Oct
22
They showed that 350 parts per million CO2 in the atmosphere is the safe limit for humanity.
The bad news is we’re already past that number – we’re at 390 parts per million, which is why the Arctic is melting, why drought is spreading across the planet, why humanity is facing perhaps its greatest challenge ever.
The good news: that number gives us a target to aim for.
If you’re free Saturday between 8am and 3pm, join in the activities for the International Day of Climate Action, beginning with the aerial photograph (using a boom lift, not a fuel guzzling helicopter or other aircraft) of hopefully hundreds of people forming the number 350 at Hong Lim Park.
More details of the day’s activities can be found here.
Oct
22
Disclosure:
Tyrepac sponsored a set of tyres for the purposes of this blog post.
I love driving, but car maintenance can be a pain. But that’s mostly because I’m quite the idiot when it comes to anything mechanical.
Cars I’ve driven would’ve lasted a helluva lot longer if I’d taken the trouble to look after them.
But that’s all in the past, and now that I’ve a young family, I’d like to say that I’ve turned over a new leaf. It was a sobering moment when my brother asked me to pop the hood of my car, and I didn’t know how to, and pretended to tie my laces while I fumbled for the car-hood-opener-thingie.
Leopards don’t change their spots (or preents), and well, when it’s time to get the car’s oil changed, brake pads replaced, tyres rotated, I still go “meh”, until someone tells me it’s gonna cost me a lot more if I don’t do what I’m supposed to on time.
My mother-in-law has the same cavalier attitude when it comes to car maintenance, and it wasn’t until it was quite obvious that the tyres of her car resembled those on F1 cars that she asked me if it was about time to get new ones.
Translated from Taiwanese, that meant, “can you please get new tyres for me, dear son-in-law?”
Now, my experience with buying car tyres is like an Ang Moh going to Sim Lim and expecting to get a bargain. I just hate not knowing the prices on things, and seeing the weird code on what’s supposed to be price tags just makes everything more infuriating.
So it was indeed fortuitous that I found out about Tyrepac’s online tyre shop, saving me the trouble of driving to a tyre shop and getting conned and earning the ire of all concerned.
More importantly, the Tyrepac site took the mystery out of buying tyres completely – all I had to do was select make, model and release year of MIL’s car, and all of Tyrepac’s offerings were available for me to choose from.
Alternatively, were I more knowledgeable about tyres, there is an option I would have used, titled “I already know which tyres I need for my vehicle” that allows you to select by tyre width, profile, radius and brand.
Now with the range of tyres to choose from, I was able to google for reviews to help me with my choice for MIL’s car. Tyrepac also has their own set of reviews submitted by users.
Then there’s the thing that was the clincher – they actually sent a mobile tyre workshop over to fix up the tyres for the car. This service costs just $20 extra – and that’s pretty reasonable if you’re not the sort to navigate through confusingly named Industrial Parks and their many identical looking lanes.
They arrived, opened the truck panels and revealed their mobile tyre workshop, which was a little noisy because of the generator, but hey, whaddya need a stealth tyre workshop for?
Within the hour, all was done, and MIL’s old tyres were taken away to be recycled while I drove her car back into her driveway, delighted that the squeaky new Goodyears were making her car completely safe again.
Well, almost. The mechanic that fixed up the tyres informed me that the brake pads were worn, and should be changed soon.
I’m going to be fixing up an appointment with Tyrepac for that soon as they offer mobile servicing
As for tyre knowledge. I’m still quite “meh” about it, but information is at hand on my bookmarked page here.
(My experience with Tyrepac came earlier than expected when the MIL’s car battery died a week before our scheduled tyre change – they have an emergency battery service that works out to be a helluva lot cheaper than if you were to call AAS (what an acronym) – so I’d recommend that if you do drive, keep Tyrepac’s number handy. That’s 1800-TYREPAC (8973-722))
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Oct
21
Baby Kai loves greenery. He loves to stare at trees and the rustling of leaves seems to lull him into a trance-like state. So it’s a good thing that we’ve got trees right outside the dining room window, and we took these pictures when we had lunch recently at District 10, and you’ll see how he’s completely engrossed, staring out the back window, leaving us to our lunch in peace. Botanic Gardens, next.
Oct
17
It was really hot yesterday afternoon, but we managed to walk some of the fabric shops on Arab Street, looking for ribbons and other decorations.
And it always strikes me when I’m there, how pretty the area is, and how twee the Tourism Board’s description of it is:
Nothing beats Arab Street for bazaar-style shopping with true ethnic character! Where else can you browse in delightful hole-in-the-wall shops, haggle to your hearts’ content and come away with the most enchanting trinkets and keepsakes at bargain prices?The goods spill out onto the pavements, anything from baskets, baby cradles and floor mats to serving trays, pith helmets and hanging chairs. Not to mention enough fashion materials and knick-knacks to impress even Hollywood!
Oct
11
- 12seconds – [Qik] Mobile video by Benjamin Lee http://tiny12.tv/762S9 #
- 12seconds – [Qik] Mobile video by Benjamin Lee http://tiny12.tv/8A2C3 #
- I uploaded a YouTube video — Qik – Mobile video by Benjamin Lee http://bit.ly/Gmjie #
- FB RT: Trying to upload my reel to facebook! Here's the link first…http://bit.ly/HcEmb #
- Thems Ikea chicken wings and meatballs are yums. http://myloc.me/TWrt #
- Hossan Leong the court jester: http://bit.ly/xd4JR #
- Apple challenges Australian chain's logo trademark http://viigo.im/15SH #
- Australia No. 2 for quality of life http://viigo.im/15SW #
- Flip Ultra HD or Mino HD? #
- 12seconds – [Qik] Mobile video by Benjamin Lee http://tiny12.tv/AWJ6B #
- Kai's first 'solid' meal! http://pic.gd/385677 #
- I uploaded a YouTube video — Qik – Mobile video by Benjamin Lee http://bit.ly/3dyprg #
- What's good for late lunch at bukit timah plaza? Nonya deli closed, and no going for taiwanese delicacies. #
- Thanks for all suggestions. Too hungry and baby I tow. Settling for Pizza Hut. #
- And Kai weighs in at 9.25kg #
- No more shots for Kai for another 6 months! But he may be allergic to dairy products. #
- Lunch at the drive thru. http://pic.gd/163ece #
- RT @AdrC82: My sympathies go out to the English teacher of Ris Low back in her school days once the media manages to track him/her down… #
- …"tea, coffee, whole nuts, raw egg and raw shellfish should not be added in the weaning diet." – Nestle nutrition card. #
- RT @TechCrunch If Teens Don’t Use Twitter, Then Why Do I Have To Read About Miley Cyrus? http://bit.ly/Ker7I #
- something must've happened to the staff at The Handburger. Not one has smiled yet. Ok one has smiled to himself, so that's counted. #
- Make it fun and people will follow: http://bit.ly/18CLo8 #
- Analysis: 'Blackface Jacksons' embarrassing to Australia – http://bit.ly/7JEoD #cnn #
- Which shop in Funan sells Flip camcorders? #
- To Stereolounge for cast party #hossanleongshow #
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Oct
6
Today Kai had a lunch of milk mixed with organic brown rice cereal. It was a messy but enthusiastic affair – Mama Naomi fed him from his brand new bowl with his brand new spoon, and for all the horror stories we heard about baby’s first meal, lunch ended with about a quarter of the 75ml of cereal-milk on the table, tray and floor, and more importantly, with smiles all round.
I am sure parents know of the relief of seeing their child take to their first foods well, and to see Kai take to his first “solid” lunch with so much gusto – he lunges at the spoon – is very heartening.
Happy, we has it.
Oct
4
- RT @gssq: Singapore: the only country in the world which treats foreigners better than its people; http://is.gd/3JAwz #
- In theatre rehearsing #hossanleongshow http://pic.gd/93d1c9 #
- "Low also admitted that she started stealing Pokeman cards when she was young". http://bit.ly/1KG77l #
- RT @mrbrown: RT @badbanana: The dialogue in 'CSI: Miami' seems to be written without any concern for search engine optimization. #
- Basket, call my friend a horse? RT @kazitoshi: women love funny guys. here's an explanation, from the horse's mouth. http://ow.ly/rx06 #
- In theatre now. Don't have a dongle, so lucky got blackberry internet. The set's been renovated so we're gonna start a run soon. #
- Starting cue to cue. Another long night at work. http://pic.gd/ee4f9b #
- RT @abigvictory: Tampons: Ribbed For Her Pleasure. Someone get on that. #
- RT @digg_2000: "25 Awesome Dirty Car Window Drawings [Pics]" – http://digg.com/d215onl?t1 #
- They should have a travelator spanning the breadth of T3 http://pic.gd/a3175c #
- RT @skinnylatte: Yu-Mei spent the last 2 years writing her "Singapore: A Biography" book. Fascinating. http://www.singaporebiography.com #
- Someone tell the Indonesians that hungry ghost month over liao. No need to burn trees for the dead. #
- RT @eugenekhoo: RT @mrbrown: RT @metacole http://ow.ly/rADc – ST naming Ris Low's photo filename as 'sg-stupid.jpg'. http://bit.ly/oXVfA #
- Didn't feel tremors but apparently city hall evacuated. #
- Crew says over P.A. that dress run will be at 8.30pm. #hossanleongshow #
- I subscribed to videosimprovaveis's channel on YouTube http://bit.ly/ysntY #
- Show me the funny http://bit.ly/zHb9s via @addthis #hossanleongshow #
- Aftershocks felt on Beach Road. #
- RT @gssq: Tremors again! So fun! I'm leaving before I get a headache #
- Is ok, we'll read about it tonight on CNA. RT @cruzteng: Was there a quake again? Or was it my imagination? I'm on Level 6, Radio Bldg. #
- google #fail #googlewave RT @yjsoon: i got my google wave invite… in my spam box on gmail. errrm. #
- Hail Red China! Your Sons & Daughters Labor in our Convenience Stores & Food Courts for the Glory of your Socialist People's Republic! #
- Off to theatre in a bit. It's Opening Night! #hossanleongshow #
- Thank you everyone who watched on preview night! You were awesome! #
- ST commenter: "I think the real imbecile is the botak who expect others to stay open just for him!" http://bit.ly/m4s5v #
- The Hossan Leong Show Top 10 Lists: http://bit.ly/3RBqld #
- OMG traffic. Please clear a path to the Drama Centre! #
- WTF $3 ERP! #
- Want to encourage reading, arts etc., then turn off the blardy ERP leading to National Library and Drama Centre! $3?! Fark! #
- In theatre. Half hour call. #
- RIO #
- Oooh when my baby when my baby smiles at me I go to RIO… de Janeiro #
- Oh me oh my oh Rio! Rio de Janeiro! #
- My blackberry's address book corrupted. Can't add or delete or sync. Only 2 addresses displayed but options show 1200 contacts. #
- The Handburger lunch before matinee show. #hossanleongshow http://pic.gd/ec47b5 #
- 2 Americans next to us complaining non stop about SMU faculty. Don't like to work there then quit lah! Nabeh, sianz man the two of you. #
- Ok update: one of them quit liao. Quit liao don't complain lah! #
- RT @hossanleong: The Hossan Leong Show CD out now, distributed by Warner Music, in good CD shops! #
- Waiting for my seat allocation. #hossanleongshow #
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Sep
27
- "And that's what you lesbians are missing out on" RT @patlaw: Never seen anything that big before. #
- Testing twitterberry! #
- Buying stuff at a surprisingly busy Novena Square #
- Omg I think I'm gonna get a blister on my thumb #
- RT @ladyironchef: Oh My God! foie gras macaron http://bit.ly/KEGEG #
- The new Tweetdeck rocks! #
- RT: @victortan I like tat ans! RT @preetamrai: #snwf person asks if am I a broadcaster. I reply I hv a YouTube channel. #
- Is on ubertwitter http://myloc.me/IXJK #
- Taking Taiwanese mother-in-law to Din Tai Fung. Bracing for backlash. #
- Mac Portable gets a 20th anniversary vivisection http://viigo.im/0XwA #
- We survived dinner with just one comment on how one dish is not Taiwanese. She blamed the Singapore palate for pressuring the restaurant. #
- Kai has his thumb to soothe him to bed. I have my Blackberry Bold. #
- RT @nanyate: IE6, please die already. You're like that village hag that has overstayed her welcome. #
- F1 drivers should be made to drive through the traffic chaos the event causes. Great lead up event. #
- Arrrrgh traffic! Damn you Formula 1! #
- RE: Good luck! And have fun at camp! http://disq.us/d9o3 #
- Here we are complaining about a slight haze. RT @torvaanser: 1st pictures of the Sydney Sandstorm http://is.gd/3BqcN #
- I think the Sydney sandstorm blew into Singapore: http://bit.ly/1vyexG #
- Instead of having floodlights to make the F1 race look like day, why not have the race in the day to save electricity? #
- RT @gurms: One of the tips on the "help prevent the spread of h1n1 on public transport" poster is 'avoid taking public transport'. #
- Arrrrrgh F1 traffic! http://pic.gd/a3548 #
- FB RT: Lindsay Lohan is in da house! #
- Rain arrives for F1 Rocks… so how? Cancel lah? http://skitch.com/t/ssg #
- ''Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is knowing not to put it in a fruit salad.'' – Ireland captain Brian O'Driscoll'' #
- "This year's fashion is preezon stripes, but I can still wear the leopard prince beginee inside" #rislow http://bit.ly/YO2GN #
- RT @msglitzy: wow! I need monee to buy preezon stripes. becuz i oni have bigini and they are all boomz. #
- Bluff! Watching F1! RT @sgtraffic: 09:39 Vehicle breakdown on ECP towards City near Benjamin Sheares Bridge. #
- First right answer wins a pair of tickets to THE HOSSAN LEONG SHOW: Who are Hossan's co-stars in the show? #
- You have just won a pair of tickets to the Hossan Leong Show! RT @niqkelodean: @miyagi chua enlai, celine rosa tan and karen tan? #
- "I support the yellow ribbon project by putting black spots on it so it become leopard prince! Vooms!" #rislow #
- Because it's F1 weekend, I got tyrepac.com to come change mum-in-law's tyres. #
- Orh, I thought F1 cancelled. RT @singapore_news: GP suspended over Subutex http://sn.im/s3wez #
- F1 is such an interesting sport. RT @nadnut: waiting for someone to buang or something. #
- RT @skinnylatte: It transpires that Josie's new boss is TSM's husband! RT @sgnews [CNA] Josie Lau leaves DBS http://snipurl.com/s4syb #
- Via Australia too. RT @angelamay_: American cheese burger in singapore looks surprisingly like Gaines Burgers http://twitpic.com/j6lxd #
- Where's a good mall to go to with lotsa baby shops? #
- Thanks for suggestions. We're at Paragon now. http://pic.gd/a7d78 #
- the 'chicken dance song' is 'the duck dance song' in french. #
- RT @joannchance: who will bring spanner and hammer to F1 race…..the list of prohibited things lists make me laugh *LOL* #
- If you're not interested in the race, tonight's a good night to go to that popular restaurant that's always fully booked. #
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Sep
23
Back when I was in full time NS, the cleaning of weapons was a mundane, time-consuming, daily chore. Between the 7 troopers in a combat section, we’d have around seven small arms (M16S1), couple of grenade launchers (M203), couple of light automatics (Ultimax100), two GPMGs, and a heavy machine gun (Browning .5 HMG).
Carbon residue would get stuck in the crevices and barrels of the weapons, which is the real reason why we were really really reluctant to fire our weapons during training. Of course, this was marketed as ‘ammunition conservation discipline’.
Every day when we were in camp, we’d be cleaning our weapons. When we were in the field, we’d clean our weapons. Nothing to do? Clean weapons. If there were to be a war, it’d have to have been put on hold because we were cleaning our weapons.
One of the hardest, and somehow most satisfying part of cleaning a weapon was the barrel pull through. This entailed putting a folded piece of flannelette (variously mispronounced as flannel-lite, fannelite and fantalite) in the eye of the pull through rod, and pulling the rod through the barrel of the weapon.
The thicker the flannelette, the more carbon residue it extracted. But the thicker the folded piece of flannelette, the harder it was to pull the entire thing through. Sometimes, you had to recruit your buddy to help hold your weapon while you pulled the rod through.
Four or five pulls, then another one with a new piece of flannelette usually did the trick, but not without a considerable amount of elbow grease.
Then one day, a platoon mate came to camp with a can of WD-40. He said it would work wonders with the weapons cleaning. Of course, we tried it. It worked. It cut down cleaning time by about 10 million years. We were free.
Queues at the canteen and payphones became longer. We spent more time and money on snacks, cigarettes and contact with the outside world. It was obvious that the fragile fabric of soldierly cohesion and solidarity was being threatened.
They banned the use of WD-40 in weapons cleaning. They then spread such disinformation as “WD-40 will cause barrel explosions and blow your pretty face off when you fire the weapon. Your buddy standing nearby will get it too”. Of course, that didn’t work, because one or two foolhardy troopers went ahead to try it, risking life, limb and the pretty face of their buddy standing nearby, firing their weapons uninhibitedly, knowing that they’d either die or have a lot of free time on their hands because they never had to spend so much time cleaning any more.
I had my car radio tuned to the BBC World Service yesterday morning, and listened to the most interesting story about WD-40, and how it evolved from a rocket scientist’s solution against missile corrosion, into one of the world’s most ubiquitous brands, but at the same time remaining unchanged as a product that always delivered beyond expectations.
I did not know that 20 years ago. Now I do.
Sep
22
I’m blogging in bed using my brand new Blackberry Bold.
It’s slow going cos I’m sleepy, so it’s a case of smartphone dumbuser.
It also doesn’t help that the Blackberry Internet Service isn’t activated yet.
Apparently it takes 2 to 3 working days on Starhub. It would’ve sucked a lot more if not for the pleasant surprise I got from the Starhub shop representative who whittled down the cash committment to just $88.
Even without the internet service, (I’m on wifi) I’ve already blistered my thumb from using the trackball.
Ok that’s it.
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