Mi Choza De Nipa

From FOCUS ON THE FAMILY TODAY • Friday • June 6, 2008 by Dr Bill Maier Looking for a way to spend a holiday that will really create great memories for your kids? Why don’t you try camping? I know, I know ... You hate bugs! And nobody likes going days without a shower and the comfort of a soft mattress. But the rewards of camping make it more than worth the effort and inconvenience. There’s nothing like getting out in nature in order to bring family members closer together. There are no TVs or computers or video games to distract you – just hours of being alone with your kids, taking walks and roasting marshmallows over the barbeque grill. Try camping in East Coast Park and go to sleep listening to the sea. Or, book a bungalow in St Johns Island or just take sleeping bags over and camp under the stars. You will be creating lifetime memories for both you and your kids.

From Today daily, 05-Jun-2008 edition i say OF SHARKS’ FINS AND HIGH ROLLERS LIANG DINGZI AS someone who abhors any form of cruelty to animals, whether inflicted out of perversion or for commercial purposes, I applaud Resorts World at Sentosa (RWS) for its decision to keep sharks’ fin off its menu when it opens in 2010. I hope other restaurants will soon follow suit. I find the commitment, however, somewhat half-hearted and disconcerting when it was revealed that high rollers at the resort may continue to feast on the Chinese delicacy. This is clearly a case of robbing Peter to pay Paul, negating the good that would have been otherwise achieved. Worse, it suggests that compassion is a tradeable commodity — that wealth buys the right to be above the civilised norm that is being promoted. It does not matter that the consumption by high rollers will be confined to private rooms. However surreptitious, it does not disguise the fact that some sharks had their flippers chopped off before the...

From FOCUS ON THE FAMILY, Today, 05-Jun-2008 edition COURT YOUR SPOUSE By Dr Bill Maier How well do you build up your mate’s self-esteem? Drs Les and Leslie Parrott have written a great book called The Love List. In it, they outline some powerful ideas to make your spouse feel special. For instance, try looking for ways to praise your husband or wife. It doesn’t have to be a big deal, just a simple word of encouragement. Tell them, “You look really great today,” or “I really appreciate what a great Mum you are.” When you’re with friends, make it a point of bringing up one of your spouse’s good qualities. Say something like, “Kelly is an amazing cook. You should try her lasagna.” You’ll be surprised how many brownie points you score with a simple compliment. When you’re alone, don’t forget to tell your spouse how much you love them. All of us need to know that we’re loved and appreciated. Everyone likes to be courted, even if they’ve been married for 20 years.

(lifted from my paper daily, 03-Jun-2008 edition) Quotes from the legendary designer, furnished by the Fondation Pierre Berge Yves Saint Laurent: “I participated in the transformation of my era. I did it with clothes, which is surely less important than music, architecture, painting… but whatever it’s worth, I did it.” (2002) “I always believed that style was more important than fashion. They are rare, those who imposed their style, while fashion makers are so numerous.” (1993) “The most beautiful clothes than can dress a woman are the arms of the man she loves. But for those who haven’t had the fortune of finding this happiness, I am there.” (1983) “I tried to show that fashion is an art… I created for my era and I tried to foresee what tomorrow would be.” (1983)

Well, I saw on the news this article about documenting hornbills, and this one is in Singapore. This photo was lifted from another page. Credit goes to the author. To see it, click here .

Below is an article lifted from Today daily, a comment to a comment to a comment on additional lessons to schoolchildren conducted during school holidays. I agree with this one. Do you? ----- More lessons are not always better Letter from HO KONG LOON I REFER to the letter “Why lament extra school lessons?” (May 29) by Goh Kian Huat. The writer does not understand what goes on in our schools. Generally, in the education sector, the perception is that more is better. The reason is obvious: School heads favour teachers who go the extra mile, giving extra lessons being one of the requisites. Teachers conduct supplementary and remedial lessons during term time. In some instances, these extra lessons are held three times a week, each one lasting two to three hours. I know of a school where extra lessons were held on weekends. Even so, during term time, many teachers are finding it increasingly difficult to teach students who are inattentive, disruptive, noisy, quarrelsome, lazy or just indi...

From FOCUS ON THE FAMILY, Today, 04-Jun-2008 edition A Bullied Child By Dr Bill Maier Would you know if your child was being bullied in school? Most of us think we know our kids pretty well, but they don’t always give clear clues about what’s going on in their world. When kids are bullied it’s embarrassing for them and they may not want their parents to know about it, even though they need someone to confide in. There are some signs we can watch out for. Some kids may develop irrational fears that they didn’t have before. When it comes time for school, they may complain of vague physical ailments, such as headaches or stomach pain. Other kids may develop nightmares, or have trouble sleeping. Any behaviour that seems out of the ordinary may mean your child is struggling with a bully at school. Of course, it could also signal a more serious problem. Observant parents are quick to notice these changes and even quicker to step in and help. Kids who are most reluctant to talk about their pr...

From Health section, Today daily, 03-Jun-2008 edition Take Your Bad Breath Away By Eveline Gan, in collaboration with Health Promotion Board, Singapore - You can get rid of it byhaving breakfast, drinkinglots of water and eating right YOU gargle some mouthwash on your way to a hot date, thinking that it will freshen up your breath. But barely halfway through the rendezvous, your mouth starts to feel dry and that offensive breath you were trying to mask returns at full force, wilting the flowers your date has given you. If the above scenario sounds familiar to you, you are not alone. According to American dentist Harold Katz, up to a third of the world’s population suffers from chronic bad breath, or halitosis. Many also have this embarrassing condition from time to time. Dr Katz, the founder of the Thera-Breath System and The California Breath Clinics in the United States, was in town last week to speak about halitosis at a public education seminar. A dry mouth — which can occur if you...

From FOCUS ON THE FAMILY, Today, 03-Jun-2008 edition   Reducing Stress By Dr Bill Maier   So, how you do you deal with the stress of everyday life?   Most people might say that men struggle more with anxiety, but recent studies show it is actually women who feel more day-to-day stress. They tend to be programmed to worry more, and often feel more vulnerable to failure. If this describes you, maybe it’s time to incorporate some stress-reducing activities into your life.   One obvious solution is to get plenty of sleep. Learn to turn the TV off early and cut back on the caffeine. A daily walk can do wonders to help clear your head and exercise is great for relieving stress. Ask your doctor how to engage in deep muscle relaxation a few times during the day.   And most importantly, set aside a time each day for meditation. A daily quiet time is the best way to bring perspective to a busy schedule.

An article lifted from my paper, 02-Jun-2008 edition by the way… My big pay cheque made me miserable By Pamela Skillings After 12 years climbing the corporate ladder to the upper reaches of middle management, I found myself facing a surprising career conundrum: My big pay cheque was making me miserable. In short, I hated my job, but I was afraid to give up my hard-earned six-figure salary for what I really wanted – a career as an entrepreneur. I enjoyed living in a nice apartment, taking nice vacations and wearing nice shoes. At the same time, a big part of my identity was tied up in my success. My sense of professional accomplishment was determined by the size of my bonus cheques. Like many of my co-workers, I thought I could eventually earn enough money to make up for the fact that I dreaded going to work every day. Then I would be happy, I told myself. But in fact, my high-paying but soul-draining job was beginning to take a roll on my personal life. Nobody enjoys hanging out with a...

From FOCUS ON THE FAMILY, Today, 02-Jun-2008 edition   Kids’ Media Habits By Dr Bill Maier   When I was a child, being sent to your room was a punishment. But today, many parents can’t get their children to leave their rooms. Children’s bedrooms have become their media hubs. Children have televisions, video games and even computers connected to the Internet in their rooms.   But what really concerns me is a recent study showing that only half the children say they have parental rules regarding their TV viewing. And about 40 per cent have no rules regarding their Internet usage.   I’m all for giving children plenty of freedom as they grow, but this is a dangerous trend. Television isn’t as innocent as it used to be, and we all know how much bad stuff is available in cyberspace.   As parents, we need to be aware of what our children are watching – today more than ever. ...