Have you bought new shoes for new year?

Is it a tradition to wear new clothes and shoes when a new year arrives? I wonder if partly it is due to technology and quality of these products in the old days cannot last too long. Thus, is there still a need to buy new shoes each year?

Recently, I commented at a blog about this issue. Would you buy a pair of shoes at $40 each year because you want/need a new shoe each year? Or would you buy a pair of shoes at $150 that is very likely to last you at least 4 years?

Ultimately it is not about money

Recently I've been reading about financial planning. I am not a book person, instead of books, I read about some blogs whose authors describe their journey of growing wealth. Learn a lot from these readings.

An important concept in financial planning is deciding between wants and needs. Even though this is subjective, most if not all understand that money is not everything. A purpose of growing one's wealth is to have good life, not to have huge numbers to describe how wealthy one is. Thus, it is unwise to go too much towards one extreme where one minimized his wants, and even needs.

I think there are important things that shouldn't wait. I think many people in Singapore waiting for a new HDB flat for starting family is a terrible

Is this the only PC shop in Toa Payoh?

I would like to make some good comments about a newly opened computer shop in Toa Payoh Central, Ability Computer Accessories.

My 5 year old computer had been very slow for years and failing to boot up frequently. Two weeks ago it became so bad that not even the first beep sound is heard. Finally, last week, guessing that it could be the PSU faulty, and I happened to walk past this newly opened computer shop, I bought a PSU from the shop

Legal vs safeness

The title of the news report, More cyclists caught riding illegally on footways focused on legality, while the contents, "accidents with pedestrians can result in serious injuries" highlighted safety concerns.

Strictly speaking, accidents with pedestrians are not only caused by bicycles on footpaths. Seriousness in an accident largely depends on the momentum, which is product of velocity and mass. Thus, any heavy enough fast moving object can cause serious accidents. Thus, even a teenager running fast enough may injure someone and him/herself seriously. Nevertheless, bicycles are heavier and able to travel faster than humans, although not necessarily.

On the other hand

Merry Christmas!

To all who celebrates Christmas. Yes, Merry Christmas!

Now, please stop reading as the rest will likely make your Christmas less merry.

Bidding for charity

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Bidazzled. All opinions are 100% mine.

Bidazzled seems quite successful from what I see at their site just now. A number of bidders were actively fighting for a 50bids pack at $50 during the last few seconds. In the final minutes of the bidding, the bid price went from about $27 to close at $32.50!

I like its idea that bids are limited. They sell bids. Why do people buy the bids? Other than to bid and buy things at cheaper than retail price, I think it is also for the fun of it, as the phrase on the website says: "entertainment auctions".

What's more attractive to me is that, accordingly, they started off to fund a lung cancer charity (see below). Currently, there is also a promotion until January 15th. I'd like to join once they allow non-US addresses on the sign up page. More information:

My cycling in Singapore experiences - defensive cycling

Trying to restart my blogging on cycling. Recently Jeanette at The Straits Times Blogs mentioned in her article Two wheels for a change that she started riding bicycle to reduce her use of cars. Among the comments, someone displayed unhappiness worrying that her promoting of cycling on road is irresponsible. However, ironically, studies show that the more cyclists, the safer each will be (see More cyclists means fewer accidents, says report, A Virtuous Cycle: Safety In Numbers For Bicycle Riders and my earlier post).

That will take times. Meanwhile, cyclists should put their own safety at very high priority. Here, let me share about some of my thoughts on defensive cycling.

Firstly, my definition of defensive cycling is a way of cycling to achieve

Cheap, fast and also with other advantages

This is a good option to commute:
I like the Strida folding bike except the price :(

Another alternative, cheaper but less flexible way is to own two cheap bicycles to be used at the two ends of your Bus/MRT route.

Would you like to vote?

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Syndacast. All opinions are 100% mine.

Nowadays, there are many things to vote for, especially in Facebook. Now, Carlsberg would like to invite people to vote for Mike's Wishes to come true this New Year, in Carlsberg Wish in a Bottle campaign.

Who is Mike? You can watch "his" short video to learn more about him and his wishes. I noticed that in the comments some are doubting how real is this, which I would be wondering too. I think it is real since Carlsberg is willing to sponsor this blog post, and I hope my blog post is good enough :P

If you don't have a Facebook account, unlikely though, or you prefer not to use it to vote, you may also vote by SMS (not sure does it cost): Send Carlsberg Name NRIC Wish Number to 78111
Example

Vehicles in the eyes of toddlers

A friend's son favorite toys are heavy plants such as bulldozer, huge trucks, and etc. I was wondering why these things attract the boy attention. My own son is also very interested to know about these and different vehicles. At 1+ year, he could identify taxi, bus, van, lorry, concrete mixer, bicycle, etc. I has been wondering why too.

Another related question I have is why characters in children stories are usually animals, and wrongly suggest that they talk like human?

This morning, I thought of a possible reason

Let's see

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Incendia Health. All opinions are 100% mine.

Here, I mean using eyes to see things literally. Yet, in modern days, many don't have good eyesight. However, personally, I don't think modern humans have poorer eyesight, but rather ancient humans doesn't need as good eyesight as in this modern age. Most natural things don't have sharp edges, or it is not important to identify sharp edges. In this modern world, most of the things we see are man made and not able to see these things in clear form affects our life quality.

But ... , hasn't we already solve this problem for centuries with spectacles and more recently, with contact lenses? Yes, but now we have got something even better. Check out the iLASIK Video Contest videos about how better vision could improve — or has improved — people’s lives. It is a contest by Abbott Medical Optics Inc. (AMO), a global leader in laser vision correction. I like the video "Mommy, kids, and glasses..." by MommyInGlasses. I too had similar episodes of my son snatching my glasses away, and also a broken one recently.

If you have your stories to tell, the contest is still open for more entries, so visit the site and submit one. The prizes are attractive! You may win the Grand Prize = $5,000, one of the First Prize = HDTV package ($2,500), or one of the Second Prize = The Flip UltraHD™ camcorder ($199.99).

KPI

Recently I have some thoughts about KPI. KPI is a quantifiable measure to reflect progress. To progress is the real objective. To have a nice KPI is not. If there is progress but KPI doesn't reflect, the KPI needs to be tuned or changed. On the other hand, if there is no progress or even regress but KPI suggests progress, then more important to correct the KPI.

However, very often, attaining a nice KPI became ...
the objective instead, while the real objective was forgotten. I am seeing this happening all over the places, in different fields, from education (test/exams), management, and etc. Here, lets just look at fever.

Fever in itself is not bad.

The so called western medicine is also termed as evidence based medicine. It has its strength as drugs are tested. The problem is the limitation of tests. Usually, they are targeted at a single symptom. Furthermore, may even only based on one or very limited quantitative measures of the symptom. A typical example is body temperature. As time passes, the measure is being seen as the problem. Instead of focusing on restoring health, it became focusing on restoring these measurements.

By the way, 37 degree Celcius, the so called normal body temperature is actually the average temperature. Each individual probably has his/her own normal body temperature.

How can it be that easy, to abandon babies?

Just learnt about a the shelter for babies in Singapore, Sanctuary House, which was set up since 2005 in this news. Their "business" has grown, sadly.

Not that I don't pity these abandoned babies, but adopting them is not the way.

Ideally, the parents must ... still be fully, or as much as they could to be responsible for them. Yes, the abandoned ones should be taken care of, but I think it is very unwise to directly or indirectly excuse their parents of their responsibilities.

Shouldn't it be considered a crime for one to not want to raise his/her children? Thus, they should be tracked down, and made to be responsible as much as possible. Similar to bankruptcy, but more than it, at the very minimal, a portion of their income/assets must be given to the child indefinitely.

In addition, since a child is related by lineage to his family members and relatives, as long as can track down any of them, they also be somehow made to bare the financial burden. The objective here is not so much as to reduce number of abandoned, but to make everyone aware of the consequence of irresponsible (aka extra-marrital) sex.

The above is really at the bare minimum because financial is just one of the many aspects in raising up children.

Thus, think about it, at present the society/nation/community is baring the burden, i.e. all of us are bearing such increasing burden. If people are concern enough to tell people off because they let kids step on MRT seats, then shouldn't we be more concern to scold [young] people who gets too intimate, regardless in public or in private.

My LG Washer/Dryer

See my earlier post for background info.

A quick update. A year has passed as I was reminded of it by the last installment. The washer dryer is ... still working in good condition, although usage rate was relatively low at about once to twice per week. Thus, I am happy with it.

Also, a check at Harvey Norman and it is still selling at the same price as they rotate the way it is promoted over the year. Now, it is selling at S$1599 with S$600 HN voucher, thus it is the "same" as S$999 IF one also need to buy something more than S$600 from them.

Saving Cyclists' Life Worldwide

The Road Guardian purpose:

to save lives by helping cyclists avoid risky roadways. There are a lot of wonderful roads to ride around the world and there are some roads that cyclists should avoid because they have problems, danger points, and troublesome histories as experienced by cyclists. This site offers cyclists a process for reporting, marking and sharing those danger points. This information will help cyclists plan their routes for safe experiences. And what's equally exciting is that by making cycling safer for existing cyclists we make cycling more attractive to non-cyclists. When non-cyclists become cyclists they increase the numbers of cyclists on the road and this makes it even safer for all cyclists… just think about what that means.

Education as a science

Do you agree that education is a science? I think so. Then, I think a problem in education of arts subject is the difficulty in finding people who are good in arts yet can also master the science of education.

I was lucky ... to have a British English teacher who likes computer programming during my sec 3 and 4. I always feel that those were the 2 years where I learnt more than 90% of my English, although my English is still quite bad.

Thus, I think it is not a good idea to just find people who are good in a arts subject to teach the subject because typically, when someone is good in arts, he/she is usually quite bad in science.

Friday, 28th August 2009: Critical Mass - An Intro, Crawlspace, Singapore

Friday, 28th August 2009: Critical Mass - An Intro, Crawlspace, Singapore

Posted using ShareThis

Time to change my phone

Is there only one ang mo girl in Singapore? No. But there is this AngMoGirl that I follow in twitter, and now I find her in Omnia II Blog ErVolution - Do the Write Thing. She is one of the contestants. The others are ... Yutaki, Fauzi, Ms Glitzy and Alton.

This is a contest held for the launch of Sumsung Omnia II touch screen phone.

I have been a Nokia user since the era of 3810, and also somehow reluctant to try out touch screen phone. However, it seems the day is near for me to change to a touch screen. It is also about time as my current N80ie is about time to retire.

Actually, my colleague recommended Samsung to me just a few days ago, and now I stumbled on to this sponsored opportunity by Samsung. The chance is higher now for me to seriously consider switching phone, brand, style, and OS. In other words, I need to overcome my reluctant to switch to a different brand, style and OS.

Let see... I should like to have things like Windows Mobile ® 6.1 Professional OS; Camera Shot Modes like Face Detection, Smile shot, Panorama shot, Action shot, Mosaic shot, WDR, Anti-Shake; FM Radio Recording.

Bike Week UK

What a coincidence, Bike Week UK starts tomorrow, and I just stumbled on to this information after I have placed my 2nd order (first order failed due to security measures of PayPal) for a folding bike to ride around during my 3 week (left 2) stay in Manchester.

I wish can I can participate somehow.

A good gesture might not be that good

In the news about an accident, Highway chaos, death, after man runs across PIE, the man who ran across the expressway was hit by another car which flung him into another lane. The driver on this lane slowed down to avoid hitting him, but the motorcycle behind him bumped his car and the motorcyclist ended up being struck by A lorry.

I wonder, if he couldn't slow down in time or fast enough, the motorcycle behind him might not suffer.

Just yesterday, while walking on the pavement, sound of bicycle bell came from behind. I knew a cyclists is "shouting" to me with his bell, telling me to quickly move aside for him to pass. As usual, I did not ... bother. I am a cyclist myself, and I trust his skills to be able to avoid me. I also know that if he slightly hit me, then he would be at fault and might fall down, while I probably would suffer little pain.

Why am I so "bad"? This is my logic. The more people giving way to such cyclists, the more they would expect everyone should do so. Now, what if one day, such a cyclist was ringing his bell hard and loud, but the person in front is not able to give way? For e.g., he might be deaf, just had a leg cramp, feeling dizzy, etc.

Or, like the PIE accident, this habit may one day caused someone innocent misfortune when I suddenly move sidewards to give way, accidentally pushing him on to the road, potentially being knocked by cars on the road.

前车之鉴

The last sentence in What same-sex "marriage" has done to Massachusetts says:

To the rest of America: You've been forewarned.

I feel strongly that it should be: ...

To the rest of the world: You've been forewarned.

AZ vs SG, F vs C

A real estate company selling homes in Scottsdale says it is 80 degrees in AZ? Wow!! 30 degrees in SG is already very hot!

Of course, there must be some mistakes here ... . AZ refers to Arizona in US, while SG here refers to Singapore. Thus, different common scales used for temperatures.

Nevertheless, after few trips to some cold places, I have come to appreciate the convenient of warm/hot weather. For example, we don't need Resort Styled HEATED Pool here. Also, I can ride my bicycle here in simple T-shirt and shorts all year round less a few days with downpour.

Post Sponsored by Scottsdale Fine Properties.

Again, is God religious?

From the Etymology of Religion,

The ultimate origins of Latin religio are obscure. It is usually accepted to derive from ligare "bind, connect"; likely from a prefixed re-ligare, i.e. re (again) + ligare or "to reconnect." This interpretation is favoured by modern scholars such as Tom Harpur and Joseph Campbell, but was made prominent by St. Augustine, following the interpretation of Lactantius.

I would say ... , yes. God want to re-bind, re-connect with His children and creation.

Then, I would like to be religious too.

Is God religious?

Some definitions found by searching "define:religious" in Google are:

• concerned with sacred matters or religion or the church
• having or showing belief in and reverence for a deity
• of or relating to clergy bound by monastic vows
• a member of a religious order who is bound by vows of poverty and chastity and obedience
• extremely scrupulous and conscientious

Thus, God is ... not religious because:

• He is above sacred matters or religion or the church
• He don't need to have or show belief in and reverence for a deity
• He is above clergy bound by monastic vows
• He is not a member of a religious order who is bound by vows of poverty and chastity and obedience
• What we consider extremely scrupulous and conscientious should be norm to Him

Finding safe products for mother to be

Do you find it difficult to find suitable products for pregnant women? Most products that are not targeted at pregnant women typically advise against being used by pregnant women. Why is this so? I have a guess ... .

In this era of evidence-based medicine, the need for evidence is a necessity. Researchers conduct scientific studies to gather data and hopefully can arrive at statistically significant results. When a product is not targeted at pregnant women, they would not want to take extra risk to test it on pregnant women. Therefore, no data, so there is no evidence. It is also quite difficult to get pregnant women to volunteer to be their "guinea pig".

Beaute de Maman aims to provide health & beauty products that have been extensively studied and evaluated, allergy and obstetrician tested.

Furthermore, in order to ensure the safety of both mother-to-be and fetus, Beaute de Maman utilizes only natural and herbal ingredients, and develop products by a board-certified obstetrician to treat problems specifically related to the physiological and hormonal changes experienced by women during pregnancy.

They are offering free shipping with $25 purchase on domestic orders. You may
order now online.

I feel the need to mention that, I did not use it (obviously!), and neither did my wife.

Wasting precious lunch time

I have been quite used to eating alone to the extend that I wonder why people need to eat together? I noticed that it is quite inconvenient to do so, especially ... in a crowded food court.

Looking for a cluster of 2 or more seats is much more difficult than to look for a single seat.

When found, at least one person may need to be there to prevent others from sitting there, until someone returns with his lunch. Then, some will sit there to wait to start eating together. Or, sometimes, by the time the last person returns, the others have finished eating.

Thus, many must have felt that by "chope-ing" seats using tissue is a good solution so that none in their group need to watch over the empty seats. However, this method is controversial.

In computer science, one thing we learn is that there is a trade-off between speed and space. We can save time by using more space, or save space by using more time.

The first method above is stupid because it is a waste of time and space. The second method is better as it trade-off space for time. However, this is from the particular group of eaters stand point. From the stand point of all eaters, it is still a waste of time and space!

Thus, I propose to all, if the place is crowded, don't waste time and space trying to eat together. Just queue up, buy food, sit down and eat, and hopefully, some of you still can sit next to each other.

If really want to eat together, then don't go to a crowded place.

Stand and Stop

The LTA clarifies in Today Voices yesterday:

Taxi Stands — where taxis are permitted to stop and wait for passengers, and Taxi Stops — where taxis are only permitted to stop to pick up or drop off passengers without waiting.

Anyone want to suggest better way to name them?

Dedicated?

A strange photo for an article titled "Dedicated cycling paths".

Which is the cycling path? The one on the right according to the painted bicycle symbol on it, or the one on the left since a cyclist is riding on it? Legally, it is the right one, but practically, it seems to be the left one.

My first impression on looking at the photo is that the cycling path look like an obstacle course. How is it called a "dedicated" cycling path?

Can help spreading these trivial knowledge?

I believe in reading the manuals before using an equipment so we can use it properly. However, manuals for many public devices seem unavailable. While most people can use them properly without reading any manuals since their design and the way to use it should be straight forward. Still, there are people who just couldn't figure it out.

Just two examples here but I hope to add to it when more come to mind.

• Lift button ... .

  In the old days, there is only one button outside the lift. Thus, you just need to press it. Since decades ago, newer lifts would have two buttons, one for up and one for down. Thus, the question: Do we press the "up" button to ask the lift to come up, or do we press the "up" button to tell the lift that we want to go up?

  Those who don't think that the lift is so smart to know what to do by telling them where we want to go would think the former. Also, since later we still need to tell the lift which floor we want to go, it seems to be the former.

  No! We press "up" to tell the lift that we want to go up so that if the lift is on the way down, it would avoid wasting time and energy to stop to take us down and then up later.

• Traffic light.

  At many traffic light pedestrian crossing facilities, there is a button. Many people ignore it because there is no immediate effect, or the effect is unfelt, or in some places it is spoilt. Yes, on busy streets during peak hours, you will still need to wait after pressing. Also, some time without you pressing, the green man still lights up for crossing probably because someone else at another corner has pressed it or it is be default pressed during those time.

  However, I am quite confident that in Singapore, most are working and you should to press if you want to cross the road legally. Thus, if nobody press, the red man will remain.

Solar = environmental friendly?

I read about some solar powered bicycles here. When compared to most other energy source, solar is very green and safe. However, here we are comparing it with ... something even more natural -- food derived energy. Instead of just ride a bicycle, why manufacture additional parts that eventually will become rubbish.

No excuse

For people who are still open to cycling to work, don't let these excuses (page 18) stop you from doing so.

Think, what can you sell online?

For US$1, you can buy something homemade...
For US$1, you can buy some homemade jewelry...
For US$1, you can buy homemade jewelry cleaner...
For US$1, you can buy ... Homemade jewelry cleaner solution!

No, it is not a liquid solution because it can be downloaded. You can buy the "rights" to download the solution :)

Post Sponsored by Archmaille Designs.

Poor smokers

They are under bombardment. Increasing price/tax, uglier packaging, more non-smoking areas, etc. However, without similar efforts to encourage them to quit smoking, they end up smoking more in new places.

I noticed more of them are smoking while ... walking. By the logic why many places disallow smoking, when walking behind someone smoking along a narrow walkway, especially one with shelter, it is difficult to escape from the second hand smokes.

Recently, there is also second smokes in my bedroom late at night. Very likely it is from some smoker neighbor one or two floors down who smoke heavily.

Can we enforce smoker to use a filter, both for the exhale and the cigarette? Or wear a mask?

I most dislike are those who holds a lighted cigarette but not smoking it. This is pure pollution to environment, burning of money, and irritation to non-smokers.

A bit late when we see symptoms on skin

Ironically, the 7 Cream with Manuka Honey description starts with:

The develpoment of 7 Cream may seem like something of a contradiction because I have stressed many times on this site that the healing of skin conditions has to come from within.

I agree. What we see on the skin is similar to ... the iceberg we see on the surface of the ocean. However, as the site name is Natural-Skin-Health.com, it is worthwhile to make a visit there.

Post Sponsored by Natural-Skin-Health.com

There are many more side effects

To all cyclists, potential cyclists and non-cyclists out there, read this ... : Warning! Riding a Bicycle Can Have the Following Side Effects.

Another "bay"

Acobay is a brand new and unique social network site. Another idea of networking. Just share your stuffs. List something you know in its categories. I have shared this blog there.

This is what the sharing site says about itself ... :

At Acobay, people share their "stuff" and get connected with each other by the cars they drive, places they visited, movies they love, games they play, and so on. Then they can interact with people of same interest (by a real meaning!) and get personalized recommendation.

Acobay concept is original, and innovative.

Post Sponsored by acobay.

Look at the smaller numbers

Quoting from the article, Aborting Abortion by Sangeetha Nadarajan.

In 2006, one out of four, or 12,000 babies were aborted. What is more disturbing is that these terminations of pregnancies were not mostly limited to teenagers or unmarried women. A study by the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of the National University of Singapore in 2002 reported that up to 75 per cent of women who went for abortions were married.

The disturbing points are ... :

1. One out of four, or 25% of babies were aborted. What should have been a near 0% is now 25%!
2. Up to 75% were married implies at least 25% were not married. What should have been very near 0% is now more than 25%!
3. I wonder, of the 75% married women abortions, are there any, or how many of the aborted babies were not by their husband's.

My cycling in Singapore experiences - more rides, better rides

The study by researchers at the University of New South Wales mentioned in the report, Bike Accidents Decline As Ridership Rises found that the number of collisions decreases as the number of bicycles in traffic increases.

I think it is true. I have not been riding longer distances for some time. Yesterday, I rode from Toa Payoh to BioPolis in the morning and return in the evening. At 6+ p.m., traffic was heavy along Buona Vista, Holland Road and initial portion of Farrer Road. I find the drivers are quite ... friendly to me.

In one particular case, I was riding next to the rear wheels of a car that is moving slowly. I was wondering why it is moving slowly until I noticed a petrol kiosk ahead and its left signal lights were blinking. I think he was waiting for me to pass before making reaching the entrance of the kiosk so that a potential left hook can be avoided.

On the other hand, may be more rides alone is insufficient to improve the situation. Back in Toa Payoh, the situation is not as good. I think probably the type of cyclists are different. I saw a researcher leaving on his bicycle from BioPolis with a helmet on. The cyclists around that area are probably more serious and follow traffic rules. Whereas in HDB town area, most cyclists are not serious and ignore traffic rules.

I wonder, if wearing a helmet can induce some respects and lead to better behaviors and attitude from drivers towards cyclists, then it is worth wearing a helmet. Otherwise, if wearing a helmet give you the [false] sense of safety, then you have an illusion.

We know SwissKnife, now we have SwissBike.

Finally, full-size bikes, with full-size performance bike that can be folded is here! I first read about it at Drive and Cycle: An innovative concept for commuting.

SMRT and LTA, please ... increase the allowable size to encourage more people to use these bikes! Anyway, users can always put it into the bag and carry it on to the trains :)

Good news! I saw Singapore flag in the International Dealers page and it links to digiNEXX.

PS: This is NOT a sponsored post.

How Islam can contribute to world peace?

This blog also supports GPF Indonesia 2009. Indonesia unveils program for peace.

What is screen + connectivity?

I don't want a TV at home. My desktop computer serves not only as its obvious role as my computer, it also serves as my TV, radio, CD/DVD player, and a kind of digital photo "frame". It is easy to configure the screen saver to randomly display photos in your hard disk. However, the booting up of computer system is much slower than most of these devices, and to use a computer for any one or two of the purposes above is overkill. I have my computer on almost 24/7 but this is not environment friendly. Especially unsuitable for the purpose of being a Digital Photo Frame, as I believe ... the display unit is still one of the high power-consuming devices.

I have noticed digital photo frames used in shops to display their products. I believe the benefit of a digital photo frame is quite obvious. I think CEIVA's products are not just digital photo frames, but with its PicturePlan®, it can do more than what normally we think photo frames do.

It can be your photo frame, but need not be showing only your photos because you can allow friends to send you their photos by email directly into your photo frame. This is a multiple input model.

Similarly, you can give your very good friends personal photo frame and send your newly taken photos into these photo frames. This is a multiple output model.

Combining the two we will have multiple input and output model.

My cycling in Singapore experiences - very inexperienced

The first fall listed in the post about my falls while riding on road happened in Changi Village, back in 1990.

I wasn't riding on the road regularly yet. It was just months after getting my driving license but yet to have any chance to drive a car. Thus, my experience regarding traffic and handling of bicycle is quite poor.

At quite a fast speed on a racer, I made a ... last minute decision to turn into the carpark along Telok Paku Road. Then, I noticed a Mercedes on the exit lane near the entrance. I was trying my best to avoid collision, while not willing to brake abruptly. However, I failed. My bike hit the wheel of the car. I was not hurt. However, the cover of the wheel was knocked out. Luckily, the driver spared me from paying for the damages.

That is it for the accident. Below is about the trip, which was my first "long distance" cycling trip from Toa Payoh to Changi Village. I did it without a map. I just go eastward, and followed the MRT.

Somewhere along the way, I heard what sounded like an air rifle firing. Soon, I realized a nail punctured my rear tube. Standing at the road side, not knowing where am I, and of course not knowing where is the nearest bike shop, soon I thought of a good way to find out the answer. Asked cyclists. Within minutes, I stopped the first cyclist passing by for direction to the nearest bike shop.

Next, while following the MRT till after Tanah Merah, when the MRT track turns north but there wasn't a nearby junction for me to turn. A little panic, but eventually managed to make a turn and arrived in Tampines. From there, I found the way to Loyang Avenue, and made my way to Changi Village.

EmailCashPro seems to work for her

This is the second advertisement through EmailCashPro by Nancy Ho on Love Thyself. The first one was on alpha brain waves.

Interesting career she has. Probably most people won't come across such trainings. I wouldn't if not through EmailCashPro.

Thus, I think advertising in EmailCashPro could be working for her.

My cycling in Singapore experiences - ensure safety

Yesterday, as usual, I slowed down to near halt before a zebra crossing, waiting for the approaching vehicle, which had slowed down, to stop. However, the driver, somehow thought that I was ... stopping to let him go first, and drove pass in front of me. He got a fierce stare by me.

Few days ago, I read in a blog someone complaining that a car emergent brake beside him/her only 2 m after riding across the pedestrian crossing on green, and the driver explained that he didn't see him/her. My question to this cyclist, "did you notice the car approaching?"

The rules and right of ways in traffic are guidelines for us to follow, but these in no way serve as protective mechanisms. This applies to all road users.

On a zebra crossing doesn't mean that you are safe. The green man appear doesn't mean that it is safe to cross. The green light appear doesn't mean that cars are safe to move on. etc. These only mean that one is legally right to move, but is it safe or not, PLEASE ASSESS THE SITUATION FIRST!

Ensuring one's and others' safety is each and everyone's responsibility.

The best tool

Many are arguing that sexual abstinence is not the best tool for prevention, especially for those potentially at risk, who are already sexual active. Indeed, it is not the best tool for this purpose. A better tool might be to ... chop/seal off these people sexual organs, for this purpose. Thus, using condoms and practicing safeR (i.e. NOT safe and still risky) sex is also not the best tool.

I suppose either the purpose cannot be so narrow, or there are other considerations. The concern is the spread of STDs, especially HIV/AIDS, by and to everyone. Those who are already sexually active are the minority. Sexual abstinence may not be the best tool for this group of people, and neither is safeR sex, but it is a better tool for the majority not sexually active people. Whereas safeR sex is irrelevant to these people.

Other considerations might include the social aspects. Many studies have shown evidence of the importance of children growing up in a healthy family, which minimal requirement is to have faithful husband and wife. Here, sexual abstinence is supportive of this, while safeR sex outrightly disregards this.