Tibet

I have picked up this leaflet from a vegetablian food store. Its content said like these.

"the goal is autonomy not independence www.dalailama.com be anti-violence not anti-China :Respond to anger with patience and compassion inspire yourself: Read up on Gandhi and Martin Luther King from ordinary to extraordinary : Write to your President, United Nations Commission for Human Rights and your local embassies to press for dialogue, genuine autonomy & transparency compassion in action: Dialogue with any company that trades with China to insist on human rights small action big result : Support email campaigns and petitions. www.avaaz.com be the change you wish to see in the world : Peace starts with just one person. Dedicate one hour a month to stand up for Tibet until Tibet is autonomous keys to happiness : Practice the 16 Guidelines for a Happy and Meaningful life. www.16guidelines.com do something positive : Dedicate 10 minutes daily to world peace remember you vitamins : Recite the Sutra of Golden Light for world peace www.sutraofgoldenlight.org accountability plan : 'Every individual has a responsibility to help guide our global family in the right direction : - H.H. The Dalai Lama take action now : Start your own non-violent "Stand up for Tibet" campaign. Tell us about it at info@standupfortibet.org"

Frankly, the moment we pick up the paper, my friend and I are wondering, what is the difference between autonomy and independence. We guess independence means "no government", autonomy means still has "government". Any way, we are very poor in the history, we don't know what is the history between the Tibet and the China, just like we still don't quite know what is the story about the World War I and World War II.

We are more concern about the cyclone victims in Burma. No matter what we still think that Olympic Game should not be disturbed. It is Sport after all.

Reading Habit

Look at this family! The moment this family on board this MRT, after setting down on the seat, without second thought every one of them took out their book and read in the MRT. You see them so engross in their reading. Their big sister even standing without the seat also read.

I was seating just next to their parents. I heard the father discuss or highlighted some points from the bible enrichment book with the mother. They didn't waste any time in the MRT. Reading is so natural to them.

Nail Studio

Last Saturday, my friend has an grand opening of her Nail Studio at People's Park Complex, on 3rd Floor above the hawker centre. I think this hawker center has just gone through the renovation work. This place used to be the shopping center of the older generation. After the renovation, this place looks very promising to be the next shopping location for the younster like Far East Plaza, and the Bugis Village. The addition of the escalator and the location is above the MRT station, made this place seems has very bright future though not many people has known about this "new" place yet partly also because the exterior wall has not changed.

There is lion dance and buffet lunch for more than 30 relatives and friends. My friend took over this place from a lady who successfully tender the 2 units, got the place and after the renovation, then got pregnant and then realised that she was not capable to run the studio because she could not stand the smell of the Acrylic nail.

Their friends not only sent them flowers, they came for the service and at the same time buy the package from them, very supportive. Their social network is very good.

This place got very high ceiling. My friend install a beautiful crystalised lighting. They also installed 2 aircon, I think the monthly electricity will be very high. The nail dryer is about 300W, it is not 50W like fan! The total area of this place is about 400 sq ft. This shop renting from HDB direct does not mean cheap rent. It is about the same price as you rent a shop at Lucky Plaze in Orchard Road. I believed my entrepreuner friend are able to do a prosperous business here.

I like this picture that adhered to the front door. The tip of the nail is the design of the US dollars, very creative.

Very simple painting and lighting, without any blockage and the black and white setting made this place very cosy.

The 2 tables for the nail station. They install an computer there so that they can serving the net while in the shop. This computer keep the children present there from their bordom. The pictures at the wall were specially ordered from OPI from the States, cost S$28/each.
The entrance and the cashier counter. Behind the counter are four seats for the Padicure and Manicure. This place has no water output in the unit. They overcome the problem by getting a mobile barrel like the picture below and a big container that contain all the waste water, very brilliant.

Behind this wall is the small storage place to put the staff handbags, water supplies, tea preparation area. The colour scheme and the 风水 (the feng shui) was follow the advice of their paster from the Thai temple. Their paster came to pray for them that evening.

How to install and type Chinese characters (Window XP)

我总于可以电 脑打字了。

Thanks to the Geylang Methodist Primary School. The school just started using computer learning at home scheme, so they give their student a step by step installation guide so that the students able to key in the Chinese character for the chinese assisgnment. I have been trying to type Chinese character using computer but don't know how to fix it for many many years. Now then I see how (Really never take things for granted). I really appreciate the effort of the teacher. The setting is as follow.

1. Go to Control Panel
2. Regional and Language Options
3. Click : Language
4. Tick : Install Files for East Asian Languages to install the Chinese files.
5. After step 4, click Details
6. Go to setting, then click Add
7. Input Language : Chinese PRC
8. Keyboard Layout/IME: Microsoft Pinyin IME 2003/Microsoft Pinyin IME 3.0
9. Now you can type Chinese in any software. When you are typing, you can press shift+Alt to switch between English and Chinese. You can also click Language icon below your windows to switch.

How to type faster? (For Microsoft Pinyin IME 3.0 only)
1. Open Microsoft Word
2. Use your mouse points to the Language icon
3. Right click open the menu and choose Restore the language bar
4. Switch to Chinese PRC
5. Go to Context menu, then Properties
6. Tick Prompt Step by Step, incomplete input, Fussy input. Then click OK.

Noble price nomination for this giant fan?

First time I ever seen such a giant fan! This fan is installed inside the Bugis Village, at the centre of the mall. The length of each leaf at least 3m long. It helps to circulate the air inside this congested mall. You feel cool when you are inside the mall in the dame hot day. I believed the electricity consumption of this fan is a lot cheaper than the air conditioning. The fan allows the open concept of the mall. If it is air conditioning the whole place, the mall has to be closed up. So, I feel strongly that the designer of this gaint fan should be awarded some kind of innovative award. The team should be commanded and rewarded. Great design! Hope to see more of the creative design!





This is the packaging design from Japan. Japanese always take great pain to design their packaging. Look at this box, it has the shape of peanut, it is actually the biscuit inside wrap with red bean paste. The biscuit is the design of giant peanut. It is great to be a gift when you return from Japan.

Blue Collar

Today I talked to an aunty whom come for foot reflexology, I noticed she got a tough muscle, she said she works as freelance house keeper. She has about 13 clients, she don't have to do any advertisement, as she is a responsible house keeper, their existing clients just refer her to another house. She works 5 days week, from morning 9 am to evening 5pm, she average working 3 hours in one house, they give her S$50/- for the 3 hours work. She cleans the house, washes the cloths, irons the cloths........... some times her client will ask her to clean the fish tank, and pay her another S$50/-. She average go 2 to 3 houses a day. Imagine if she goes 2 houses, she will get paid S$100/-, if she works for 3 houses, she will be paid for S$150/-. She is capable of earning S$2000-S$3000/per month. Although it is an hard work, she is better off than many white collar workers.

I met another freelance Lock Smiths. I asked him to change the locks for my Aluminium door, for less than 1 hour job, I pay him S$75/- including material cost and the installation cost. He seems receiving many calls for his services. I won't be surprised if he made S$3000/- per month. He probably has to drive a car or ride a motorbike for the house to house call islandwide.

I know of one handicapped mouth painter. He was paralysised due to car accident in 1992. The doctor cut the nerve connection so that he won't feel the pain. He used to be working with a oil plantation, he learned mouth painting after he recovered from his accident. He enaged a trained nurse from Philiphine to look after him, I think this nurse has now become his wife now. They come to Lucky Plaza for Indonesian food quite often. That shows they are quite ok financially.

What I want to say is people who fail in acadamic acheivement doesn't mean it's the end of the road. They can make a decent earning as long as they are willing to learn and be hardworking. Poverty is not possible if you possess the quality of continuous learning and working deligently.