
Survival tips:
(Source: Fema and Mr Lam Keng Gaik, Changi Airport's chief meteorological officer)
Earthquake
What is it: Tectonic plates which form the Earth's outer surface are constantly pushing against each other. An earthquake occurs when the stresses caused by these movements are released and the plates move violently.
According to Geoscience Australia, 80 per cent of all recorded earthquakes occur around the edge of the Pacific Plate, including New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Japan, Canada, the US and South America.
Warning signs: Although modern equipment can predict where an earthquake is likely to strike, there is no method to determine exactly when. The theory that animals can sense earthquakes is still unproven.
Survival tips:
(Source: Associate Professor David Higgitt of the National University of Singapore's geography department)
Hailstorm
What is it: Hailstones are formed when raindrops pass through a belt of cold air on their way to earth. These raindrops freeze into small blocks of ice as they fall, but violent updrafts push them back into the higher and colder portions of the cumulonimbus clouds, causing more layers of ice to form. The hailstones start falling when they are too heavy to be supported by the air currents.
Hailstones can occur in tropical Singapore, too. In 2003, residents in Tampines and Sembawang experienced falling ice chips during a 15-minute hailstone shower. However, the hailstones that fall here are unlikely to cause much damage as they are usually softer and smaller.
Hailstorms can hit anywhere with thunderstorms, particularly the mid-western US, China and Australia.
Warning signs: There are no concrete signs although in some cases, the sky is seen to turn green prior to a hailstorm.
Survival tips:
(Source: Singapore's Meteorological Services Department)
Lightning Strike
What is it: Anybody can be struck by lightning while out in a thunderstorm - and Singapore has one of the highest incidences of death by lightning strike in the world. Records from the National Environment Agency here show an average of 1.7 deaths per one million people, compared with 0.6 in the US. Singapore's location near the Equator, coupled with the hot and humid weather, give rise to lightning-producing thunderstorm clouds.
Warning signs: There are no definite signs. But since light travels faster than sound, you will see lightning flashes before you hear thunder. If less than 30 seconds pass before you hear its rumble, take shelter immediately as this indicates that lightning is drawing close.
Survival tips:
(Source: Singapore's Meteorological Services Department)
Sandstorm
What is it: Caused by strong, dry winds blowing across a desert. Intense desert heat creates strong convection currents which often trigger the winds. In some cases, the combination of heat and an approaching cold front can create tornado-like conditions with winds exceeding 16km per hour.
The leading edge of sandstorms, which can reach 1,500m in height, often appear as a wall of dust. Visibility is often poor. Sand and dust storms are often whipped up in deserts or places where the topsoil is loose and dry.
Warning signs: The only warning is the appearance of the storm, sometimes described as a brown smudge, on the edge of the horizon.
Survival tips:
(Source: The Worst Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Travel by Joshua Piven and David Borgenicht)
Tsunami
What is it: A series of waves caused by an underwater disturbance such as an underwater earthquake. Tsunamis can originate hundreds or even thousands of kilometres away from coastal areas, like Dec 26 showed.
Areas at greatest risk are those within 1.6km of the shoreline, which will be affected by flooding and scattered debris, and those located less than 15m above sea level, as striking waves can range between 15m and 3m in height.
Warning signs: A clear sign is sudden low tide and exposure of the ocean floor. The ground may also shake and as the wall of water nears the shore, a loud roar can be heard.
Survival tips:
(Source: Eddie Bernard, director of the Pacific MarineEnvironmental Laboratory)
Tornado
What is it: A tornado is a violent windstorm marked by a twisting, funnel-shaped cloud. It is spawned by a thunderstorm and occurs when cool air overrides a layer of warm air, forcing the warm air to rise rapidly.
Damage is wrought mostly by high wind velocity and flying debris. Tornadoes are common in southern US states such as Florida during spring.
Warning signs: According to the US Storm Prediction Centre (www.spc.noaa.gov), the sight of a swirling rotation amid a bank of clouds or whirling dust or debris on the ground beneath storm clouds signals an impending tornado. There may also be hail or heavy rain followed by either a dead calm or a fast, intense wind shift.
Survival tips:
(Source: The US Storm Prediction Centre)
Volcanic Eruption
What is it: A volcano is essentially a weak spot in the Earth's crust that issues magma - or liquid rock - and gases. Explosive eruptions occur when gases are trapped within the thick magma and force their way out.
Dormant volcanoes can also erupt, as vacationeers found out last June when Indonesia's Mount Bromo exploded, killing a Singaporean schoolboy and an Indonesian youth.
Warning signs: The most reliable sign is earthquakes near the volcano. There may be gas emissions, and the volcano's surface may crack from a build-up of pressure in its magma hamber.
Survival tips:
(Source: The survival handbook by Piven and Borgenicht)
Make a Big Splash
An attraction that made big waves decades back, Big Splash at East Coast Parkway is slowly wooing back the crowds by offering free admission. The aquatic complex retains its trademark water slides and swimming pools even till today. Ready to get wet? Surf its website at www.bigsplash.com.sg
Please Play me a Song
Dedicate a song to your beloved husband/boyfriend/dog at the Suntec City Fountain of Wealth. A DJ will read out your dedication and play your request every night from 7pm for free.
And on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, eve of public holidays and publicholidays, from 8pm to 9.30pm, you can ask for a laser text message tobe projected for free on the water screen at the fountain.
Yoga by the Beach
Housewife Jessie Liow, 58, wants to spread the virtues and wonders of yoga and meditation to as many housewives and greying folk as possible. Her brainwave: Teach them the art (of yoga and meditation) for free,as such classes are usually priced out of their reach.
It all started some seven years ago, when she was practising yoga by the beach in Pasir Ris. Some passers-by were so impressed they asked her to teach them. She agreed. And the size of the group just kept expanding.
Madam Liow's yoga lessons are held every Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays and meditation classes are on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays from 7.30am to 9am. You can call Madam Liow on 9450-5859.
Oooh, Andy Lau!
If you have strong legs and don't mind standing for hours, you can catch some blockbusters for free. Just stand outside the numerous VCD shops in the heartland and watch the movie they are playing.
And don't worry about being the only cheapskate 'moviegoer'. The last time we checked, there were at least a few ah peks hovering around the giant TV outside an Ang Mo Kio VCD outlet.
Tamil Movie Mania
Into Tamil talkies? If you don't mind sitting on the grass, you can join the hordes of Indian workers on the open field in Weld Road, Serangoon on Sunday at 8pm. From oldies to recent hits, the free flicks are part of the Sunday Market initiative organised by government agencies and non-profit groups to entertain foreign workers and to relieve the 'human congestion' in Little India.
Go Fish
Get a hook and line, and some bait of course, and head for Bedok Jetty, Sungei Api Api in Pasir Ris, or Punggol Jetty.
Go Fly a Kite
Relive those kampung days. Go fly a kite in any open space. Marina South is especially popular.
Watch People
From people with little taste indulging in PDA (public displays of affection) along Orchard Road, to kids playing under the dancing fountain at Bugis Junction, to 'ladies of the night' parading their wares - one is never short of amusement if you just open your eyes on the streets of Singapore.
Go on a Hike
Climb up Singapore's tallest hill - Bukit Timah Hill - or trek through the forest in MacRitchie Reservoir and get friendly with the monkeys (Just don't feed them). Or check out the new tree-top walk at MacRitchie. The free-standing suspension bridge is 25m above ground and brings you eye to eye with the birds.
Farm Fresh
Join a farm tour at Kok Fah Technology Farm in Sungei Tengah to see how kai lan, spinach and other greens are grown. Call 6762-3160 for more information.
Or if you like fish gazing, make your way to Qian Hu Corporation in Choa Chu Kang to see ornamental fish such as elephant nose, pigeon blood discus and the 'good luck' arowana. Admission is free, unless you demand a guided tour. And there's even a free shuttle service to take you to the farm from various MRT stations on weekends and public holidays. Call 6766-7087 for more details.
It's Tiger Time
Head for the Tiger brewery in Jalan Ahmad Ibrahim for a free hour-long guided tour of its factory and a swig (or two) on the house at the end.
Do note: Skipping the sightseeing to head straight for the drinks is not allowed! Plus, a maximum of two cold ones is apparently the unstated norm. Call 6860-3007 for details.
It's on the House
Pack in the women and the men will follow. That's the idea behind ladies' night at various watering holes in town that offer free booze to the fairer sex on some nights. At Carnegie's at Far East Square, women get free flow of champagne on Wednesdays from 9pm. Wednesday is also ladies' night at China Jump, Chijmes. Women get free flow of house pours and standard drinks from 6pm.
Dance the Night Away
Join aunties and uncles (and we see young folk too) grooving to the beat of country music at public parks on weekend nights. Got two left feet? Don't worry, crowds of 300 to 600 ensure your boo-boos are not likely to be noted. Check out schedules at www.nparks.gov.sg
Work that Body
No money to join a gym? Hit these outdoor exercise corners at Housing Board estates and public parks. Do chin-ups, pull-ups and sit-ups. There's no air-con or fancy equipment, but it's better than nothing.
Parking for nothing
Look out for free parking space after 5pm on Mondays to Saturdays and the whole day on Sundays and public holidays, at certain public carparks in areas like Serangoon, Balestier and Jalan Besar.
The HDB says there's free parking at more than 1,400 of the carparks it runs from 7am to 10.30pm on Sundays and public holidays. Just look out for an orange signplate at the entrance of the carparks.
Pre-flight Fun
Leaving on a jet plane but got eight hours to kill in transit? Fret not. From free Internet access to free movie screenings to a free sightseeing tour of Singapore for transit passengers, Changi Airport has a host of activities and facilities to keep travellers occupied.
Hop on a Free Ride
Okay, so you don't have a car and you're not a frequent flier. And your legs can't take you any further after a full-day shopping spree? Hop onto one of the free shuttle bus services around town, for example, the shuttle from City Hall MRT station to Suntec City.
Model State
Drop by the Singapore City Gallery at the URA Centre in Maxwell Road to catch a bird's-eye view of Singapore's central area. The recently revamped venue showcases Singapore's planning efforts and houses a giant Central Area Model, which has been updated to include the latest plans for Marina Bay, Orchard Road, Kampong Glam, Little India and the Bras Basah and Bugis area.
Take in the View
You probably need to pay an arm and a leg for a great city view. And most of us, working class folk, probably can't afford to do that. But the next time you are in the city area and need a breather, head for the Esplanade's Roof Terrace. From the top of the 'Durian', you can see almost the whole skyline of the Central Business District, bumboats tugging up and down Marina Bay and even lovebirds snuggling up close.
The Best Show in Town
Get National Day Parade tickets. Catch the nation's most spectacular performance with fireworks and all that jazz for free. Until recently, you had to be prepared to queue overnight for the highly sought-after tickets for the big bang on Aug 9; now all you need is luck to win a ticket through balloting.
Bring a Stool
If you can't get the National Day tickets, there are other free shows in the heartland at about the same time. While ghouls supposedly roam the earth during the Chinese Seventh Month, we humans too get to enjoy the getai shows designed to placate the spirits. These song and dance performances, usually a repertoire of Mandarin and dialect ditties, are a hit with the heartland crowd. Look for those makeshift stages in your neighbourhood around August.
Gaming for Free
Don't even want to pay 50 cents for an arcade game? Try out the hitsfor free with any of the 30 Xbox consoles placed in the common areas on the five levels of Funan the IT Mall. Games are changed regularly and shoppers there can have a go at bestsellers such as Halo 2, Dead Or Alive Ultimate and Rallisport Challenge 2.
Surf Wireless
Free wireless Web access is available in these relatively early days of wireless Internet. While some places may charge $3 an hour, you just have to head to places like Funan the IT Mall, McDonald's restaurants and Novena Square with your wireless device and you can check your e-mail, surf the Internet or even go shopping online.
Meet Miss Right
The Land Transport Authority has set up free notice boards at various bus shelters and covered linkways. Ads these days include home owners seeking tenants, match-making agencies offering the chance to meet a prospective Miss Right and garage sale alerts.
Fun Messages
Grab one of the free postcards at food and entertainment outlets and write to a friend. In the age of e-mail and SMS, snail mail is surely a welcome change for those who still carry a pen with them.
Find out What's On
Pick up a free magazine like IS, Juice and The Finder - found at coffee chains, eateries and entertainment outlets - and keep up with the latest happenings and trends in our island city.
Help your Health
What is the value of a healthy body? Priceless. Even better if one doesn't have to pay to be checked by medical professionals. For example, the Singapore Cancer Society offers free screenings to detect breast, cervical and colorectal cancer. Call 6221-9578 for more information or check out their website at www.singaporecancer society.org.sg
House a Homeless Pet
Take Snoopy the beagle or Manja the cat home. Each month, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) takes in more than 1,000 abandoned dogs, cats, rabbits, hamsters and guinea pigs. Four out of 10 of these animals are unwanted pets, while the rest are strays. And about nine in 10 are put down, while the lucky ones are sent to the SPCA pound.
Adopting a homeless animal at the SPCA pound is free, but you have to pay for compulsory medical expenses which include the cost of sterilisation and vaccination. However, before you rush out and grab a free pet, SPCA's executive officer Deirdre Moss cautions: 'Owning a pet comes with a lifetime of financial responsibilities and commitment. 'It's not something you buy on the spur of the moment because it's cute. Having a pet is not unlike having a child.'
Learn the Lingo
'How much do you charge? I want to buy some chicken wings.' Seniors can now pick up basic conversational English at the Woodlands Community Club for free on Thursday nights. Call 6368-9938 for details.
Thanks for the Music
Stressed out? Bored? Take a break from the daily grind by checking out the free concerts and performances around town. The offerings range from a capella acts to indie rock bands. Besides scanning newspapers and magazines listings, you can check out these websites: www.nparks.gov.sg, www.esplanade.com and www.nac.gov.sg
Alternatively, head down to HMV at CityLink Mall and The Heeren to test their collection of pop, jazz, rock and classical tunes on display.
Book a Nice Time
Pick a good read at the library. From the latest bestseller to travel guides to self-help tips, the National Library Board (NLB) has more than four million titles, and that's just in English alone. Then there are the Chinese, Malay and Tamil titles.
Singaporeans can borrow up to four books or magazines for 21 days with their identity card at no charge. You can rest your bums on armchairs and read right there in the library, if toting a book home doesn't appeal to you.
Locate the nearest library to your home at www.nlb.gov.sg. You can also head to the browser-friendly Borders and Kinokuniya, where some bookworms spend virtually all day reading.
Camp under the Stars
Spend a night outdoors camping on the beach. Go out and pitch a tent at the Changi Beach Park, East Coast Park, Pasir Ris Park, Sembawang Park or West Coast Park. Now, you don't need a permit to camp at these parks.
Durian's Offerings
Singapore's $600 million 'Durian', the Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay, holds a treasure trove of freebies and that's why it makes this list twice. There are monthly free concerts on Sundays at its stunning concert hall, free lunch-time concerts on the last Tuesday of each month, and free performances every Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings at its outdoors waterfront stage.
Plus, there are workshops, exhibitions, meet-the-artist sessions, talks and more, which are often free. Find out what the 'Durian' has to offer at www.esplanade.com
Window Shopping
In this haven of air-conditioned malls, a national hobby is, not surprisingly, window shopping. Bonus: You can also check out what other window shoppers are wearing.
Culture Vulture
So you might not know Van Gogh or anything about the Ottoman Empire, but that's what museums are for: to impart knowledge. The Singapore History Museum and the Asian Civilisations Museum offer free admission on Friday from 7pm to 9pm. Likewise, you can walk through the doors of the Singapore Art Museum free on Fridays from 6pm to 9pm.
Sights, Sounds, Smells
Put on your walking shoes and explore sights, sounds and smells ofLittle India, Chinatown and the other ethnic and culturally-rich quarters of Singapore. Say a prayer at some religious buildings here like the Thian Hock Keng temple at Telok Ayer Street and Sri Mariamman Temple in South Bridge Road.
Yes, a Free Lunch
If you can afford it, buy or cook your own meal. But if you can't, help yourself to the vegetarian fare at the Singapore Buddhist Lodge in Kim Yam Road, off River Valley Road. The temple faithfuls don't check your wallet, nationality or religion, but dish out a yummy spread from breakfast time to dinner. A sample of the menu: curry vegetables, braised mushrooms, steamed tofu and mock meat in sweet-and-sour style. Plus fruit, coffee and tea to wash those calories down.
Mr Lee Bock Guan, president of the Lodge, said there are 'regulars' who trot in daily for the free meals for decades, and even 'stray dogs and cats come to eat our free food'. Said Madam Roseita Gomez, 65, who has been taking her three meals at the temple for the past four months: 'I'm very broke, so have to look for free food. No work, no money, what to do?' As we said, it's free. But, hey, spare a thought for those who are hungrier.
Help me, Doc
Likewise, charitable outfits such as the Thong Chai Medical Institution at Chin Swee Road and The Singapore Buddhist Free Clinic go to the rescue of the poor sick. These organisations provide free medical consultation and medicine, mainly for those down and out. Still, there are the wealthy who turn up and don't get turned away. Staff members say most donate money to the outfits after seeing the doctors.
Call Thong Chai on 6733-6905 and the Buddhist Free Clinic on 6748-7292 for more information. The Buddhist Free Clinic has six branches islandwide but there's a $1 registration fee.
Free to Help?
Are you still with us? How about giving something back for the 38 freebies you just found out about? Find out how you can help those less fortunate than you. Go to the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre website at www.nvpc.org.sg
Get into volunteer work. And do something good for someone. For free.
Five Stars Tours
5001 Beach Road, #01-27, Golden Mile Complex, Tel: 6392-7011
Super VIP Coach: 12 daily departures (first one at 7.30am, last one at 10pm)
Price: $23
Pick-up point: Golden Mile, arrive at Pudu Raya Bus Terminal
Grassland Express & Tours
5001 Beach Road, #01-24/26, Golden Mile Complex, Tel: 6292-1166
Super VIP Coach: 12 daily departures (first one at 7.30am, last one at 10pm)
Price: $28
Pick-up point: Golden Mile, arrive at Pudu Raya Bus Terminal
Gunung Raya Travel
5001 Beach Road, #01-13, Golden Mile Complex, Tel: 6294-7711
Executive Service: Nine daily departures (first one at 9am, last one at 7pm)
Price: $23
Pick-up point: Golden Mile, arrive at Pudu Raya Bus Terminal
1 Kim Seng Promenade #01-35A Great World City, Tel: 6733-1311
Super VIP Coach: Three daily departures (7.30am, 3.30pm, 9.30pm)
Price: $25
Pick-up point: Great World City, arrive at Imbi Bus Terminal at Pasar Rakyat
Konsortium Express
5001 Beach Road, #01-52B, Golden Mile Complex, Tel: 6392-3911
Super VIP Coach: Twelve daily departures (first one at 7.30am, last one at 10pm)
Price: $23
Pick-up point: Golden Mile, arrive at Pudu Raya Bus Terminal
Nice
214 Dunearn Road, Copthorne Orchid Hotel, Tel: 6416-3948
Nice 1: Fourteen daily departures (first one at 7.30am, last one at 9.30pm)
Price: $37
Nice 2: Five daily departures (8am, 9.30am, 3pm, 5pm, 6.30pm) and additional one at 1pm from Fridays to Sundays
Price: $47
Pick-up point: All pick-ups from the hotel, arrive at the STMB Railway station
Sri Maju Express
5001 Beach Road, #01-17, Golden Mile Complex, Tel: 6294 8228
Super VIP Coach: Six daily departures (first one at 8am, last one at 10pm)
Price: $23
Pick-up point: Golden Mile, arrive at Pudu Raya Bus Terminal
Transnasional
Lavender Street, Tel: 6294-7034
Executive Class: Three daily departures (9am, 5.30pm, 6pm)
Price: $35
Pick-up point: Lavender Street, arrive at Malaysian Tourism Centre, Hentian Duta Terminal
Economy Class: Eight daily departures (first one at 8.30am, last one at 11pm)
Price: $25
Pick-up point: Lavender Street, arrive at Pudu Raya Bus Terminal
Transtar Travel
5001 Beach Road, #01-15, Golden Mile Complex, Tel: 6299-9009
First Class: From now until Oct 19, two daily departures (8.30am, 6.30pm);From Oct 20, five daily departures (8.30am, 11.30am, 3.30pm, 6.30pm and 11.59pm)
Price: $56
Executive Class: Three daily departures (7.30am, 2.30pm, 11.30pm)
Price: $39
Pick-up point: All pick-ups from Golden Mile, arrive at Imbi Bus Terminal at Pasar Rakyat
A growing number of holiday-makers here are going on vacation to observe wildlife, birds and plants.
Instead of sight-seeing in cities, they are exploring eco-tourism spots in places like Indonesia, Malaysia, Africa, India, Madagascar, Christmas Island and Australia.
As a result, travel agencies like Country Holidays, Atrium Travel, Chan Brothers, Fascinating Holidays and Globetrotters Holidays have seen a 10 to 50 per cent growth in their eco-tourism business over the past year.
Country Holidays has experienced an annual increase of 15 to 20 per cent of its eco-tours, which makes up almost 50 per cent of its business, says Mr Chang Teng Hui, its managing director.
Atrium Travel saw a 50 per cent jump in its eco-tour business in the last year and expects its business to grow by 30 to 40 per cent over the next year, says Mr Andy Yeo, its director.
Eco-tours comprise 50 per cent of his tour business.
Chan Brothers Travel has enjoyed a 10 per cent hike in eco-tour sales, says its executive director, Ms Chan Guat Cheng.
'Singaporeans are now looking for more in their holidays than just shopping and sight-seeing. Adventure and interaction with nature are fast becoming popular among these discerning holiday-makers,' she says.
Her agency will include more of such eco-activities in its new itineraries due to positive feedback about its Australian packages, which include feeding animals in wildlife parks, viewing corals in the Great Barrier Reef and exploring forests.
Enterprising travel agents are always on the lookout for new eco-tourism spots to entice travellers.
Fascinating Holidays plans to launch a new tour later this year to a new property, Pelunas Beach, on one of the Riau Islands near Tanjung Balai, off Batam.
It offers jungle trekking, ocean canoeing, fishing and mountain-biking.
Mr Alfred Chia, 44, is a project manager and avid bird-watcher who travels to Sulawesi and Sumatra in Indonesia to see birds once or twice a year.
'My favourite bird-watching spot is Sulawesi as it has many birds which are found only on that island, like the large hanging parrot, the knobbed hornbill and lilac-cheeked kingfisher' says Mr Chia, who spent 10 days on the island two years ago with his son, Avian, 16.
He has also been to Kersik Tua Kampung in Sumatra to see the Salvadori's pheasant and blue-tailed trogon which are native to Indonesia.
Another eco-spot he visited twice in the 1990s was Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean.
'I saw the migration of red crabs on the island. It happens once a year during December and the sight of them migrating from the hills to the beach is a spectacular sight indeed,' he recalls.
Going green: Bird-watchers in Sulawesi, Indonesia, can catch a glimpse of large hanging parrots.
Mr Jimmy Chew, 67, a retired engineer and photography buff, goes on eco-tours two to three times a year.
His favourite spot is Madagascar, off Africa, which he visited three years ago.
'The island has many plants and wildlife which are native to the island. One of them is the baobab tree, which looks like an 'upside down tree with roots in the air'. Some people call it a bottle tree,' he says.
'Even the traveller's palm that you see at the Raffles Hotel here comes from Madagascar,' he points out. 'There's also a special animal on the island, the lemur, which can jump from tree to tree like a monkey.
'The largest of the lemurs is the Indri Indri Lemur, which has a haunting early morning call, which can be heard from far away,' he says.
But there's more to eco-tours than just observing wildlife and plants.
Mr Chang of Country Holidays points out that eco-tourism is all about the preserving of the fragile eco-system of the destination.
He and Mr Yeo of Atrium Travel have some tips for eco-travellers:
Here are some eco-tours offered by various travel agents here:
Atrium Travel (tel: 6536-9282)
Feeling adventurous? Try the eight-day In Search Of The Bengal Tiger tour to the national parks of central India. Prices start from $2,086 (twin-sharing). Other tours include a seven-day Rainforest And Reefs Of Papua New Guinea trip at $2,900 and a 12-day The Wild South-Patagonia package at $5,296.
Country Holidays (tel: 6334-6120)
Try a 10-day Rajasthan Camel Safari And Biking holiday in India at $2,195 each (twin-sharing), which includes a visit to the Keoladeo Bird Sanctuary and the Sariska National Park, or opt for a 13-day North Vietnam Trekking And Kayaking Adventure trip at $1,795.
Chan Brothers (tel: 6438-8880)
A nine-day package to the Gold Coast, Sydney and Melbourne includes animal feeding in Queensland and a visit to the Penguin Reserve on Penguin Island from $2,238 each (twin-sharing). You can also opt for a seven-day Perth And Scenic Southwest package from $1,538, which includes a visit to the Valley of Giants to see some of the largest trees in the world. Book by Thursday and travel by the end of October.
Fascinating Holidays (tel: 6735-5511)
It has a two-day Rainforest Resort package to view fireflies and nature in Kota Tinggi, Johor, from $225 each (weekdays) and $245 for weekends (Saturday, eve of public holiday and public holiday) for two to three persons. There is also a five-day Taman Negara Resort package at $238 each (twin-sharing).
Globetrotter Holiday (tel: 6221-9610)
Take a 12-day eco trip to Madagascar and Mauritius, organised by the Nature Society (Singapore), at $3,488 each (twin-sharing). The Nature Society is also organising a 10-day trip to Christmas Island at $1,988 each (twin-sharing). Non-members pay an extra $50.
SA Tours (tel: 6532-4111)
To visit scenic mountains in China, take an eight-day Romantic Huangshan, Jiangnan And Shanghai tour from $928 or an eight-day Jiuzhaigou Fairyland And Pools Of Immortals package from $938.
