Maximise strengths and minimise weaknesses...

Most of us, the computer users, would usually open and run a few Windows programmes at the same time, especially with relatively huge RAM size now. We maximise some Windows and minimise some others. We will focus and work on the Windows we maximise, and leave the rest minimised to the status bar. They remain there, and they are not closed. They can be maximised anytime we want.

Come to think about it and draw some associations to our lives, we all have strengths and weaknesses. We should maximise the strengths and minimise the weaknesses.

We should actively work on our strengths and help others by highlighting their strengths and encouraging them to do even better in those areas they are good at. At appropriate time, we can deal with our weaknesses and help others to know some of their weaknesses in an encouraging manner. The weaknesses are always there just like the Windows that are minimised. We only maximise them and open them at the right time.

So, to tell others their weaknesses, the mood and timing are critical factors that decide how well the message is being received and interpreted by the receiving party.

Get rid of the acids in our body because they "corrode" our body slowly...

Most people who have read Dr Robert O Young's well-renown book entitled "The pH Miracle" published by AOL/Time Warner would purchase the InnerLight foundation products, i.e. SuperGreens and Prime pH. The products have helped many improve their health conditions.

Over-acidity causes many health problems. Therefore, the most basic solution to the over-acidity problem is to Alkalise and Energise our body beginning with SuperGreens™ & Prime pH!

SuperGreens™ Powder contains a powerful blend of organically-grown grasses, sprouted grains, green vegetables and leaves which infuse the body with more than 125 easily absorbed vitamins, minerals and amino acids. SuperGreens™ are also super concentrated in a 20:1 ratio to immediately go to work eliminating acid wastes from the body.

Prime pH is an oxygen catalyst in the bloodstream. This formulation has been shown to have an alkalizing, neutralizing, oxygenating and pH balancing effect on the body.

Check out the website for more information.

It is our personal responsibility to stay healthy!

We go to a doctor when we are sick. But, why do we fall sick in the first place? To a large extent, most of us do not take proper care of our health, either due to ignorance or indifference. When we visit a doctor, we expect to be treated. The doctor will diagnose our health problem and then prescribe medications to treat the problem. Does the doctor suggest any other alternative treatment? Obviously not.

Even if you ask the doctor about some alternative treatment or natural remedy, the doctor would usually tell you that it is not clinically proven and tested! The fact is that most of the doctors are only trained in western evident medicines, but not the natural remedy and nutritional health.

Does the doctor tell you and show you how to take care of your health so that you become healthy and don't have to visit him anymore in future? At most, he will ask you to do some exercise, It is obviously not his job and not in his own interest to tell you how to stay too healthy or else, he would be out of business! Isn't it true? Therefore, it is our personal responsibility to take care of our own health.

Get ourselves educated on health and nutrition by reading books and articles, eat a balanced diet daily, and if that poses a challenge, take some good natural food supplements to prevent certain diseases. As long as we become more aware of how to keep ourselves healthy amd remain healthy, we will live a life that is happier and more fulfilling.

Take a break from the rat race, traffic jams and long queues...

We are so used to get trapped in a rat race, traffic jams and long queues..... Why not once in a while, lift up your head and look into the sky? You will be surprised to see nice clouds like the ones in the picture. Enjoy watching those clouds that look so pure and so white, as they move! As a boy, I used to look at the moving clouds and let my imaginations run wild, I could see pictures in the sky! It is fun!

The Majestic Theatre, Singapore

The Majestic Theatre is one of the prominent landmarks in Chinatown, located between People's Park Complex and Yue Hwa Department Store.

The Majestic Theatre was built by the rich philanthropist Eu Tong Sen in 1927 as the Tien Yien Moh Toi Theatre for Cantonese operas. Later, it was converted into a cinema for Chinese films and renamed as Queen's Theatre; the name was changed again to Majestic Theatre.

In the early 2000s, the Majestic Theatre was renovated at a cost of S$8 million into a three-storey shopping mall. The conservation building was then renamed The Majestic, and was opened on 17 January 2003.

Check your heart even when you do something that might seem legally right!

Within the laws of the country and the legal framework, most of us would be good citizens in a sense that we do legal things legally. While we might be doing things legally, do we also do things ethically? This is something that is hard to tell from the look of it. It is a matter of the heart! That is why in many professions, there is this thing called Code of Ethics.

For example, when an insurance adviser recommends a certain insurance policy to you, he might be doing it legally, but is he doing it ethically? Is he recommending a policy that is truly most beneficial to you based on your budget and needs, or is he recommending one where he earns the highest commissions? God knows! The adviser would give you justifications for his recommendations, but is he true to his heart? Would he recommend the same policy to himself if he were in your situation? Frankly, not all are ethical in their practice but they do get away because they do it legally!

Therefore, I think it is important that we touch our heart and check our conscience when we do things that might seem legally right! Don't just conform to the laws, but clear the conscience, too.

Are you open to ideas?

It is good to be open when it comes to learning and evaluating ideas, both new and old. New ideas are generally more inviting and are therefore better received; on the other hand, old ideas should not be discarded, in fact, they should be viewed from different perspectives and they can usually lead to new ideas being generated as a result. Therefore, we should be open to both new and old ideas.

When we say "open", there are a few dimensions we should consider. First, we should open our mind; a mind that is shut does not allow ideas to flow in. Put away all the misconceptions, preconceived ideas and prejudice.

Next, we should open our eyes, only then can we see the opportunities that might come with the ideas. We have to train our eyes to be sharp and able to look out for details that might not be so obvious at times.

We should then open our ears to listen and pay attention to details that might make a significant difference in the evaluation or decision-making process. Attentive listening is important in the learning process. That is why we have two ears and one mouth. We should learn to listen more.

Lastly, we should open our mouth to ask relevant questions that will elicit the right response and information that will provide us new input and insight so that we can take a more effective action or make a better decision. The quickest way to learn is to ask. It is better to ask then to remain ignorant for life.

Experience the comforting touch of new skin with Renew!

I used to have eczema-like skin irritations near my eyes, that make the skin dry, rough and looks swollen at times. I have consulted a few doctors over the last few years and each time, I was administered a certain cream to apply on the affected areas.

But, the problem remains until last week when I started using this natural cream called Renew. Within a few days after applying the Renew Intensive Skin Therapy cream on the affected areas, the problem has disappeared. The skin around the eyes is now smooth and there is hardly anymore irritation now.

Renew is a clinically proven mosturising lotion that leaves even severely dry skin softer, smoother and healthier. During a clinical study on Renew's ability, a pool of study candidates who showed significant signs of eczema was selected. There was tremendous improvement in the skin condition.

Good learning attitudes that are hard to come by these days...

I spoke to an elderly man aged 68 crowned with very uniform silvery hair, who was very well-cultured and was listening very attentively and in humility to what I was telling him about my book. Later in the conversation, he told me he was a church pastor, as we progressed further into the conversation, I realised that he was the pastor we used to listen to some 20 years back. He looked so different now, at least I was not able to tell it was him. I was glad to know that he is still physically, mentally and spiritually alert. What a joy it was that we met! What impressed me more was that he was working on his laptop when I called at his place, and was preparing the weekly bulletion for his church. It is amazing that at this age, he is still living a purpose-driven life, working in the church and involving in some voluntary work, too. A good exemplary to many of us.

On a separate occasion, I spoke with this young lady in her early twenties, who was educated in a local tertiary institution, worked for a few years and spent two years in Korea learning Korean Language. Frankly, who would do what she did? A very unique lady who is unconventional, non-stereotyped and likes to do things most people don't think of doing. She really has a mind of her own. We spoke a great deal about life and career. Though she is young, she possesses very good attitude in learning and in life. Her mother was so hospitable that she even offered me a packet of drinks when I just meant to be there for a short while. May be I should say, like mother, like daughter. What impressed me more was that she is such an attentive listener, keen learner and enterprising adult. I have the feeling that one day, she would emerge in some great unprecendented ways. Another person with good examples we can learn from - Dare to be different.

How to manage your stress?

Whether at home, in school or at work, there are lots of stress, healthy or unhealthy, useful or uncalled-for, that comes piling on one's shoulders and taking a great toll on one's life, and if not handled or managed properly, could bring about devastating effects on the person. Some of the common symptoms will include insomnia and feverish sensation in the body when there is no apparent temperature rise in the body.

It is helpful to identify the source of the stress, and learn to make modifications and adjustment if possible. If it is hard to handle and manage on your own, talk to someone close to you, who has the experience; if need to, seek professional help from counsellors or psychologists. Do not drag on for too long, the earlier you seek help, the sooner the stress can be identified and managed.

If left unattended to, the stress will build up and develop into mental depression which will take a longer time to treat. It will also affect one's daily wellbeing, both physical and mental. So, as soon as you feel stressed, start doing something about it early.

At a certain stage in my life, I realised that I was very stressed, body turned feverish and boils started appearing at lymph nodes over the body. As soon as I noticed those symptoms, I immediately restructured my life and even relinquished certain portfolios I was involved in. Then, the stress level came down and I was back to normal. But, if you are not experienced or stable enough to handle it yourself, just seek external help.

My advice is: manage your stress early.

A New Shopping Concept!

Imagine this...

We go to a certain ABC Supermarket to buy our regular household, personal care, healthcare and skin care products that are of high quality, safe, environmentally friendly and reasonably-priced. We are satisfied with the products. Then, we recommend our relatives, friends, neighbours and colleagues to shop at ABC supermarkets, too.

Now, what do we get when we recommend people to shop at ABC supermarket? Usually nothing. Take the local Supermarkets for example, we do recommend people to shop at certain supermarkets because they carry some good or value products, but the Supermarkets do not pay us any referral fees or commissions. How nice it will be if the Supermarkets would pay us some commissions. But, it simply sounds like a fat hope.

In Reality...

Now, the hope is becoming real and alive! Thanks to this new shopping concept. There is really a company that manufactures more than 300 safe and environmentally friendly products, distributes directly through its own supermarkets and pays commissions when we recommend our friends to shop at its supermarkets. If we opt to be a Preferred Customer, we get to enjoy a discount of 30% to 40% off the retail prices.

There is NO carrying of inventory, NO taking orders and making deliveries, NO billing and collections, NO pressuring customers to purchase, NO repeat sales presentations and NO risk - Simply switch stores and SAVE.

What we need to do...

The only condition for us to earn commissions is that we have to remain their customer by personally spending about *$100 per month buying our regular household, personal care, healthcare and skin care items. Anyway, most families spend easily over $100 every month on these items at their normal supermarkets or grocery stores. Now, all we need to do is just to switch store and switch brands, get to enjoy the benefits of more than 300 safe and environmentally friendly products and earn commissions in a whole new way!

Not a bad idea!

Imagine what we can do with the extra few hundred or few thousand dollars per month while still working in our current job, in a world of uncertainties where job security is already a thing of the past.

It is not a get-rich-quick scheme or money investment game; it takes some time to build up our network of customers and earn good supplemental income, but the income is real.

It is not MLM that many dislike, but uses the concept of Direct Consumer Marketing. It is a creative marketing concept that deals directly with customers. Customers shop on their own, no distributors, no agents! Customer retention rate is constantly maintained at 95% and above for the past two decades.

How to start shopping?

You can opt to be a Direct Customer that pay retail prices for the products. There is no discount. If for any reason, you are not satisfied with a product purchased, you may return it for exchange within 60 days of purchase with original invoice.

However, if you want to enjoy 30% to 40% discount off retail prices, and can commit to buy at least 35 product points (about *$100) every month, then you may like to sign up as a Preferred Customer. There are many more privileges that come with the status of a Preferred Customer.

Want to check out the supermarket?

If you would like to take a tour of these eco-friendly-product supermarkets located at Orchard, Somerset and Paya Lebar in Singapore, invite your friends along and we can arrange a guided tour for you.

One more outlet will be opened in Woodlands, and there will be about 20 outlets all over Singapore in the next few years. This will make your shopping experience even more pleasant and enjoyable and closer to your home.

Live a healthy and fulfilling life by keeping your family safe and environment clean.
* Terms and conditions apply.

Do you take pride in what you do?

How well we do a job depends on how much importance we attach to it. Therefore, the quality of the output we produce is proportional to the amount of importance we place on the job. If we think something is important, we will do it well; or else, we will just do it anyhow as long as it gets done, we are not so concerned about whether it is done properly and to the best of our ability.

At the workplace, those people who don't take pride in their work will do their work more as a duty rather than something that they take pride in and feel proud to sign their name on when the work is completed. That is to say, they don't take pride in their work. Some employees would treat their work with a standard that is different from how they treat their personal things. They are more careful with their personal things but more careless and indifferent when it comes to work. Expectations are different. This is often seen as a practice of double-standards.

Phosphate-free and environmentally friendly dishwashing liquid

Next time when you are in the supermarket buying soap, laundry, or dishwashing detergent, check the labels before you buy. Using soaps that are phosphate-free is important for protecting the health and purity of our nation’s fresh water systems.

Phosphorus (in the form of phosphate) is an important ingredient in many soaps and detergents due to its powerful cleaning abilities. Its strength as a cleaner, however, is now seen as far less important than its damaging effects on fresh water bodies. Where do phosphates go after dish washing? They go down the drain and into our waterways. Phosphates contribute to algae growth in water, which can lower the water's oxygen content and disrupt delicate aquatic systems.

Washing dishes by hand can be tough work. This product called Lemon Brite as shown in the picture, contains naturally derived detergents and biodegradable ingredients that are gentle on your skin. Its concentrated formula, powerful triple-detergent system, and thick suds cut grease and break down food residues.

One bottle of such concentrate can be diluted with seven to 10 bottles of water. Furthermore, it is phosphate-free and environmentally friendly. Costwise, it is about the same as what you pay for in the normal grocery stores or supermarkets because it is concentrated.

For the sake of environmental protection, why not switch the brands of your soap, laundry and dishwashing detergents to those that are environmentally friendly? I am using this in my home, it is a pleasant experience knowing that we have at least contributed a little on our part to help make the environment cleaner and better.

Let me know if you are equally keen to help save the environment! Cheers.

Time to release the valve of the EDUCATION pressure boiler?!

It is heartbreaking to learn of another case of student committing suicide, this time, a Primary 5 student, aged 11. This incident, together with other past similar incidents, should have served enough wake-up calls for those managing the education system. How many more lives that go to get "educated" must be lost before the pressure valves are prepared to be released in the education pressure boiler? Though many seemingly good steps have been discussed and some implemented a little too late. I strongly feel that more drastic positive changes should be implemented.

Education is about a holistic nurturing of an individual, not just academic excellence, but character building, personal responsibilty and morality as well. Parents, schools and community all play a part in the wellbeing of the students who are sent to school to be "educated", not to "study"! Recently, someone poked fun at the name "Ministry of Education", he said, it should be renamed "Ministry of Knowledge" instead, based on what has been happening in the education arena.

I have personally been aware and talked to some families where the teenaged children at home assault their parents. Just recently, an NTU student got beaten up and his laptop smashed because of some squabble over a minor disagreement over the online game they were playing as a group. Such gaming-addiction turned violent is not the first case that happened. Gaming addiction and online rage are becoming more worrying now. Sexual misconduct is another growing problem amongst the teenaged students.

Why are such undesirable behaviours becoming more and more prevalent amongst the youths? Problems are multi-faceted. There is no need to blame any particular body or party. I think students, parents, schools, ministry of education, community all have a role to play to eliminate these undesirable behaviours through a holistic education that does not take the fun and joy out of learning. Students should go to school to learn, not to study. Study is just for examinations, learning is for life. Study is stressful, learning is fun.

Therefore, stop emphasising and demanding academic excellence from students at large, those who are born leaders and with high IQ can be transferred to those so-called good and reputable schools and study to become future leaders; the rest, give them a break, let them go through the normal education path. Forget about streaming students into express, normal classes etc. where the word normal has already lost its original meaning! The Normal stream students today are being perceived as not-so-normal. Let every student complete a 10-year basic education up to secondary four, take their O-level examinations and carry on from there whether in ITE, Polytechnics, Junior College or start working. This will have more positive effects on the majority of the student population.

Many students told me very candidly, "I hate studies!!!". This is a fair and realistic statement that points towards the nature of the education system that many students and even parents till now still feel negative about, though many have really no alternative but to accept it with reluctance and some even pay a high price, not just emotionally but financially as well. Look at the recent comments posted on the internet by parents concerning the high level of difficulty of the recent PSLE (Primary School Leaving Examination) papers reportedly Mathematics and Chinese, as I read it over the internet.

May be, from now on, we should stop using the word "students", instead, we should call those who go to school to get educated "learners" because students only study, learners learn. As I mentioned earlier, study is stressful while learning is fun. Would someone commit suicide when he or she is doing something that he or she enjoys and is fun? Think about it.

Third-party endorsement is more credible!

In the Chinese context, it is said "卖花赞花香" - literally translated, it means "The florist would sing praises of her flowers". In the same way, most people would find that salesmen always say all the good things about the products they carry or sell, even though their products might not be the best in the market.

Traditionally, they are perceived to be biased in their presentation and recommendations. This happens because salesmen are known to represent and speak for the company they work for and are paid by the company for the sole purpose of marketing and selling the company's products. They are not impartial and independent in the way they evaluate and recommend the products for the customers.

Most people tend not to believe what the salesmen say, but might be sold by a third-party endorsement or recommendation or even friends. Hence, we see many company engage celebrities and some well-known public figure to advertisse or say a few nice words for them.

Some companies are smart enough to use word-of-mouth marketing or what is commonly called network marketing to market their products. This seems to be a more natural and convincing way to get the products across to the consumers because it is the friends who recommend the products to them. Friends usually trust what their friends say or recommend, but not the agents or salesmen. This is the fact of life.

Press that Hot Button...

All of us somehow have a certain soft spot in our heart that once triggered would lead us into making a certain decision which we otherwise would not make. This soft spot is what we, in sales language, call the Hot Button. Salespeople always try to find the soft spot in their customers so that they can press the hot button to activate the customer into making a buying decision.

The soft spot vary from people to people. Hence, the salespeople must be skilful in finding out the soft spot of the potential customers. Salespeople have to say the right thing at the right time so that it synchronises with the buying intention of the potential customer.

This takes lots of practice and on-the-job training, and experience would accumulate as the salespeople do it often enough and learn during the process.

We cannot see our very own blind spot ourselves...

I recently came across someone on the internet, who seemed very self-confident and well-connected. This person made a certain comment on an article, which clearly reflects her arrogance and self-righteousness.

She was making a negative comment on a certain posting on the internet, but frankly, I could not understand the comment she wrote but it sounded hifalutin, She was trying to prove that she was smarter than the author of the article she was commenting on.

This is the trouble with some people, they have a blind spot they themselves could not see. Hopefully, one day, someone close to her will tell her her blind spot and weakness.

Making sense of our lives...

"Making sense of someone's death is retrospective; making sense of our lives when we are alive is both proactive and positive." ... Jonathan Ooi

Still very much a textbook-answer education system!

My son told me recently that in one of his English class tests, a fill-in-the-blank question was asked: Bruce Lee is a Kung Fu ______________ . My son and some classmates answered : master. They were marked wrong and were told the answer is: actor.

Goodness me, I am a Bruce Lee's fan, both his Kung Fu and movies, since my childhood days, and my son is currently watching The Legend of Bruce Lee every Sunday. I think he knows Bruce Lee better than the teacher who marked his answer wrong.

This is the trouble with the education system in Singapore, there is no room for creative and outside-textbook answers even though here and there, those in education always sing and preach creativity.

I still remember, when my eldest was in Primary Four, the Mathematics teacher told the class to use only the first method while there were three other methods listed, to solve the problems given in the Mathematics textbook. How to promote and encourage creativity with this sort of instruction? I thought a more creative way would be to tell the class to use any of the three methods but try to think of the fourth method if they could!

A young girl in my neighbourhood, while in Kindergarten, during colouring lessons, she coloured a refrigerator black. The teacher told her that there is no black refrigerator! The girl told the teacher, "The refrigerator in my house is black in colour!". On a separate occasion, the teacher taught the class, "Red apples can eat, green apples cannot eat.". The girl went home telling the mother, "My teacher said green apples cannot be eaten." when the family has been regularly eating green apples.

I think it is high time such teachers wake up their ideas, and those who are put in-charge in the respective ministry should put their ears to the ground to hear what is going on at the ground and operational level, even though some positive things are being introduced into the preschool education system right now.

Health benefits of cucumbers

Cucumber is indeed cool, it is good for detoxification and skin care. Cheap and good! I like to cut it into slices and eat them raw. In fact, if you do a google search, you would realise that cucumber has many health benefits and healing properties. So, it is good to take cucumbers regularly.

Factors affecting performance in work and decision-making

Most people perform better when not under pressure or close supervision; similarly, most people solve problems better when in a cooler environment. It seems that pressure and temperature are two interesting factors that affect performance in work and decision-making.

The concept of Cause-and-Effect applied to life...

Understanding the concept of cause-and-effect is essential to the Quality Control Circles (QCC) or Work Improvement Teams (WITs) when it comes to problem solving. The same concept could be applied to our lives as well. It could be understood commonly as action and reaction, action and consequences etc.

Everything we do will bring about a certain consequence, be it good or bad. What we are today is the result of our own past actions and decisions; whatever we wish to be in the future depends on the actions we take and decisions we make today.

Think about what we want to be or achieve in the future and start taking the appropriate and relevant actions and decisions today. Afterall, we are responsible for what we are and what we do.

Be a Master of all trades...

"In a multi-tasking world, learn to be the Master of all trades, but Jack of none." ... by Jonathan Ooi

Note: These quotes are original and copyrighted by Jonathan Ooi. However, do feel free to use them as long as credit is given to the author at the end of every quote.

A woman who is high in age but high in energy, too.

I had a good conversation with a 78-year-old woman whom many people regard as an "old auntie". But, she disclosed light-heartedly and with a wide grin that many people had not been able to guess her age correctly. Neither did I. Obviously, she does not look her age. She is full of energy as manifested through her movements and speech.

She has five daughters and more than a dozen grandchildren and a couple of great grandchildren, the youngest is already studying in primary (elementary) school. She is still gainfully employed and is serving voluntarily in a certain charitable organisation. She is open-minded and feels proud of her family but does not meddle with her childrens' family affairs. She is an amazing woman who knows how to live a care-free and yet fulfilling life. She takes things easy and chooses to be in harmony with others.

Someone ever told her that she would live to 108 years of age. I wouldn't be surprised if she would. But, she prefers good health to longevity. Her secret to good health she is enjoying now is, be happy, take things easy and eat simply but healthily.

Most bosses have short memories!

"Most bosses have short memories. They only remember the wrong you did last month but forget all the good you did for the first 11 months." ... by Jonathan Ooi

Note: These quotes are original and copyrighted by Jonathan Ooi. However, do feel free to use them as long as credit is given to the author at the end of every quote.

What is the meaning of "Highfalutin"?

In Collins Cobuild English Dictionary, highfalutin is explained as follows:

"People sometimes use highfalutin to describe behaviour that they dislike because it seems pompous, pretentious, false or foolish; an old-fashioned, informal word."

Energy-saving tip when using Electric Crockery Pot

If you have to use Electric Crockery Pot or what is commonly called Slow Cooker, to stew some meats, don't use cold water to start with. Boil the water separately on your gas stove (gas is cheaper!) and then pour the hot boiling water into the crockery pot and carry on from there, you would consume less electricity this way.

The relations between success and failure...

"Failure is the mother of success; but success could well be the father of failure." ... by Jonathan Ooi

Note: These quotes are original and copyrighted by Jonathan Ooi. However, do feel free to use them as long as credit is given to the author at the end of every quote.

The Soda Cracker tradition that is disappearing...

Soda crackers used to be the snacks of the poor people those days. They were also one of the gift items alongside with condensed milk, our parents or grandparents would usually buy and give to someone who was unwell when they visited him or her. If budget did permit, there would be one extra can of Milo.

The Chinese tradition or custom is, never visit someone empty-handed, especially the elderly. It seems this tradition has largely disappeared in the modern days. It has taken on other forms of expression.

The Health Benefits of Chlorophyll

Chlorophyll is the green pigment in the leaves and stems of plants. It enables them to use the energy of the sun to combine carbon dioxide with water to make carbohydrates. It is very similar in chemical structure to the haemoglobin in our blood, the only difference being that a haemoglobin molecule has iron in the centre, while chlorophyll has magnesium.

The Health Benefits of Chlorophyll include:

• anti-inflammatory
• anti-bacterial
• protects the body from radiation
• removes heavy metals and other toxins from the body
• heals and rejuvenates the liver
• heals wounds
• prevents premature aging, and prolongs youthfulness
• prevents bad body odour

All green plants contain chlorophyll, and for maximum health benefits it's best consumed raw. This may well be the reason why green salads are so good for us. Freshly juiced wheatgrass juice is an excellent source of chlorophyll.

(Excerpt from http://www.rawfoods-livingfoods.com/benefits-of-chlorophyll.html )

Improved lifestyle costs us our lives!

When we earn less, we spend less; when we earn more, we spend more.

Net savings=$zero;
Lifestyle=perceivedly improved;
Consequences=high physical, mental and spiritual stress, health at risk, relationships strained - simply because of trying to maintain the "improved" lifestyle.

Conclusion: Improved lifestyle costs us our lives.

Banks are good friends only in good times.

"Banks are good friends only in good times. They lend you an umbrella on sunny days but want it back during rainy days." ... by Jonathan Ooi

500 Pure Cod Liver Oil capsules at S$18.90 ...

Research studies over the years give cod liver oil an A+ rating. This marvelous golden oil contains large amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin A and vitamin D, essential nutrients that are hard to obtain in sufficient amounts in the modern diet.

Cod liver oil greatly improves heart function to prevent heart disease and to treat it even in advanced stages, after a heart attack and after heart surgery. Cod liver oil alters the linings of the arteries in such a way as to improve healing after damage.

True knowledge breeds humility.

"The more we know, the more we know we don't know. In essence, true knowledge breeds humility." ... by Jonathan Ooi

Note: These quotes are original and copyrighted by Jonathan Ooi. However, do feel free to use them as long as credit is given to the author at the end of every quote.

A perfect couple!

"In marriage, two half-perfect partners would still make a perfect couple. So, do not attempt to find a perfect partner in a world that is perfectly imperfect!" ... by Jonathan Ooi

Note: These quotes are original and copyrighted by Jonathan Ooi. However, do feel free to use them as long as credit is given to the author at the end of every quote.

The two terrapins have grown to a size larger than an adult palm from the size of a 50-cent coin

The uniqueness of Chinese characters ...

Against the backdrop of the long-standing Chinese civilisations, the Chinese characters, written as 汉字 (in Simplified Chinese) or 漢字 (in Traditional Chinese) are so unique, significant and profound that they are even used in the Japanese and Korean Language, where they are referred to as Kanji (漢字) and Hanja (漢字) respectively.

The most significant and amazing thing about Chinese characters is that the same character can be pronounced in as many different ways as there are number of dialect groups in China. Every dialect group pronounces the same character quite differently.

For example, in the first picture, the character, "黄" is typically used as Chinese surname, which means yellow, and it can be pronounced as Huang, Wong, Wee, Ng etc. depending on your dialect group or which province one comes from in China. The Japanese and the Koreans would pronounce it differently, too.

The second picture displays two characters, "安康" which collectively means peaceful and healthy. They can be pronounced as An Kang, On Hong, An Kong etc. depending on the dialect group again. Literally, it means that a Chinese newspaper can be read and understood by every Chinese but the characters in the newspaper are pronounced differently from province to province.