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.