The Gold Breakfast Show

Listen to Michael Jackson's New Album NOW!

2010-12-08T13:03:00.000+08:00

A global FULL ALBUM PREMIERE of MICHAEL, a brand new album of 10 songs from the KING of POP Michael Jackson, for your listening pleasure!

Album will be available in stores on Dec 13.

Fare Thee Well Morning Show!

2010-02-26T09:31:00.006+08:00

Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.

Yes, it's true... Ham and Denise are moving on from the Gold Breakfast Show to new shows on Gold starting next Monday, 1 March.
We've had a blast and thank you muchly for your support and kind words!

Be sure to check out our new shows:
Hamish on the Homestretch 5-9pm
Denise on the Lunchtime Jukebox 10am-2pm.

This Sunday is Chap Goh Meh (The 15th Day of the Lunar New Year), also known as the Chinese Valentine Day where young, single unmarried women gather to toss oranges into the sea/river, in hope that their future spouse will pick up.
No, you won't be seeing Denise by the Singapore River with a basket of oranges on Sunday!

Travel Agency for Toys
A bizarre new travel agency has been launched in Prague - which only caters for teddy bear travellers.
Toy Traveling offers the chance for soft-toys from around the world to visit Prague, even if their owners want to stay at home.
Owners post their cuddly toy to staff, who then (for a fee of £80 to £130) take it on a sightseeing tour of the city - taking photos to prove it.
Amazingly demand is high for the service and thousands of people are logging onto the sendyourdarling.com website to enquire about it each day.
Bosses are even already planning to roll out the Toy Travelling to destinations including Berlin, Munich, Budapest, Vienna and Bratislava.

Today’s Show is made possible by the NUMBER ONE

1 - For every one sunrise, the average human sees 39 sunsets.

1 - Endorphins are at the highest levels in married couples immediately after one spouse leaves the house for work.

1 - An ounce of gold can be stretched into a wire 80 km long. Just like us! A little of us can go a long way and we’re gonna keep delivering the good stuff for you on Gold 90FM, just at different times starting monday.

Hamish's 5 Things

5 THINGS I WILL MISS ABOUT THE GOLD BREAKFAST SHOW

5. THE WONDERFUL DRIVE INTO THE STATION IN THE EARLY MORNING - NO CARS AND AN OPEN HIGHWAY-SIGH

4. BEING SPOILT FOR CHOICE IN THE MEDIACORP CAR-PARK SINCE NO ONE IS THERE TILL PAST 7

3. DENIECE'S UNBEATABLE CHEESE TOAST SANDWICHES OR MARMITE TOAST FLAMBES

2. THE WONDERFUL GOLD BREAKFAST SHOW LISTENERS WHO HAVE BECOME FIRM FRIENDS OVER THE PAST 7 YEARS

1. DOING THESE 5 THINGS EVERYDAY MONDAY TO FRIDAY FOR THE LAST 7 YEARS ALTOGETHER

THE GOLD HEALTH GUIDE

Take a Mental Vacation

Take a walk.

Exercise is a great way to relieve stress because it's a great escape for your mind. Head out for a quiet early morning walk or lace up your sneakers on your lunch break. Walking along a trail, waterfront, or other peaceful place when possible may offer even more relaxation. Treat yourself to a 5-, 10-, or 20-minute mental vacation each day and train your body to relax and reduce stress — you'll be amazed at how much better you feel after taking just a few luxurious moments all to yourself.

MAKAN KAKIS
We're looking for the best DUM BRIYANI to sink our teeth into!

at Al-Ameen, w'lands ave 1. With tender meat and powerful dalcha gravy, its simply power.

foodcourt northpoint shopping centre basement.e gravy is nice n meat is tender.elf

abak dum bryani jalan pisang long grain basmati rice mix fruit pickle big chunk of well cook tender meat with lots of gravy in rice itself reasonable price and finishes before noon especiall on Friday. Jaysree

WINNER! hi guys, d best dam briyani definately Abak dam briyani, jln pisang off nth brg rd. Grade A basmati rice, fantastic aroma, non oily, d mutton n chicken masala simply tenderly awesome, d dalca ooh! Fantastico delicious, Man u gotta try it. If u r on diet, forget it. Malik man on move.

Who's Smarter? Men or Women?

2010-02-25T07:27:00.015+08:00

Women are Cleverer than Men
The conclusion was drawn following a five month online contest between the sexes conducted in nine languages and based on the popular board game Trivial Pursuit.
During the competition more than 15 million questions were asked and although the balance of power shifted consistently from the start of the competition in October last year the female of the species narrowly clinched victory.
Women answered 4,088,139 questions correctly, compared to the 4,077,596 right answers given by men.
It would take an individual more than 3,500 non-stop days or 9 years, 215 days, 8 hours and 24 minutes to answer the same number of questions when playing the board game!
Women were strongest when answering questions from Entertainment. They answered twice as many from the category, with 56.8 per cent of answers given correctly.
Their next favourite question area was Science & Nature of which 54.4 per cent of answers were right. People & Places presented the greatest challenge with just 41.7 per cent of questions provided with the right answer.
The best categories for the men were Science & Nature (57 per cent accuracy), Entertainment (56.7 per cent). They answered twice as many questions on Sports & Leisure with a 54.8 per cent success rate. Their weakest subject areas were Geography and People & Places with only 49.9 per cent of questions answered correctly for each.
The next battle planned is between the generations - between the under 30s and the over the 30s. It will begin in mid-March 2010 at http://www.trivialpursuitexperiment.com/.

Skip, not Trip to the Loo!
A company has launched a glow-in-the-dark toilet paper - for those who don't like to turn the lights on when they go to the loo at night.
During the day, the loo roll looks like any other, but at night it gives off a florescent glow, which makers say can guide you to the toilet.
It works because the paper has been treated with phosphors, which have a sustained glow after exposure to the energised particles in daylight.
But the high-tech loo rolls don't come cheap, they cost almost $15 each, about ten times the price of a normal roll of toilet paper.
We're not sure if the phosphorence rubs off, but we certainly don't want glow-in-the-dark bums!

Today’s Show is made possible by the NUMBER TWELVE

12 - Among people who use alarm clocks, 12% use three or more to get up!

12 - On average, people who wear glasses regularly score 12 points higher on IQ tests than those who don't.

12 - Worldwide, annual per capita consumption of chocolate is 12 pounds per person. 12 pounds is almost 5 and a half kgs – which is the average weight of a 3 month old baby!
Chocolate contains phenyl ethylamine (PEA), a natural substance that is reputed to stimulate the same reaction in the body as falling in love. World wide, consumers spend more than $7 billion a year on chocolate.

Hamish's 5 Things

ITS THURSDAY - LETS GET SOME FUNNY WISDOM FROM THE KIDS TO PUT A SMILE ON OUR FACES

5. If you're gonna draw on the wall, do it behind the couch. Amelia, 5

4. Never tell your mom her diet's not working. Michael, 14

3. Felt markers are not good to use as lipstick. Lauren, 9

2. When you want something expensive, ask your grandparents. Matthew, 12

1. Beware of cafeteria food when it looks like it's moving. Rob, 10

THE GOLD HEALTH GUIDE

Take a Mental Vacation

4. Look out a window. Distract yourself by focusing on something other than what's stressing you. Grab a steaming cup of coffee or tea, close the door, and take a mental break. Do a little people watching, appreciate any birds within view, or enjoy some fluffy clouds rolling by. Allow yourself to daydream for a few minutes.

MAKAN KAKIS
We're looking for the best DUM BRIYANI to sink our teeth into!

at Al-Ameen, w'lands ave 1. With tender meat and powerful dalcha gravy, its simply power.

foodcourt northpoint shopping centre basement.e gravy is nice n meat is tender.elf

best dam briyani @ malayan railway stn @ tanjong pagar.sender - mohamad noor sidik.

welcome back duo. A place where the dum briyani meets my expectation is the one I had some time ago at HARBOURFRONT. It is served in a little earthen pot filled to the brim which you may want to share if you are watchng your diet! The mutton is my fave. No, it is not G0 INDIA whose basmati rice I have yet to savour :-P Valerie

Best dum'b' bryani? Anjapar! Along race course road, this restaurant even serves quail bryani that's tender & delicious. Of course the mutton is just as gr8! Even my collegues fr India swears by it. :-) Alan

Hi Denise & The Nephew U hv nt tasted tru dum bryani until u taste d 1 @ Islamic Rest @ North Bridge Rd I can safely say they r d 1st to intro Dum Bryani in spore U hv a choice of mutton chicken & fish bt of cos mutton is d best Its cooked so tender U don even need gravy cos d rampa used is mmmmm so dynomite delicious & they use Basmati rice 2 bring d tru dum bryani taste & aroma Oh yes u can even buy their ready made dum bryani rampa to cook ur own dum bryani My personal money bak guarantee - K P M Ravi from Tampines

Allauddin Briyani @ Tekka Market Food Centre, #01-232

baharom mornimg denise,hamish 'briani express' thats the name located@geylang serai market 2nd floor.chicken or mutton both of them finger lickin' good serve with sweet sour acar and tasty dalcar my goodness heaven on earth men...! Try it to believe it u know what like the briani express,the sale is realy express ,got to have a lot of patience cauze the 'q' is always long Reminder:during weekend don't go after 1pm you'll end up like me. At the middle of the 'q' the stall holder said 'sorry! Sudah habis' which mean it's sold out . Don't believe it ,try it and u end up like me and u know right after i'm on my way there.JOIN ME?he!he!

DUM DUM DUM... BRIYANI

2010-02-24T08:22:00.009+08:00

Familiar Singaporean behaviour seen at Resorts World Sentosa

From 'chope'-ing seats to shouting out loud, Singaporeans aren't afraid to be themselves in Singapore's latest attraction.
Seats are at a premium in the over-crowded casino, and some middle-aged female patrons have been spotted leaving packets of tissue paper on the tables to 'chope' - or reserve - their seats. Others who need a toilet break get friends to fend off other patrons keen to take their seat.

What do you think about those tissue choping Aunties?

Ian - Its not surprising to hear of players reserving seats at d slot machines, bcos its done at our social n country clubs. . . After having spent an hr or 2 on some machine, they dun wan to return frm d loo to find some1 else at their seats, n after a few pulls, dis guy pulls triple 7s! . . To them, its their investment. So its common in our country clubs. Cheers

Hi my friends... I'm quite recent here and under the impression that keeping a tissue is a hard & fast rule, an un said rule to book your seat at Kopitiams! Pls educate me on this... For I have seen young working people also do this on, let alone the aunties! Sabrina

cate: After having to explain to overseas visitors how the tissue paper works, I've come to accept that its a sporean culture n am even proud to say how we respect the tissue paper as 'chope'. But it has to stop at the hawker's centre. What next? We'll be seeing packs of tissue paper in queues!

Hi DEN-ISH, oh no, 2 hear that the chopping of seats happen in the casino...goodness gracious me !! prob you will get 2 see umbrellas around as ways of chopping seats next rounds. Good day, Adeline

NO NO how can this be? Choping should not be allowed anywhere least of all in a casino. I hate it in hawker centers too!! I am ashamed to be a singaporean!!!

hi hi 'aunties' going overboard! Wat that seat 'sure win?' then don't go wash rm might pee away the gl. Lol Wendy

i think chopping seats at casino is ridiculous. Nonetheless, i'm amused by the idea that ppl use tissue paper to do so. Haha. Huat is prosper not luck! :-P

they shld be banned rex chris

Today’s Show is made possible by the NUMBER TWENTY-TWO

22 - The average teenage text-messager can enter 22 'words' per minute.

22 - 22% of us skip lunch daily.

Hamish's 5 Things

Wine and beer lovers can drink to this

SINGAPORE: Travellers, especially wine and beer lovers, will now have more options when it comes to buying duty-free alcohol.
In his Budget statement on Monday, Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam said travellers will be able to buy an additional litre of duty-free wine or beer in place of one litre of duty-free spirits. This means that those who prefer wine or beer will be able to enjoy a duty-free allowance of two litres of wine and one litre of beer, or two litres of beer and one litre of wine.
"This has the makings of a suitably difficult PSLE (Primary School Leaving Examination) Maths question," said Mr Shanmugaratnam, drawing laughter from Members of Parliament.
Travellers who frequent duty-free outlets cheered the news.
Administrator Jeffrey Yeo said he would now be able to stock up on wine for occasions such as office parties or family gatherings.
The 37-year-old wine lover added that "though long overdue, this initiative is definitely welcomed as it brings Singapore in line with international regulations on duty-free alcohol."
But hospitality executive Melvin Heng, 24, said the move would not change his buying habits.
"Though it is always great for consumers to have more choices, I would rather see an increase in quota for all three categories of beer, wine and spirits," said Mr Heng, who likes buying spirits.

5 WONDERFUL QUOTES ABOUT WINE TO CELEBRATE THE GOOD NEWS ABOUT DUTY FREE ALCOHOL FROM OUR FINANCE MINISTER

5. "Claret is the liquor for boys, port for men; but he who aspires to be a hero must drink brandy."
Samuel Johnson

4. "A mind of the caliber of mine cannot derive its nutrient from cows."
George Bernard Shaw

3. "A hard drinker, being at the table, was offered grapes for dessert. 'Thank you,' said he, pushing the dish away from him, 'but I am not in the habit of taking my wine in pills.'"
Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, "The Physiology of Taste"

2. "Burgundy makes you think of silly things, Bordeaux makes you talk of them and Champagne makes you do them."
Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin

1. Wine is constant proof that God loves us and loves to see us happy.
Benjamin Franklin

THE GOLD HEALTH GUIDE

Take a Mental Vacation

2. Visualize relaxation.
Steal a few quiet moments to close your eyes and think of an image that relaxes you — such as the warm sun on your skin and the sound of the ocean, a big country field sprinkled with flowers, or a trickling stream. Experts suggest thinking back to a time when you felt peaceful and relaxed, and focus on releasing the tension from your toes to your head.

3. Look at pictures from a happy time.
Pull out snapshots from a photo album of a family vacation or a fun dinner with friends. Reflect on your memories of that occasion, and what made it so enjoyable. Spend a few quiet moments reminiscing, and you'll find yourself more relaxed.

Please Rob Me website Sparks Furore

A website has been set up which could help robbers identify empty houses by using people's Twitter updates to see when they are out.
PleaseRobMe.com uses Tweets which include information about someones location to tell crooks when users have left their homes.
The messages used are part of FourSquare.com which broadcasts your location, whether leaving home or arriving at work or a restaurant.
But PleaseRobMe takes this information about people leaving their home and means robbers are only one click away from seeing a map detailing the location of a recently vacated house.
But in their defence, the webite creators have said they're merely trying to educate the public on how dangerous revealing too much personal info on social networking websites is.

MAKAN KAKIS
We're looking for the best DUM BRIYANI to sink our teeth into!

nyonya mansor the most best dam briyani i ever had is cook by darman n son at wondland driven. The meat r so soft n the rice is super yummy
Vincent Tan - Bismillah Restaurant @ Dunlop Street, opp the Mosque. The mutton is very tender & the don't use ghee so its also healthy.
u HAVE to make ur way to Buffalo Rd n scope out Blue Diamond! Wah.....rice is delicious n meat just Sooo tender; so shIok. Mouth watering. A must try! Appolina
hi guys, d best dam briyani definately Abak dam briyani, jln pisang off nth brg rd. Grade A basmati rice, fantastic aroma, non oily, d mutton n chicken masala simply tenderly awesome, d dalca ooh! Fantastico delicious, Man u gotta try it. If u r on diet, forget it. Malik man on move.

Welcome Back, Mr Brown!

2010-02-22T07:05:00.010+08:00

Music Makes Children Read Better
Learning to play a musical instrument could help to improve children's reading and their ability to listen in noisy classrooms, according to new research.
Neuroscientists have found that musicians benefit from heightened brain activity that allows them to process information from their eyes and ears more efficiently than non-musicians.
Professor Nina Kraus, a neuroscientist and amateur musician at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, has called for music to become a more important part of school syllabuses to help children develop better reading and language skills.
Our eyes and ears take in millions of bits of information every second and it is not possible for the brain to process all of that, so our brains are primed to tune in to patterns in the signals received.
People who are musically trained are better at picking up these patterns because they learn to recognise notes and pitches within melodies and harmonies.The better you are at picking up these patterns in music, the better reader you are. This makes sense as letters and words on a page are really just patterns.
This new info definite makes the case for more musical education, especially in schools.

Time's Wasting Away!
The average person will spend more than two weeks of their life - waiting for tradesmen, it has been found.
Over the course of a year, we have to wait in for three different tradesmen for a total of six hours and three minutes.
That's a total of 366 hours - equivalent to 15 days - waiting for workmen to arrive over the average adult lifetime.
The new survey also found that 82% of people said a contractor turned up late, while more than a third said they arrived on a completely different day to what was agreed.
Plumbers were named as the worst tradesmen for keeping people waiting followed by electricians.

Today’s Show is made possible by the NUMBER THIRTEEN

13 - Apparently, the majority of alcoholic beverages actually contain all 13 minerals needed to sustain human life.

13 - The Italians are a superstitious bunch - did you know that they omit the number 13 from their national lottery?
Also, on streets in Florence, Italy, the house between number 12 and 14 is addressed as 12 and a half. There are NO number 13 houses or apartments!

13 - Coincidence? Some of the world's worst criminals have 13 letters in their names. Count em': Jack the Ripper, Charles Manson, Jeffrey Dahmer and Theodore Bundy are just some names. Good news though, Hamish Brown and Denise Tan are certified non-criminal!

13 - 13% of coins and 42% of notes test positive for unpleasant bacteria, such as fecal bacteria!
Some Money Facts:
The metallic smell left on your hands after touching coins and metal objects is actually a type of human body odour. Skin oils break down and decompose after touching iron - creating that familiar "coin smell"!

Hamish's 5 Things

5 REASONS I LOOK FORWARD TO COMING BACK TO SINGAPORE HAVING SPENT NEARLY 3 WEEKS IN THE MIDDLE EAST

5. SINGAPORE'S GREENERY IS A WELCOME CANVAS AFTER THE FAR EXPANSES OF YELLOW SAND.

4. REAL BACON!

3. DRIVING ON THE 'RIGHT ' SIDE OF THE ROAD AGAIN.

2. GETTING BACK INTO A PROPER WORK WEEK THAT STARTS ON MONDAY AND NOT SUNDAY.

1. BEING ABLE TO LOOK AT FACES OF WOMEN AGAIN RATHER THAN HAVING TO IMAGINE THEM!

THE GOLD HEALTH GUIDE

Take a Mental Vacation
Small stressors can quickly add up to major stress and one big stressful event can send you reeling, with no idea of how to start addressing it. If you could just get away for a little stress relief, you know you would be okay. But too few of us have the time — or the money — to run off on an impromptu vacation.
Well, you don't have to spend a dime or go anywhere other than a quiet spot nearby to take a mental vacation.
All this week, we'll be dishing out the tips on how to take a brain holiday!
Tip #1: Read a book in bed.
This is a great escape and can leave you feeling refreshed, relaxed, and ready to face whatever is outside your bedroom door. Your bed is warm, cozy, comfortable, and a peaceful place for you. It feels luxurious, and getting lost in a good book is a perfect way to forget, then refocus, your own thoughts.

MAKAN MAKAN & MORE MAKAN!

2010-02-19T08:39:00.012+08:00

MAKAN KAKIS
BEST TEOCHEW PORRIDGE

you must try Teo Heng at Amoy Street food centre. 1st floor middle row. If you like pig innards, you’ll love this place. The fish cake and beancurd melts in the mouth and the steamed fish is very fresh. - Lee

Tio Ciu porridge @ Pek Kio market. The garlic chili is so crunchy while the soft cucumber melt into the mouth along with the tender & sweet pumpkin and also the spicy & juicy clams. Perfecto! From: Andy

There's a coffee shop at hougang near Florence Rd wit good spread of teochew mui from Dawn Humphries

Gary GAN - De best Teochew Porridge is Choon Seng Teo-Chew Porridge at Blk 43 Cambridge Rd #01-09. Their steamed fish is always fresh & cooked just right every time. Have patronised this stall for de last 6 yrs. Yummy!!

THIS WEEK'S WINNER! Ah Seah Teochew Porridge at Ah Seah Eating House. It's e coffee shop below Kovan Centre. Long queue.porridge fragrant,ab 30 diff choices of dishes.spoilt 4 choices.almost everyone ordered e white fish cake n steam fish.heavenly breeze comes on n off to cool us down while slurping down hot porridge. Carol

Bak Kwa Ice-cream
Perfect snack that's main course and dessert rolled in one sweet scoop! We heard about Seventh Heaven's salty-sweet creation and were intrigued. This unusual ice-cream flavour comes just in time for the Lunar New Year and is made from sea-salt ice-cream with Mexican chilli and bits of bacon bak kwa! You might want to call in advance to check if they still stock the sticky sweet stuff - apparently, supplies are limited and sell out super fast.

Men Responsible for Beauty Industry Boost
These days, more men now lather up with body wash than soap. Body wash outsold bar soap for the first time ever last year, and Advertising Age reports that men are responsible.
It should come as no surprise that new body washes for men dominate the shelves: What you guys use in the shower is a US$1.5-billion-dollar cut-throat business!
Which goes to show that life really is one great big soap opera!

Today’s Show is made possible by the NUMBER FIFTY-FIVE

55 - Chefs cut a giant cheesecake that broke Guinness World Record for the biggest cheesecake of the world in Mexico City, capital of Mexico, Jan. 25, 2009. The cheese cake, with 2.5 meters in diameter, 55 centimeters in height and 2 tons in weight, was made by 55 chefs and 5 student chefs and cost 800 kilograms of cheese.

55 - If you were to take a standard HB lead/graphite pencil and draw one continuous line till the lead ran out, just how far do you think you'd get? The idea has actually been tested with the end result being a grand total of 55 kilometres.

55 - In a coin toss, people call "heads" approximately 55% of the time.

THE GOLD HEALTH GUIDE

Tip #6 on preventing the dreaded festive season weight gain:

Avoid temptation traps.
Throw away leftovers and quickly re-gift food presents or pass them along to co-workers or someone else you know would appreciate them. It's OK to get rid of all holiday-food temptations!

5 Things

Why oh Why Friday
5. Why do you press harder on a remote-control when you know the battery is dead?
4. If Barbie is so popular, why do you have to buy her friends?
3. If flying is so safe, why do they call the airport the terminal?
2. Why is it that doctors call what they do a "practice"?
1. Why don't you ever see the newspaper headline "Psychic Wins Lottery"?

Who are the Best Drivers?
Motorists who pass their driving test second time round are the safest on the roads, a study has revealed.
The research also found that those who took more than two attempts to pass have more bad driving habits. Unsurprisingly, drivers who need four, five or six efforts before making the grade have the worst record behind the wheel.
But more importantly, researchers have found those who pass on their second attempt have fewer points on their licence, are less likely to suffer road rage or be stopped by police. They are also less prone to being cautioned for using their mobile phone behind the wheel, have had the fewest accidents in the last five years, and are unlikely to scare passengers with their driving.
Denise agrees heartily with these findings! Guess WHO passed their driving test on the second attempt?!

SAVE ABBEY ROAD STUDIOS!
The iconic Abbey Road studios, where the Beatles recorded, could be saved by the UK's National Trust which is an organisation that protects special places in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, for ever, for everyone.
It's thought the famous studios - which gave the name to a Beatles 1969 album - could sell for between £10-30 million and even be turned into flats.
But now the National Trust say they could look at making an offer on the historic building, because of the level of public support they have seen.
The campaign to save the studios has received the backing of former Beatle Paul McCartney who could probably have paid for it with the music royalties he has earned in the time it took for you to listen to this story!

Tips, Queues and Teochew Porridge

2010-02-18T07:05:00.021+08:00

The Tipping Point
Tipping culture yet to catch on among diners in S'pore, but industry experts are hopeful - a group of eateries has promised customers, having done away with service charge in favour of a strict tipping policy.
The eateries are taking the plunge even as the Restaurant Association of Singapore (RAS) hopes to study the tipping culture in the United States.
The association's president, Mr Ang Kiam Meng, said plans are still 'very preliminary' but hopes that its move will shed light on the pros and cons of tipping in Singapore.
'There's no harm looking into it as there has always been a controversy about the service charge,' he said.

What do Gold 90FM Listeners think? To Tip or not to Tip?

agree the tipping culture is something we should cultivate. however, i've come across too few service staff who have deserved a tip. before a tipping culture can be cultivated, service quality needs a huge improvement. James Peters

Patricki agree with james. Most times service standards need improvement. I would tip accordingly, though.

Tipping would work if the service staff is assigned to a specific table or group of tables. This would give them greater incentive to provide service from the heart, as well as to be more alert from the get go to their customers' needs. As a customer, i certainly appreciate good service. Elaine Seah.

service charge should b abolished as it only serves to increase the bottomline of the estab. Tipping on the other hand demonstrates a client's appreciation. It should b discretionary. Weiliang

Today’s Show is made possible by the NUMBER TWENTY-SIX

26 - Before it is thrown away, a hanger will, on average, hold 26 different garments.

26 - The longest recorded flight of a chicken is 26 seconds.

26 - During the 19th century, men in wealthy European social circles would wear a tuxedo, on average, 26 hours out of any given week.

26 - The average 45 year-old has 26 contacts in his or her buddy list.

26 - It is estimated that the average Fortune 500 company has 26 employees with redundant job functions.

THE GOLD HEALTH GUIDE

Tip #5 on preventing the dreaded festive season weight gain:

Sit down and enjoy.
Give everything you eat your complete attention. Practice mindful eating - If you eat something distractedly, it doesn't register. Which means you'll be eating more than you need. Even if you just want a single cookie, put it on a plate and sit down to eat it, because it forces you to pay attention to what you're putting in your mouth. Or if you're cooking for the festive celebrations, don't stand over the stove for taste tests. Again, use a plate and take a couple of minutes to savour what you're eating.

5 Things

As queuing is set to become part of the citizenship test for immigrants in the UK...

5 Ways to Queue Singapore Style
5. Join a line of people even if you don’t know what it’s for. If there’s a queue, it must be for something good!

4. Join two queues with the help of someone else in order to beat murphy’s law that says which ever queue you’re not in moves faster. Works best at supermarket checkouts.

3. Join a queue the night before to ensure you’re ahead of the rest. Come prepared with portable fan, folding chair, sleeping bag, tent and your pantry. Works best for buying a condo or the latest x-box.

2. If you can’t be in the queue the whole time, use things like umbrellas, tissue packets and thermos flasks to chope your place in the line.

1. Better yet, if you can’t be in the line, get your maid to queue for you, or pay professional "queue-ers" to do the job!

It's Official: Parents Scared of Kids
One in four parents won't discipline their children - for fear of upsetting them, it has been claimed. Researchers found that parents shy away from telling off their kids because they don't want to be seen as unfair or too strict.
A third of parents admitted avoiding keeping their child in check in public because they didn't want others to think they were being too harsh. And 55% of those polled said they dished out less discipline than their own parents did.
30% of parents even admitted they were a pushover - maybe because their parents weren't too good in the discipline department either! :)

Here are YOUR opinions via SMS:
• There is an old belief i heard fr a friend. Dont want to be afraid of your children when you r old, dont eat their leftovers when they r kids! Yep !
• Hi Denise! Now, 80-90% of the listeners will write and say that they are not scared of their children but it's just wishfull thinking. Fear has many faces and one of them is anger! And I have personally seen many parents hitting, slapping and pinching their kids in public places. Cheers! Sabrina
• children discipline had to start young just before they reach 10years old.or else e kids will control e adult.i knw it not easily but just e future angle.elf
• I am a child with 4 siblings. My parents discipline all 5 of us, but I am the only one scared.

MAKAN KAKIS
Where can we find the best Teochew Porridge in Town?

Try Lim Joo Hin teochew porrige @ Havelock Road, near beo cres. I love the fish cake there! jenny ;>)

Ugly is as Ugly Does

2010-02-17T08:45:00.014+08:00

Good Looks = Better Pay?
Looks do matter, especially in the workplace. According to research by Daniel Hamermesh and Jeff Biddle published in the Journal of Labor Economics, physically attractive people earn more per hour— about 5% more on average—than their plain colleagues.
And unattractive people earn 9% less per hour than their better-looking peers. When you crunch the numbers, this means that for average-looking people earning $40,000 annually, their prettiest coworkers would make $42,000 and their least attractive colleagues would bank only $36,400.
Good-looking workers also tend to get more promotions, since they attract more positive attention than do others.
Fair or not, the unhappy truth for plain janes and joes is there’s nothing explicitly illegal about discrimination based on physical characteristics, as long as it doesn’t touch the legislated areas of religion and race.
However, this cloud has a silver lining - even if you don't think you'll score at the ofice in the looks department, you can get ahead by taking this advice:
James Houran, PhD, who writes the “Office Hours with Dr. Jim” column for Online Dating Magazine, says nonphysical attributes also come into play when considering overall appearance. Hygiene and presentation show others how you feel about yourself, and therefore how they should also value you. A smile, good eye contact, and an open stance also project self-assuredness and warmth.
It’s all about confidence, baby! According to researchers Markus Mobius and Tanya Rosenblat, how you feel about yourself affects how others perceive you by about 20% in either direction. So no matter what you feel you look like on the outside, lift that chin up and shine!

Best Looking in the World
A survey quizzed over 5,000 travellers about the attractiveness of people around the world
TOP 20 BEST LOOKING NATIONS
1. America
2. Brazil
3. Italy
4. Australia
5. Sweden
6. England
7. Spain
8. India
9. France
10. Canada
11. Mexico
12. Portugal
13. Wales
14. Russia
15. Japan
16. Ireland
17. Argentina
18. Netherlands
19. Scotland
20. Germany

New Baby = Weight Loss?
The average new mother pushes a baby pram around 1200 km a year - the equivalent of walking back and forth Singapore 25 times, from east to west.
Researchers found the typical mum takes her new tot out and about in the pushchair six times a week, and walks at least 3 km a time.
That means each week they are clocking up just over 18 km. Dads only join in on one in five pushchair journeys. Which means mums, it’s only fair you get dad to do double time on diaper duty!

Today’s Show is made possible by the NUMBER SEVENTEEN

17 - Friday 17th, not 13th, is considered unlucky in Italy. This is thought to derive from Roman tomb stones which often included the word VIXI (I lived). VI (6) + XI (11) = 17.

17 - It would take over 17 Earths to equal the mass of Neptune.

17 - A cow's saliva increases by 17% while grazing. Just like Hamish's everytime he sees a picture of Angelina Jolie! ;)

17 - The Parthenon is 17 columns long.

17 - King Tutankhamen was wrapped in 17 burial cloths.

17 - Behaviorist Konrad Lorenz observed that the wild goose will eventually accept as its parent whatever creature it sees within its first 17 hours of life.

17 - The world's largest caldera (or volcano crater) is that of Mt. Aso in Kyushu, Japan, which measures 17 miles north to south and 71 miles in circumference.

17 - The shortest form of Japanese poetry (known as Haiku) contains exactly 17 syllables.
Here's an example of a haiku, composed in honour of my favourite food, the hamburger:
Glistening grilled patty
Caressed with sauce, gooey cheese
Moist mouth explosion (by DJ_Lae, via giantbomb.com)

5 Things
5 Common Resume Phrases Decoded
5. Has Leadership Qualities - Is tall or has a loud voice
4. Good Communication Skills - Spends lots of time on phone
3. Independent Worker - Nobody knows what he/she does
2. Quick Thinking - Offers plausible excuses
1. Uses Logic On Difficult Jobs - Gets someone else to do it

THE GOLD HEALTH GUIDE
Another tip on how to keep off the dreaded festive season weight gain:
Have your cake (or love letter or bak kwa or...) and eat it too!
There's no need to deprive yourself of your favorite holiday treat. For e.g. you look forward to mum's super fattening Nyonya noodles (complete with lard), then go ahead & enjoy a small portion -just don't go back for seconds! It's perfectly healthy to indulge in moderation and reward yourself for sticking to a healthy eating plan. Just keep in mind that your favorite fatty foods will taste that much sweeter if it's a special treat, rather than a regular occurrence.

MAKAN KAKIS
After the long Lunar New Year Weekend of overindulgence, all we want is something a little lighter on the palate and the waistline! :) In the Tan family, Teochew Porrdge is the go-to antidote for overeating, so let's hear from you - where can we find the best Teochew Muay in Town?

jim - best in s'pore 59 Joo Chiat Place

I love the economic muay at Bt merah view. v good fish, v good baby squid. v authentic teochew - die die must try! mr x.

Happy New Year Pull Your Ear!

2010-02-15T11:13:00.000+08:00

History of Chinese New Year
The origin of the Chinese New Year Festival can be traced back thousands of years through a continually evolving series of colourful legends and traditions. One of the most famous legends is that of Nian, an extremely cruel and ferocious beast, which the Chinese believe, eats people on New Year's Eve. The Chinese word for year is based on the arrival of this beast. A phrase for Chinese New Year, guo nian means the passing of the beast. It is believed that it lives under the sea. It came to attack people at the same time of the year. The Chinese tradition of decorating in red, burning fire-crackers, and the lion dance with loud drums and gongs was to scare the beast away.
But I think all we need is a little music to soothe the savage beast…

The Gold Health Guide
Ready to kick off the party season without worrying about holiday weight gain?
This week will be jam-packed with festivities and fun, not to mention a few obstacles to healthy eating. To keep from overindulging, it's best to walk into a party with a game plan. Here are some healthy eating tips to keep your diet on track:
1. Make a choice
Would you rather look good at the next holiday party or go crazy at the buffet table? Use the season's festivities as motivation to look great in your new years'clothes. Avoid waistline-busting party foods such as fried foods Instead, gravitate toward filling, low-calorie options like fresh veggies and shrimp.
Making healthy choices is an automatic confidence booster, so you'll look, feel better and fit better into those new year clothes!
2. Eat beforehand
Just because you know your auntie made her famous high calorie dish doesn't mean you should starve yourself in preparation -in fact, you should eat in preparation. Have a snack, such as non-fat yogurt or a piece of fruit, before you go out. You're less likely to overeat or make unhealthy food choices at a holiday party if you've taken the edge off your appetite beforehand.

Today’s Show is made possible by the NUMBER FIFTEEN

15 - Sharks are capable of going at least 6 weeks without eating; the record observed in an aquarium is 15 months by a species of shark known as the swell sharks.

15 - The octopus is the most highly evolved of the mollusks - one specimen at Sea World San Antonio was reportedly able to recognize and add numbers as large as 15!
Great, now even the octopus is better at maths than I am!

Tiger Trivia
• The tiger is revered in Chinese mythology and is said to have magical powers.
• It is believed in Chinese mythology that the tiger can take human form.
• A tiger can go two to three days without eating.
• A tiger can spend up to eighteen hours sleeping.
• Tigers reach maturity and are ready for mating at the age of three.
• The tail gives the tiger extra balance when running and is also used to communicate to other tigers.
• The tendons in a tiger's leg are so strong that it has been known to remain standing after it has been shot dead.
• We could lose the wild tiger in as little as five years time, because the tiger has only one predator...MAN!
• A tiger can only usually expect a one in twenty success rate when bringing down prey. Only successful 5% of the time.
• On average a tiger can eat up to 60 pounds of meat at one time.
• After a feed, a tiger will usually bury the remaining animal carcass in an attempt to hide it from scavengers, and then exhume it for its next meal.
Funny, when I was growing up, I thought only my brother did that with his food!

5 Things
5 Snappy comebacks to Nosy Relatives’ Questions
1. You’re not getting any younger, when are you going to settle down and have kids?
"Auntie, I’m happy single. Age is just a number and I’M NOT READY FOR ROWDY CHILDREN JUST YET (look and smile at her kids as you say this)."
2. Waah, you put on weight ah? What happened?
"I’ve been busy cultivating the prosperous look for Chinese New year. Wanna rub my belly for luck?"
3. Aren’t you getting a bit old to receive ang pows?
"Haha, I wouldn’t want you to compromise your Chinese traditions. Anyway a wise old man once said, it’s better to give than to receive!"
4. No girlfriend ah, want me to introduce you?
"No need, auntie, thanks. I hunt alone. This year, my tiger instincts are getting sharper!"
5. Married so long already, why no children?
"Why? Are you offering to babysit?"
or
"My parents are far too young to be grandparents! Why spoil their fun whilst they’re still enjoying themselves?"

Healthy adults need less sleep as they age
Not exactly news, right? But the details of these finding are really quite interesting!
Healthy older adults need less sleep than their younger counterparts and, even with less sleep under their nightcaps, are less likely to feel tired during the day. The time spent actually sleeping out of eight hours in bed declined progressively and significantly with age, according to a study published in SLEEP, the official journal of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society.
Older adults, aged 66-83, slept about 20 minutes less than middle-aged adults (40-55 years), who slept 23 minutes less than young adults aged 20-30, the study said.
But although older adults slept less deeply and less overall, and their sleep was less continuous than their younger counterparts', they also showed less need for a nap during the day.
When asked to lie in a comfortable position on a bed during the day and try to fall asleep, young adults nodded off in an average of 8.7 minutes, compared with nearly 12 minutes for middle-aged adults and just over 14 minutes for older adults.

DIY - CNY Clothing Emergency!
If your children’s buttons keep popping off, try sewing the buttons on with dental floss, which is much stronger than thread. Plus, your kids'll smell minty fresh!

Something Else to do Today!
Monday, 15 February 2010 (to celebrate Chinese New Year)
Admission to the Istana grounds is free for Singaporeans and Singapore Permanent Residents. Others, including foreign visitors, are required to pay an entrance fee of $1 per person. Entrance to the grounds is via the main gate at Orchard Road. Opening hours are usually from 8.30 am to 6.00 pm.
Some highlights:

Visitors are entertained with a variety of performances on the grounds.

For an entrance fee of $2, members of the public are allowed to view selected function rooms in the Istana Building.

Visitors to the Istana Building can also view a special display of selected gifts presented to the President and the Prime Minister.

You can purchase attractive Istana souvenirs, which are only available during these Open Houses. All proceeds from the sale of these Istana souvenirs and the entrance fees collected go to the Community Chest. Not only are you able to enjoy a fun-filled day at the Istana, you can also play a part in helping the needy.

The most unforgettable moment is to have photos taken with President and Mrs Nathan when they come by to greet visitors.

Wise Words for the Start of a New Year
The harvest of a whole year depends on what you sow in the springtime. (Chinese Proverb)

Friday I'm in Love!

2010-02-12T21:10:00.000+08:00

2 days before Valentines’ – you’d be interested to know the most universally recognized symbol is the heart shape. Here’s hoping your heart’s in good shape this valentines' and gong xi fa cai happy new year in advance!

ALL-TIME FAVE LOVE SONGS AS VOTED BY GOLD LISTENERS
After sifting through hundreds of your SMSes, here are your favourite songs when you want to set the mood for love...

5. Everything I Do, I Do It For You - Bryan Adams

4. Can't Help Falling In Love - Elvis Presley / UB40

3. Even the Nights are Better - Air Supply

2. How Deep is Your Love

1. Love, Me - Colin Raye
Listeners' love Love, Me:

an all-time favourite love song for me because it is literally about love that lasts forever. Jack Ong

Love Me is my favourite. I can hear it over n over. Its jus so beautiful de lyrics. Ivy

SMS Poll: Valentines’ Day – Overrated or Celebrated?

No Denise, I don't think it is overated but may be over promoted by advertisers. Personally I advocate the fact that you have to show your loved ones that you think and care about them either by doing little favours or buying useful presents for them. Who doesn't want to feel loved, right ? GONG XI FA CAI:-) of course it has to be celebrated by the newly met as much as well as the long time relationship.... Valerie

Overrated. More for young n naive punks that indirectly Burn" their parents hard earn $ that benefit the retailers. They hv d last laugh!

overated too comercial. David

Denise, Valentine's Day? We should instead have Valiant Time Day when all men should do something heroic for their girlfriends like washing their underwear haha. By the way I am a guy, serious!

hi hi ya it is over rated. U don't need a special day to tell some1 u love them. Wendy

Traditional Romance is Dead!
UK men have dumped traditional romantic gestures, with just one in five buying flowers for their better half in the past 12 months.
A study of 2,000 Brits also found that only one in 20 have sent a love letter and only one in six have been out for a candlelit dinner.
54% of those in a relationship even admitted to having not held hands in public in the last year.
Asked how they show their affection for their partner 46% said they would send her a text message and 32% said they would wash the dishes!

Today’s Show is made possible by the NUMBER FOURTEEN

14 - Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) served as the 16th President of the United States from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through its greatest internal crisis, the American Civil War, preserving the Union and ending slavery.
From ages 14 through 22, Abraham Lincoln owned only two pairs of pants.

14 - 14% of baseball caps are worn sideways. Guess these days, it's more about the look than the function!

14 - 14 out of 15 movies released by major studios in 2004 had a music montage.

5 Things
Kids Say the Darndest Things – Valentines' Special
Questions about love and marriage were posed to kids ages 5 to 10. Here are 5 of the best answers:

5. WHAT DO MOST PEOPLE DO ON A DATE??
"On the first date, they just tell each other lies, and that usually gets them interested enough to go for a second date." (Mike, 10)

4. HOW CAN YOU TELL IF TWO ADULTS EATING DINNER AT A RESTAURANT ARE IN LOVE?
"It's love if they order one of those desserts that are on fire. They like to order those because it's just like how their hearts are.. on fire." (Christine, 9)

3. THE PERSONAL QUALITIES NECESSARY TO BE A GOOD LOVER
"One of you should know how to write a check. Because, even if you have tons of love, there is still going to be a lot of bills." (Ava, 8)

2. CONCERNING WHY LOVERS OFTEN HOLD HANDS
"They want to make sure their rings don't fall off because they paid good money for them." (Dave, 8)

1. WHAT IS THE PROPER AGE TO GET MARRIED??
Eighty-four! Because at that age, you don't have to work anymore, and you can spend all your time loving each other in your bedroom." (Judy, 8)

Worst Sounds in an Office
Results of a 2008 online poll about most annoying office sounds:
1. Workers loudly munching their way through snacks like chips and biscuits.
2. The sound of a hot drink being slurped loudly.
3. Annoying mobile phone ringtones.
4. The arrival of the office lottery money collectors.
5. The sound of the manager's voice.

Gold listeners'contributions:

e doorbell sound.somebody haS to open e door.in one hour more than 5timeS!elf

talking loudly david

when one bings bangs things around as if to tell pple ' hei i am in the office already.' good day Adeline

THE GOLD HEALTH GUIDE
Improve your posture, by answering the phone whilst standing. If standing against a wall, push your shoulders and buttocks into the wall, then aim to eliminate any gaps, by pushing the lower back into the wall. Hold for 20 seconds, and then carry on a normal conversation. Avoid breathing heavily during the exercise.

MAKAN KAKIS
The winning recommendation: D best claypot rice is right smack in Chinatown along Smith st. Right atop d CK dept store n wet mkt. Their oyster sauce marinated chicken is very tender n d small portion of salted fish is not too salty. They serve small pots for 1 person at 5, which is very convenient if dining alone. They also hav wide choice of double-boiled soup n oyster sauce vegetable to go along. Each pot comes with fluffy rice n a thin layer of burnt rice at d bottom, fr those who like it burnt. Having tried Geylang, Clementi, Queenstown, etc, dis is d best. Waiting time is 20 mins. There r 2 stalls, dis is d corner stall. Easy to find, d 2 younger sisters r pretty. *wink . . Now d tough part. If u announce d address on air, d queue gonna b longer, but good things muz share rite, So here it is . . Lian He Ben Ji Claypot Rice - Chinatown Complex - Blk 335 Smith St - #02-198 / 199 - Tel 6227-2470
Ian

Men, Mirrors & Love Letters

2010-02-11T09:26:00.013+08:00

Men Take Longer to Get Ready Than Women!
It's official, men now spend longer getting ready to go out than women do.
A study of over 3,000 men showed the average man dedicates 83 minutes of the day to their personal grooming. This includes showering, cleansing, toning and moisturising, shaving, styling hair and choosing clothes.
In contrast, women have their beauty regime down to a fine art and manage to get hair, clothes and make up done in just 79 minutes.
Men also take longer than women when picking an outfit, 13 minutes compared to 10.
Can't imagine why, since guys always look like their wearing the same old shirt & pants!

THE GOLD HEALTH GUIDE
The superfruit, blueberry, is even better for you than previously thought, scientists have claimed.
It has long been known that the purple berry is rich in cancer-preventing antioxidants and vitamins.
Now researchers from the Lund University Faculty of Engineering in Sweden claim that the fibre in the fruit can help prevent a range of intestinal diseases such as ulcerative colitis, a type of inflammatory bowel disease.
Blueberries are rich in polyphenols - beneficial chemicals found in plants - which have a bug busting and antioxidative effect.
And experts say the effect is even better if eaten with probiotics - the good type of bacteria that can be found in yoghurts because probiotics also protect the liver, an organ that is often negatively impacted by intestinal inflammations.
The team found that the combination of blueberries and probiotics reduced inflammation-inducing bacteria in the intestine at the same time as the number of health-promoting bacteria increased.

Workplace Irritants
Office workers were polled on what's the worst thing about working in an office and according to a survey, irritants include people speaking too loudly on the phone, overbearing health and safety rules, dirty toilets and bad air conditioning.
36% said the frustration of computer breakdowns was the worst and more than a third (37%) of those surveyed found it hard to work when those around them are sulky, grumpy or irritable.
A significant number say these irritations cause them to leave their jobs.
In other words, the grumpy ones stay enmployed? That hardly seems fair does it?
What are your office bugbears?

Gossip about colleagues initated by a male manager.

I agree with the survey. Especially if you have a boss whose mood depends on his personal life. It can get tiring treading on thin ice all the time.

5 Things
5 Signs You Work in the 21st century
5. You think that "progressing an action plan" and "calendarizing a project" are acceptable English phrases.
4. You find you really need PowerPoint to explain what you do for a living.
3. You normally eat out of vending machines and at the best restaurant in town in the same week.
2. You ask your friends to "think out of the box" when making plans for Friday night.
1. You think a "half day" means leaving at 5 o'clock (even if you work at home).

Today’s Show is made possible by the NUMBER TWENTY-ONE

21 - A giraffe can clean its ears with its 21-inch tongue!

21 - An average person's key ring has one key that hasn't been used in the last 9 months 21 days.

21 - 21% of men will never wear a tuxedo at an occasion other than a wedding.
21 - The amount of weight in pounds (almost 10kg) that 22% of newlyweds put on within 12 months of saying 'I do'.

21 - While 21% of first-time fathers will experience sympathetic morning sickness, only eight percent of men who already have at least one child will experience it.

Men & Love Letters
Consider this fair warning, guys! In anticipation of Valentines day… it’s only 3 days away… you should know that women love receiving love letters!
Unfortunately, 6 % of men confessed to passing off existing romantic poetry as their own in order to impress the fair sex. Guys you may not think it’s a big deal, but most women say a poem or love letter would be treasured for the time and effort spent writing it.
20% of men today were are more inclined to use their mobiles to dash off a text.
More than one in ten would instinctively send an emailed message to their loved one.
The study found that while the majority of women are regular users of Facebook and Twitter, more than half would feel disappointed to receive a wall message or tweet instead of a traditional greetings card this coming Valentine's weekend.
two in three women would like to be complimented on their appearance, while a third appreciated a partner with good eye contact, regarding this as a sign of devotion.
More than 75% of women say they would love to receive a letter or poem, but only 50% of men have penned one. That leaves 25% of women walking around completely unsatisfied!

MAKAN KAKIS
Share your fave spot for CLAYPOT RICE!

Tai Lok Claypot Chicken Rice - 40A Margaret Drive Level 2, same row at Sin Kee Famous Chicken Rice - maggie.

Best claypot at Beach Road market. Best in town. It has been there for almost 10 over years . Yummy salted fish added. Chicken is put on a side plate when serve so you can mix your own black sauce. Somedays you have to wait long. Yvonne :-)

Golden Mile Claypot Rice, Golden Mile Food Center #01-65 (Beach Road).

Fear of $$$, Love of Pets

2010-02-10T08:15:00.009+08:00

Shrinking Brains
A study at Detroit’s Henry Ford Hospital revealed evidence that men’s brains shrink faster with age than women’s brains. The study concluded that, between the ages of 65 and 95, men’s brains shrink faster in areas that control thinking, planning, and memory.
Now they have a legit excuse for forgetting your birthday and anniversary!

Love, Animal-style!
Rather than spending Valentine's Day with their partner, 20% of adults would prefer to be with their pet, according to a new global survey. The French were least likely to choose a pet over a human.

Today’s Show is made possible by the NUMBER TWELVE

12 - 12% of fortune cookie fortunes contain the word "luck".

12 - For every 12 children, 4 girls keep a journal, but 1 boy does the same. Yeah, they’re too busy playing police & thief, catching spiders, and shooting aliens in video games to write about their feelings!

12 - While the average resume contains four references, only one reference in 12 is ever contacted.

5 Things
Why oh Why Wedesday
5. Why oh why is "abbreviated" such a long word?
4. Why is it that when you transport something by car, it's called a shipment,
but when you transport something by ship, it's called cargo?
3. Why oh why is a stupid person called a smart-ass?
2. Why oh why is the third hand on the watch called a second hand?
1. Why oh why is the time of day with the slowest traffic called rush hour?
My observations on answerable questions that have us slapping hand to forehead!

THE GOLD HEALTH GUIDE
When you get up in the morning, you can jump-start your metabolism for the day by making sure the first thing you do is drink a few gulps of iced water.
Put a bottle or glass of water in the fridge before you go to bed. When you get up, go straight to the fridge and make yourself take a few gulps. Then go on about your business. It only takes a few seconds and it the cold iced water forces your metabolism to get going quickly so you can start burning calories faster and feeling alert sooner. It only takes seconds and doesn’t hurt at all. It also hydrates you right away!

Women with full lips 'look younger'
Scientists involved in studying the correlation between lip thickness and youthful appearance have found what many have already suspected – the plumper your lips, ladies, the younger you look!
In the study, For women over 60, there appeared to be a more than sevenfold variation in lip thickness.
The thinnest lips measured just 3mm from the top of the upper lip to the bottom of the lower lip, while the fullest lips among the over-sixties measured 2.2cm.
Those with the full, firm lips looked younger than their years, even if they had wrinkles, eye bags, sagging jowels and greying hair!
The lips of both men and women reach their fullest in early adulthood, but then start getting thinner between the age of 30 and 40.
However, there is little women can do naturally to keep the youthful appearance of their lips because that is largely determined by genes.
But take heart, it doesn’t matter what your lips look like – it’s what you use them for! Muah!

Why Are We So Scared of Losing Money?
The study of two women with brain lesions that made them unafraid to lose on a gamble showed the amygdala, the brain's fear center, activates at the very thought of losing money.
The finding offers insight into economic behavior and suggests that as humans,m we have evolved to be cautious about the prospects of losing food or other valued possessions.
Researchers from the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena and University College of London say their laboratory and field evidence suggests that people often avoid risks with losses even when they might earn a substantially larger gain, a behavioral preference termed 'loss aversion'.
So next time someone blames you for not buying that winning toto number, you can say, "My brain made me do it!"

Kitaro Interview

2010-02-09T20:19:00.001+08:00

A full month before his concert here in Singapore, the New Age music legend breezed into the Gold 90FM studios today for a chat with Denise, enroute to Taiko drum rehearsals.
Pictures and audio from the interview are below... Enjoy!

Listen to the interview:

KITARO LOVE & PEACE PLANET MUSIC TOUR 2010
Tuesday 9 March 2010
Singapore Indoor Stadium

For over a quarter century, Kitaro has been an internationally recognized icon and globally acclaimed composer and musician. Influenced early on by American rock and R&B, Kitaro began experimenting with synthesizers and a rainbow of unconventional sounds in the mid-'70s. His pioneering fusion of electronic artistry, traditional Japanese forms, and pop-inflected Western idioms created a lush, harmonic, and poetic sound that won the now legendary artist a huge international following.

Now, Kitaro is universally acknowledged as the founding architect of new age music. His various sound collaborations and resonant, multi-textured compositions truly defy the constraints of any genre. The Grammy and Golden Globe Award-Winning Kitaro has achieved global acclaim over a more than three decade long career with a signature sound and a pioneering fusion of cultures, techniques and spheres of consciousness that are truly his own.

His numerous recording highlights includes the ever popular “ Matsuri”, “Sacred Journey of Ku-kai” - a multi-volume series of albums inspired by the tragedy of 9/11, all time masterpiece “Silk Road Series” and “Impressions of the West Lake” which represents the latest artistic success in the long, storied career of Kitaro which had been recently nominated in the 52nd Grammy awards for Best New Age album.

Most fundamentally, at its heart, Kitaro's music is always about sending a profound message of peace and spiritual development, both personally and globally.

This year, Kitaro will weaves magic in Singapore at his Love and Peace Planet Music Tour 2010 shining the spotlight of his musical message on audiences as he inspires fans from around the globe to unite as one. A show not to be missed!

Proudly brought to you by ECG Group of Companies.

Get your tickets now via Sistic!

Smile and Your Office Smiles with You?

2010-02-09T07:01:00.013+08:00

In a survey of 275 corporations, 8% said they discourage humour in the workplace. Another 8% included "fun" as part of their mission statement. Some 63% were neutral about the topic.

How long does it take for us to get sick of the gym?
The desire to lose weight only motivates people to go to the gym for up to six months, according to a new study.
Researchers found that unless gym-goers start getting a buzz from working out, many will give up within three months.
However, exercise can create a "feel good factor" which motivates people to continue going to the gym long beyond the initial motivation to get fit.
The London Metropolitan University study to investigate what motivates people to start exercising and examines whether these factors alter as members become regular gym-goers.
people are motivated to start exercising because they want to either get fit or improve themselves.
External motivations, such as the desire to lose weight, will motivate people for around three to six months.
People will only tend to continue beyond that if they feel better having exercised, if they feel they have more energy or feel less stressed.
Feeling that switch in motivation from external factors to internal ones tends to come from good personal experiences at the gym.
How long does it take for us to get sick of the gym? 6 months!
Hmm, looks like Hamish has always been right about exercise! Now we couch potatoes have confirmation… all we have to do is wait and the feeling really will pass!

Clueless Men
Researchers revealed while six out of ten guys say they know their partner inside out, but the truth is they are in the dark about almost everything!
Top five things men don't know about their partner:
1. What perfume they wear
2. Clothes size
3. Eye colour
4. Date of birth
5. Natural hair colour
Noticing these little details can win men some major brownie points with their other half as it shows they pay attention, so it's worth putting in the extra effort to make sure you know everything.

THE GOLD HEALTH GUIDE
Choosing a Toothbrush: Manual vs. Electric
The idea of a toothbrush is to remove plaque and to stimulate the gums & most toothbrushes will keep the teeth clean if you know how to use them.
The many advantages to the manual toothbrush include:
• It’s inexpensive and accessible.
• Easy to travel with.
• Good for kids. Even young children can use manual brushes safely and effectively once they’ve learned how.
• Puts less pressure on teeth and gums. You can feel how much pressure you're using as you grasp the toothbrush, which helps you to avoid putting too much pressure on your teeth. With an electrical model you can’t feel that as well. Placing too much pressure on your teeth can wear away at the tooth enamel, causing pain, sensitivity, and an increased risk of tooth decay.
Electric Toothbrushes: Recommended in Some Cases
They are recommended for people who can’t do a good job with a manual toothbrush. For older people or people who have less manual dexterity, like those who suffer from arthritis, the electric toothbrush may clean more effectively.
In the long run, experts say, technique is more important than brush type for good dental health.

5 Things
You know you’re getting old when…
5. You feel like the morning after but you haven't been anywhere.
4. Everything hurts, and what doesn't hurt doesn't work.
3.Your knees buckle but your belt won't.
2. "Getting lucky" means you managed to find your car in the Suntec City Car park.
1. An "all nighter" means not having to get up to pee!

Today’s Show is made possible by the NUMBER EIGHTEEN

18 - Rats multiply so quickly that in 18 months, two rats could have over a million descendants.

18 - Bats can find food (insects) up to 18 ft. away and get information about the type of insect using echolocation.

18 - The average American child sees about 200,000 acts of violence on TV by age 18. This the point when you wish for a permanent black out in your house!

Rainy Days & Mondays...

2010-02-08T09:48:00.004+08:00

Crying at the Movies
Here it is, one of the many videos off cryingwife.com!

A website showing videos of a woman crying uncontrollably after watching a range of movies, has become an online hit.
It was set up by Parker Stech, from California, after he noticed his wife Hollie cried her eyes out after almost every movie they watched.
Parker decided to start filming Hollie's over-the-top reaction to various movies - from Star War to Back to the Future - and post them online.
Now the videos have been watched by over 400,000 people and visitors are even asked to suggest other movies which Hollie might cry at!

Chinese Tuition for Pandas?
Zoo bosses in Beijing are looking to recruit a Chinese language tutor - for a panda which was born in America. Three-year-old panda Mei Lan has lived at a zoo in Atlanta since she was born in 2006, but is due to return to China this week.
As such, keepers are worried that Mei Lan will not respond correctly to Chinese caretakers and are employing a language tutor to help her adapt.
A spokesperson for the Beijing panda research centre said Mei Lan will be taught basic phrases in the Sichuan dialect.
Great! Now even the pandas from America will speak better Chinese than me.

GOLD HEALTH GUIDE
You’ve heard of the expression Feed a Cold and Starve a Fever? Now learn the truth behind this age-old advice for colds and fever.
'Starve a fever' has been medical folklore for hundreds of years because doctors in the 1500s and 1600s thought fever meant that your metabolism was in overdrive & that eating would distract the body from fighting fever because it was using all its energy for digestion. At the time, colds were blamed on a drop in body temperature, which could be helped by eating and drinking.
The truth, according to recent research, suggests starving a fever by eating fewer calories may actually make it more difficult to fight off the flu virus.
The body requires large amounts of energy to create and assemble the large number of immune cells necessary to fight the enemy. Good nutrition and calories provide this energy. And the body requires additional fluids above the norm in the presence of illness, including colds or flu. Water, juice, and hot liquids along with food will help fight cold infections by keeping the body well-hydrated and nourished.
Physicians and experts advise you to Drink plenty of fluids to replace lost electrolytes and eat if you're hungry.

5 Things

5 Things That Sound Saucy at the Office, But Aren't
5. Mind if I use your laptop?
4. I want it on my desk, NOW.
3. It's an entry-level position.
2. My equipment is so old it takes forever to finish.
1. It's not fair! I do all the work while he just sits there.

What We Look For in the Opposite Sex
The study of 4,000 adults revealed most women found a flirtatious grin irresistible, along with lingering eye contact and a man's strong arms.Women also said generosity, intelligence and an affectionate side were important as was a good body, passion between the sheets and being good with kids.
However, the men who answered the survey were slightly less cultured in their views, a 'great body' was their number one response, followed by a stunning cleavage. Sigh.

Will Your Child Become Pro-sportsperson?
The month of your birth influences your chances of becoming a professional sportsperson, according to Australian academics in a new study.
Dr Adrian Barnett, from Queensland University of Technology's Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, studied the seasonal patterns of population health, and found by analysing the birthdays of professional Australian Football League players, that a disproportionate number were born in the early months of the year, closer to when the school year starts.
Doctors say children born in January, are at a sporting advantage because they have almost 12 months' growth ahead of their classmates born late in the year. They found there were 33% more professional football players than expected with birthdays in January and 25% fewer in December.
Those results mirror other international studies which found a link between being born near the start of school year and the chances of becoming a professional player, particularly in ice hockey, football, volleyball and basketball.
Research in the UK shows those born at the start of the school year also do better academically and have more confidence.
I really must protest! I was born in July - does that make me academically and sportingly mediocre?!

Today’s Show is made possible by the NUMBER THIRTY-FOUR

34 - Cities are facing more congestion than ever. The average driver spends 34 hours a year in traffic jams. In Los Angeles, drivers sit stagnant for 82 hours each year. The amount of time drivers spend stuck in traffic has grown by at least 350 percent over the past 16 years.

34 - Your risk of being in an auto accident increases 34% if you have a cell phone in your car (Rochester Institute of Technology, New York).

34 - In a double blind taste test administered to 1224 non-vegatarians, lamb was preferred over beef and pork, 48 percent to 34 percent to 28 percent.

Weekend Wisdom

2010-02-05T07:02:00.012+08:00

iPad, iLaugh!
So everyone's been talking about Apple's new iPad - a gadget that has caused a lot of debate. But one thing many people agree on - its name isn't the most creative. Not when it calls to mind feminine hygiene products! Watch the spoof below for some laughs

Dirty Money?
In the true spirit of entrepreneurship, an enterprising Taiwanese businessman has come up with a new way to make money just in time for Chinese New Year - washing dirty bank notes so they can be used like new in red packets!
The Lunar New Year falls on February 14 this year. According to Chinese customs, grandparents and parents usually give "red envelopes" stuffed with clean and fresh bank notes to children for good luck in the upcoming year.
Yu Guan-cheng charges 300 Taiwan dollars (SGD$13) for washing 20 bank notes, soaking them in chemicals, rinsing with water and hanging them out to dry.
Some people think he's crazy to offer this service and wonder who would want to have their money washed, but he claims he has new customers coming daily!
Well, that's one sure way NOT to get arrested for money laundering!

Sack John Terry?
An online petition demanding John Terry be sacked as England captain has garnered thousands of signatures in a small space of time.
The site - SackJohnTerry.com - urges supporters to join the campaign to persuade the FA to strip the allegedly adulterous skipper of his captaincy.
Since being set up by businessman and Manchester United fan John Tilley, it has been bombarded by angry fans.
Mr Tilley insisted "The Football Association cannot stick their heads in the sand this time. They have to take action and take action now."
Maybe we need to double check that Mr Tilley isn't actually a Mr Wayne Bridge!

Today’s Show is made possible by the NUMBER FORTY-EIGHT

48 - Humans have 48 different glands in the head and neck alone. A gland is an organ in our bodies that synthesizes substances for release.

48 - According to the periodical, Habidashery Today, the average pair of Men's boxer brief underpants is too worn out to wear after 34 washings in an automated washing machine, yet men typically keep a pair until they have been through the washer 48 times.

48 - The average age of an Italian barista is 48 years old. In Italy being a “Barista” is a respected job title. The average age requirement for a Starbuck barista is 17.
I guess that’s why coffee always tastes better in Italy. It’s the taste of experience!

5 Things
5 Funny Words of Wisdom for the Weekend

5. Money can't buy happiness, but it sure makes misery easier to live with.

4. To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism; to steal from many is research.

3. The next time you feel like complaining remember: Your rubbish bin
probably eats better than thirty percent of the people in this world.

2. Having a smoking section in a restaurant is like having a peeing section in a swimming pool.

1. Beware of the toes you step on today. They could be attached to the behind you have to kiss tomorrow.

The Gold Health Guide

Super Brain Foods

Watch your weight, cholesterol and blood pressure levels. A study has found that those who were obese in middle age were twice as likely to develop dementia in later life, while those who had high cholesterol and high blood pressure had six times the risk. Alzheimer's Association advises one to eat in moderation and to adopt an overall food lifestyle rather than a short term diet.

MAKAN KAKIS
Where to Find the BEST HOKKIEN MEE in Town?

Pasir Panjang food ctr, e hokien mee is superb! Hv e tradn taste, 1st taste nothing special, 2nd good, 3rd irresistible

lor 21a geylang charcoal fire cooking yummy - yeo liang chai

east coast lagoon hawker fry by ah pek, been frying 4 yrs. The mee fried wet, plenty ingredients, take w chillie yummy n price reasonable. David

recommend 1 stall at Upper East Coast Rd, a coffee shop with this Hokkein Mee fried with big fresh tiger prawns and big slice of sotong. If I m not wrong, the stall name is Famous Geylang Fried Hokkien Her....Super super good! Adjacent was a newly renovated 2 storey hotel n opposite has a Caltex Petrol Kiosk.

This week's Hokkien Mee King and winner of the Gold Gift Pack is...Ettore Palazzi!
Dear Denise. Geylang Lor 29 Hokkien Mee is located in 396 East Coast "food 'r us" hawker centre. I have been in Singapore the last 24 years and I cannot think of any better hokkien mee stall. The prawns are very fresh and large the mee is the right mix of mee (the thin and the large) and they are blended with a super gravy made of the heads of the prawns (cholesterol punch) but who cares. The lard is chanky and crispy. And last but not least Alex is cooking on charcoal, which gives an estraordinary smooky flavor to the mee. What can I say I can die for it. My biggest problem is that I leave nearby. Only a walkinging distance. So very tempting ah ah. Cheers Ettore Palazzi.

Listen... Let Me Whisper in Your Ear...

2010-02-04T09:02:00.008+08:00

Previous research has shown that if you want to persuade someone to do something, you should speak in their right ear.
And now, a new study has found that apologies go down better through right ear as well!
Scientists from the University of Valencia found that when people are angry right ears were significantly more susceptible to sound.
However, there was no change in the left ear, according to the research published in the journal Hormones and Behaviour.
The discovery has led to the theory that by targeting the right ear, you’re more likely to succeed in talking someone round and getting them to accept your apology!
This is because the left side of the brain processes sounds that come in through the right ear.
If anger activates it, noise from the right, but not the left, will be heard more keenly. So if you want to appease whoever you’ve made angry, say sorry to their right ear.
But if you don’t really mean it, then by all means use the left ear!

Taiwan: Infidelity Crisis
One in three Taiwanese women would marry other men if they were given a second chance in life, according to a survey published on Tuesday, amid warnings that the island was facing an "infidelity crisis." In the survey, only 17% of men would want new wives.
I call this the reverse Tiger Woods effect!

Woman's amazing find: all eggs in box had 'double yolks'
A woman from Cumbria, England made her eggs-citing discovery when she bought a half-dozen box from a supermarket to make scrambled eggs one sunday morning.
As she cracked open each egg, she could only stare in amazement as every one in the six-pack contained a double yolk.
British Egg Information Service said double yolk eggs were common among younger hens between 18 to 24 weeks.
Now, we’re such a nation of betters and punters, so you might be wondering – what are the odds of such an occurrence?
Experts say the chances of getting one double yolk in a box of eggs was one in 1,000.
The chances of getting all six double yolks in one box, therefore, more than one in a trillion.
Which is about the same as the anyone understanding the lyrics of a Duran Duran Song!

Today’s Show is made possible by the NUMBER TWENTY-NINE

29 - There are 29 millionaire dogs in the world. While all of these canines have their funds managed in trust, they are the legal benefactors.
I guess you could say their lives are no longer Ruff!

29 - 29% of women spend more time shopping for shoes than they do looking for a life long mate.
That’s because shoes will never let you down. Literally, if they’re high heels!

29 - The average medieval man lived to the age of 29. Today, the average man lives to 82 years and the average woman lives to 86!

5 Things
Funny Motivational Signs seen hanging in Office cubicles:
5. There are two kinds of people in life: people who like their jobs, and people who don't work here anymore.
4. The light at the end of the tunnel has been turned off due to budget cuts.
3. A person who smiles in the face of adversity probably has a scapegoat.
2. Pride, commitment, teamwork--words we use to get you to work for free.
1. Rome did not create a great empire by having meetings - they did it by killing all those who opposed them.

The Gold Health Guide
Super Brain Foods
5. Reduce your intake of foods high in saturated fat and cholesterol which clog the arteries and are linked to Alzheimer's. Opt for mono- and polyunsaturated fats - such as olive oil - when cooking, and bake foods instead of frying them.

MAKAN KAKIS
This week, we hunt down the BEST HOKKIEN MEE in town. Share your recommendations!

Oh my God, this is 1 of my favourite dish. U people must have gone there 2 eat b4 but I must say this, it is still 1 of my best. It is not too dry n d aroma of d yellow mee, bee hoon n egg are so shiok that makes u so hungry. D way it is fried also plays a part. Oh, d prawns are fresh. They are very juicy. U can pop by at Nam Sing Hokkien Fried Mee (Hougang) at stall 01-32 at Blk 51 Old Airport Road Food Centre. Go there n have ur lunch, if u have not been there bu+ b prepared 2 wait 4 at least 15 minutes or more if there is a queue. Happy eating. Frederick Cham.

dear denise I am shamitha.(10 yrs) the best hokkien mee is at chomp chomp @serengoon gardens. When u enter the hawker centre the first hokkien mee shop on your the right side. The mee there is superb. The fish cake ... Heavenly. All for just under$3.00.

Traffic Police Blow It!

2010-02-03T09:09:00.013+08:00

Driver Fined For Blowing His Nose
A motorist has expressed disbelief at being fined for blowing his nose while his vehicle was at a standstill. Michael Mancini, from Ayrshirehad, England, stopped his van in traffic and wiped his nose with a handkerchief.
When he moved off, he was pulled over by police who told him he had not been in control of his vehicle.
He was then handed a £60 fine and docked three points on his driving licence.
Mr Mancini has refused to pay the penalty. His solicitor wrote to prosecutors earlier this month explaining the offence could not have occurred because Mr Mancini's handbrake was on.
But prosecutors replied the next day warning that if the fine wasn't paid, the case would be taken to court, which Mr Mancini fully intends to do.

What do you think? Did he deserve the penalty?

Hi Denise, that will be ridiculous if he has been stopped though he had abide the law. Unless he is not doing so ie he may be squeezing and any oh how throwing out of window. Hmm ...yee.. yaks....Otherwise the traffic police must be trying 2 meet his quotas of offenders so he is the unlucky one.

its ridiculous n dumb. Was it when da light was red? If so n already stopped da vehicle then ntin wrong. cops over there need to b retrained or someting

Vanity, Thy Name is Moob!
There has been an 80% jump in the number of men having a breast reduction operation, say the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons.
It's claimed many of the moob (man boobs) operartions were prompted by men feeling pressure to live up to the the role-models in movies, TV shows and magazines.
I wonder if the male patients opted to enhance other parts of their body with the excess stuff from their moobs? Eeew. Chest a joke!

Clairvoyant Cat?
A cat has "predicted" the deaths of 50 elderly patients by curling up with them as they are about to die, according to a new book.
Staff at the nursing home say Oscar the cat often sits with old people who are approaching their final hours.
In one case workers at the home were convinced a patient was about to die.
But Oscar thought otherwise and snuggled up to another person.
The cat and his sixth sense were proved right and the staff wrong.
However, scientists insist there's nothing supernatural or spooky going on. Instead, they think he 'smells' the pheromones released by the patients as they near death.
This is one cat I certainly don’t want to have as a pet. He’d make my whole family nervous.

Today’s Show is made possible by the NUMBER THREE

3 - One in 3 people worldwide believes the sun revolves around the earth. So let make it official once and for all, just in case you’re part of the statistic. The earth revolves around the sun. So do all the other planets in out solar system.

3 - 3% of couples getting married this year met on the internet.

3 - For every fork in the world, there are 3 spoons and 10 knives.

5 Things
Denise has been attempting to learn how to Tap Dance. Every Tuesday evening, she takes a beginners' class and every Wednesday morning she wonders why she bothers. Her body aches in ways she has never known before! So in a bid to motivate herself, here's...

5 REASONS WHY ADULTS SHOULD LEARN TO TAP DANCE
1. To annoy your annoting neighbour downstairs.
2. You never know when you need to hang a picture and you’ve got the nails, but your hammer’s nowhere to be found.
3. If Tony Danza from Who’s the Boss can, so can you!
4. To drown out the din of your noisy kids.
5. To become an expert pest exterminator. Put on those shoes and crunch away at those bugs!

The Gold Health Guide
Super Brain Foods
4. Make sure you are getting enough vitamins, particularly C, E, B12 and folate, preferably from food sources rather than supplements. There is some indication that these vitamins may help in reducing one's risk of developing dementia. However, Mayo Clinic warns against taking large dosages of vitamin E because it increases the risk of bleeding, especially if you are taking blood thinners.

MAKAN KAKIS
This week, we hunt down the BEST HOKKIN MEE in town. Share your recommendations!

Hi Denise, have you try the Hokkien Mee at the Food Republic at VIVOCITY? I think it looks very tempting in the special leaf-liked plate on which it was served with big prawns. If only they can remove the prawns' skin 'cos i don't like to do it esp in public...Valerie

holkien mee store name is swee guan . Geylang lorong 29 coffeeshop. Price range from 3 to 20 with big prawn . Best to go with their sambal chilli and they are still using the traditional cooking method ( charcoal) thx francis goh

Dear Denise. Geylang Lor 29 Hokkien Mee is located in 396 East Coast "food 'r us" hawker centre. I have been in Singapore the last 24 years and I cannot think of any better hokkien mee stall. The prawns are very fresh and large the mee is the right mix of mee (the thin and the large) and they are blended with a super gravy made of the heads of the prawns (cholesterol punch) but who cares. The lard is chanky and crispy. And last but not least Alex is cooking on charcoal, which gives an estraordinary smooky flavor to the mee. What can I say I can die for it. My biggest problem is that I leave nearby. Only a walkinging distance. So very tempting ah ah. Cheers Ettore Palazzi.

Trains, Tattoos and Toilet Paper

2010-02-02T07:15:00.007+08:00

The Best Office Gadget of 2010

A Japanese company has invented, possibly, the cleverest office gadget of the year: a machine that turns waste paper into lavatory paper.
Instead of sending shredded documents to a recycling centre, incurring expense and energy, office managers will soon be able to feed them into a machine and turn them into lavatory paper.
Pop in 40 sheets of regular A4 paper, and a half-hour later, the paper has been shredded, mixed with water, turned into a pulp, flattened, dried and converted into a roll of lavatory paper.

Tattoo of Love & Trains

An Australian man has had a train company logo tattooed on his back - so his parents can get free rail travel around Europe.
Grant Burton had wanted to get his parents something special for their 40th wedding anniversary, but being unemployed he didn't have much spare cash.
Knowing his parents always wanted to go to Europe, Grant contacted train firm EuRail and asked them if they would give him two passes if he did something crazy to promote their brand.
He offered to have their logo and website permanently tattooed on his back and amazingly they said yes!
Parents - what if your kids did this for you?

i think giving expensive gifts doesn't show additional love and respect for ur parents - Sudeshna

i think giving expensive gifts doesn't show additional love and respect for ur parents.

good morning, tattoo for free trip its a no no for me as i don like tattoo. Emotionally i will be touched of course. Geneva

When Recession Hits, Hit the Ice Cream!
An Italian "university" dedicated to ice cream has seen a 90% rise in enrolments as high-flying executives laid off in the recession seek to forge new careers producing the country's beloved gelato.
At the Gelato University in Bologna, students come from all over the world, with budding gelato maestros attending from Australia, China, Sudan, Lebanon and Britain.
They have one dream in common: to learn how to make the world's best ice cream in the institute's high-tech laboratories and then use their new-found expertise to open gelaterie back home.
As well as learning how to concoct familiar flavours such as chocolate and vanilla, students experiment with more outlandish tastes, including gelato made from red wine, olive oil, Parmesan cheese and basil.
In China, they have even experimented with fish-flavoured gelato!Pear with Parmesan and lemon with basil are some of the more unusual ones students have come up with.

Today’s Show is made possible by the NUMBER SIX

6 - On average, a toilet seat in a residential bathroom gets replaced every 6 years, 4 months and 3 days.

6 - Wrigley's chewing gum was originally marketed for six years as Wrigley's chewing rubber, their sales tripled in the first month after changing to their current name.

6 - The human body contains 6 miles of nerves.

Today in 1997, Brazilians went cockroach crazy - catching cockroaches by the thousands and selling them to a Rio de Janiero lab involved in allergy research. The lab needed 600-thousand cockroaches and was paying $120 a pound. It takes roughly 54,545 roaches to make a pound.

Hamish's 5 Things

5 MORE THINGS ADULTS LEARN FROM KIDS

5. Plastic toys do not like ovens

4. Super glue is forever

3. THE SPIN CYCLE ON A WASHING MACHINE WILL MAKE CATS DIZZY

2. You probably do not want to know what that odor is

1. Quiet does not necessarily mean don't worry

The Gold Health Guide
Super Brain Foods
3. Instead of snacking on cookies, chips and other unhealthy junk foods, grab a handful of nuts instead. Almonds, pecans and walnuts are a good source of vitamin E - a powerful anti-oxidant. Research suggests that it may have a protective effect on brain cells.

Freaky February

2010-02-01T07:15:00.018+08:00

The word "February" comes from the Latin word februare, meaning "to purify." The ancient Romans had their annual purification ceremony during this time each year.

Hot on the heels of reports that Argentine President Cristina Kirchner believes eating pork is as effective as popping a Viagra pill to spice up your sex life, comes yet another World Leader with unusual eating habits...

Margaret Thatcher's Victory Diet!
As Baroness Thatcher plotted her victorious election campaign of 1979, one key part of her strategy was so closely guarded that it has never before been revealed: her crash diet.
For two weeks in the run-up to her historic win, the Iron Lady stuck rigidly to a regime which included 28 eggs per week, steak, salad, and her favourite tipple, whisky.
Each day she ticked off every item on a typed sheet of paper kept tucked in a pocket of her personal diary, with the goal of losing 20lb to help look her best when she became prime minister.
The diet was discovered among thousands of personal papers which are being published for the first time by the Margaret Thatcher Archive Trust, and which provide a fascinating insight into life with Lady Thatcher.

Fired for Full Figure?
An editor at Bridal magazine was recently fired for unbuttoning her shirt in the confines of a Conde Nast office - simply to show her newly augmented breasts to two of her close colleagues. Keep in mind, there was no nudity involved; she simply stripped down to her sports bra.
What do you think? did she overstep her boundaries as an employee? Or was HR being harsh?

Come to my room n show me too! Nick

as a boss myself I think they just used this as an excuse to fire her. There were probably some other issues. As for "showin" her goods I tend to agree w Hamish. - Jay

VERY NARROW MINDED BOSS ! :-DHave a great day, every day = Victor n Patrina Reutens :-)

Hi, JACINTA here. It's within her comfort zone. D company must b crazy 2 fire her over such an excuse! Must b jealous about her new possessions.

Morng guys:-)She doesn't deserve 2 b fired!I tik e co.must b unhappy wiv her n finds every excuse 2 terminate her.Vanessa Goh

HR drastic measure uncalled for, am sure e company dont have any rule against her showing off newly gained ornaments, probably e HR dont have much 'chest'?

First, she must cultivate her friends. Then I think it was too drastic of the HRD to fire her... By the way is the head of the HRD a woman and not well endowed! Perhaps if... a man... Scorned?!!

Whats the problem what is done in private is private x maybe the boss is looking for a reason to sack her x did not like her in the 1st place x or if is just a prude x Andrew

she should have shown the boss too. Maybe he's jealous that he wasn't involved. Nor

management certainly went over board. They must be jealous that they weren't privy to e show ;-) - sylvia, sunset way

Today in 2006, a 100-pound woman ate 26 grilled cheese sandwiches in 10 minutes at a New York restaurant to win the World Grilled Cheese Eating Championship. Sonya Thomas won $8,000 but said she was disappointed in her performance. She wanted to eat 30 sandwiches. Thomas held other eating records, including 46 dozen oysters in 10 minutes, 11 pounds of cheesecake in 9 minutes, 48 chicken tacos in 11 minutes, and 37 hot dogs and buns in 12 minutes.

Today’s Show is made possible by the NUMBER EIGHTY-SEVEN

87 - 87% of the food products purchased in the world, by dollars spent, have at least one added artificial flavour.

87 - The airline industry estimates that 87% of potentially redeemable frequent flier miles are never claimed.

87 - 87% of airline passengers made a phone call within 5 minutes of disembarking from the plane.

Hamish's 5 Things

ITS THE START OF ANOTHER MONTH - START OF ANOTHER WORK WEEK AND SOMEWHERE RENTAL NEEDS TO GET PAID - HERE ARE 5 FUNNY LETTERS TO LANDLORDS TO MAKE YOU SMILE ON MONDAY

5. I request your permission to remove my drawers in the kitchen.

4. Will you please send someone to mend our cracked sidewalk? Yesterday my wife tripped on it and is now pregnant.

3. 50% of the walls are damp, 50% have crumbling plaster and 50% are plain filthy

2. Our lavatory seat is broken in half and is now in three pieces.

1. Our kitchen floor is very damp, we have two children and would like a third, so will you please send someone to do something about it.

The Gold Health Guide
Super Brain Foods
According to Alzheimer's Association, a brain-healthy diet is one that essentially promotes good blood flow to the brain, reduces the risk of heart disease and diabetes, and is low in fat and cholesterol. These tips from the US-based organisation may help reduce your risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia.
1. Eat more dark-skinned fruits and vegetables that contain high levels of naturally-occurring anti-oxidants. For example:
• Beets
• Brussels sprouts
• Broccoli
• Corn
• Onions
• Spinach
• Blackberries
• Cherries
• Oranges
• Prunes
• Raisins
• Red grapes
• Strawberries
Research suggests that the anti-oxidants in these foods can protect brain cells.

2. Up your intake of omega-3 fatty acids, which are vital for normal brain function. This is found in:
• Mackerel
• Salmon
• Trout
• Tuna
• Flax seeds
• Kiwi fruit
• Walnuts

PJ Ban, Fat Tax and Cheap Food

2010-01-29T06:13:00.025+08:00

Welcome to Abbaworld!
ABBA exhibit has opened to public that will completely immerse fans into the world of ABBA's music. London's ABBAWORLD is a new "museum-cum-theme park" that has 25 rooms and 30,000 square feet devoted to the Swedish sensations! The exhibition plays the glorious music of the band throughout the attraction, letting visitors explore old memorabilia, recreate the band's sound at interactive mixing desks and sing alongside an animated ABBA via "holographic video" technology. There is even an audioguide to lead you through the attraction, narrated by Swedish actor Stellan Skarsgard, one of the stars of the film version of Mamma Mia.
Click here for the full story!

Supermarket Dresscode

A British chain of supermarkets has introduced the dress code – which also forbids bare feet – due to a spate of people doing their weekly shop in their nightwear.
Customers in Cardiff, South Wales, are now greeted by signs warning them of the new rules. They were put up in response to customers complaining that the relaxed shopping habits of some made them uncomfortable and embarrassed.
The new signs read: "To avoid causing offence or embarrassment to others, we ask that our customers are appropriately dressed when visiting our store (footwear must be worn at all times and no nightwear is permitted)."

What do you think if Supermarkets in Singapore decide to enforce such a dresscode?
NAY

dress code?for what? Just pretend it's hallowen then hor liao lor -wan

dress code 4 supermarket? Siao! Then must wear coat n tie?

if I wear Bikini/hot pants because the store is at a resort/beach then am I under dress too. The bottom line if I can pay WHY WORRY ABT MY CLOTHS. What is Next ? Tks Lucia

We are not allow to chew gum, not allow to drink water on MRT. Now we are about to be told how to dress in super market. Do we have any human right in this FINE FINE city?

It wont be long b4 you know it, the supermarket is GONE if it follows.

I wud like Hamish in a thong at a supermarket. Majella

i doesn't matter what we wear. as long comfortable n we got money to pay. elf

YAY

being a paying customer doesn't mean u ignore social etiquette. Its a matter of propriety n sense. What is wrong w Singaporeans these days! We're never going to be a gracious society if people think rights n money is everything!

Going t supermarkets should at least dress appropriately.. You dont own the place, have to be considerate to others. janice

home clothes, it's meant for home. Your PJs are meant for sleep. Let's have some self respect n dress approriately. Cheers lena

people shud dressed appropriately to neighbourhood supermarkets. It's social etiquett! I don't wanna be shoppg my grocerries next to someone in their PJ or nightie cuz God knows what they've been up to the night b4.

Lydia Dress code shld be casual and comfortable BUT no pyjamas.

YES. These days ppl don't have a proper sense me dressing anymore. As a lady, i too get appalled by the bad dressing.

mohan - never mind the pyjamas inconsiderate singaporeans go to supermarket immediately after their morning jog. They drip sweat and stink where fresh food is sold. This cannot be hygienic.

Mrng Danish ! Yeah i m wif Hamish. What's meant for the bedroom, pls keep them for the bedroom! There must be dress codes for every occassions! Period. Nick

there definitely should be a dress code. Can't understand why some women dress so badly that they are such turn off.

Fat Tax for Overweight Fliers?
Air France was last week mistakenly accused of launching a new fee for obese fliers which has re-ignited the debate over whether airlines should charge more when an extra seat is needed.
More than three-quarters of people believe that airlines should charge a “fat tax” according to a new poll by a travel website. Less than a quarter of the people surveyed disapproved of forcing those who can not fit into a standard airline seat to purchase a second seat, normally at a discounted rate. Others suggested that charges should be calculated on the weight of the person and baggage combined.
In 2008, Air France was ordered to pay £5,000 in damages to a 172kg passenger who had his waist measured at an airport check-in desk before being told he would have to purchase two seats.
The so called ‘Fat Tax’ is a very sensitive issue for airlines - they will have to tread carefully so as not to alienate heavier passengers. On one hand, it’s not unreasonable for airlines to charge passengers extra if they occupy more than one seat. On the other, many would argue that it should be the responsibility of airlines to adjust their standard seat size, enabling them to comfortably accommodate all passengers.
What do you think?

Why not call it volumemetric tax? There is a fixed volume for each seat. You don't want to be sitting between 2 obese ones. I chose biz class when I was more than 98kg. Biz class seats are already larger than econ ones. Cheers Fairley

forget the fat tax, they should implement body odour tax...an absolute must!

i agree with denise it should not be called the fat tax! Thats rude!

Today’s Show is made possible by the NUMBER THIRTY-SIX

36 - A football freestyler has set a new world record by keeping a football in the air for 13 hours while completing a 36 mile tour of London.
Dan Magness, Watched by adjudicators from Guinness World Records, visited London's five Premier League grounds which finished at White Hart Lane. He was allowed to keep the ball off the ground using all parts of his body, except his hands. He even kept the ball up while conducting several TV and radio interviews!

36 - Worldwide, 36 miles (58km) of hair grows every day.

36 - Washing machines account for 36% of household water use.

36 - Since the moon's gravity is only 1/6 that of Earth's, it is possible to jump 36 (six squared) times higher there! Imagine all the basketball games you could win!

Hamish's 5 Things

ITS FRIDAY - SO HERE IS YOUR REWARD - 5 OF THE MOST IRRITATING THINGS KIDS ASK OF PARENTS

5. WHY IS THE SKY BLUE?
4. WHERE DID I COME FROM?
3. ARE WE THERE YET?
2. HOW DO YOU KNOW VEGETABLES DONT FEEL PAIN?
1. CAN I HAVE MY ALLOWANCE NOW?

The Gold Health Guide
Common Health Myths #5
Can thong underwear cause infections down there?
Prevention magazine's advisor, Dr Mary Jane Minkin says that she has not received any complaints from her patients who wear g-string underwear. However she says that it may be theoretically possible for infections to occur. The thin sliver of cloth that is at the back of the thong usually rests where it makes it possible for fecal bacteria to infect the private parts. A thong can also create tiny cracks in the skin, leading to mild irritation. Here's the good news: if your g-string does not bother you, there's no medical reason to stop wearing it!

MAKAN KAKIS
GOOD FOOD THAT'S EASY ON THE WALLET?

mrng Ham n Den, dunno if a/one told u abt prata set (1 piece + drink) for $2 @ banquet clifford ctr. Delicious too! - Sali

Retro breakfast prices! How often do we yearn for gd old traditional breakfast of porridge, Chee Cheong Fun or rice sheets, simple yet full of flavour Yam Cake? Fret not. Joo Chiat Kim Choo at #02-29 at the Tiong Bahru Mkt cooked food ctr serves these traditional fares at fantastic prices to match. One bowl of peanut conpoy prridge, full of tasty ingrdients only $1.20. CCF with soya sauce and oil only 0.70 cts. Yam cake eith chilli and sweet sauce only 1.00! Shiok!

toa payoh blk 127, 2nd fl stall 02-30 white carrot cake very well fried chrispy and yummy only for $2. David soh

Balls!

2010-01-28T08:37:00.010+08:00

Better Than Ronaldo

Japanese scientists have created an engine-driven "free kick" machine which can kick a ball faster and more accurately than Cristiano Ronaldo.
The contraption can kick a regulation ball at speeds of 200km per hour - compared to around 130km by the most powerful players.
It is the the result of work by BP Castrol - one of the sponsors of the World Cup in South Africa - and will be taken on tour to promote the tournament.

Today’s Show is made possible by the NUMBER FORTY-FIVE

45 - The Guinness Book of World Records lists the record height for flipping a coin at 45 meters.

45 - There are at least 45 foods that have been shown in separate studies to prevent one kind of cancer, but cause another. For example, pineapples help prevent breast cancer, but increase the risk of skin cancer.

45 - Some 45% of wives say their husbands snore. But only 5% of husbands will admit it!

Hamish's 5 Things

SSC looking for 950 race officials
SINGAPORE: The Singapore Sports Council (SSC) is looking to recruit 950 officials for this year's Singapore Grand Prix.
While it is expecting the return of some 600 race officials from the previous years' races, it also hopes to train new blood, who can be assigned to trackside roles such as observers, track marshals and flag marshals.
Race officials will go through extensive training sessions, both theory and practical, specifically tailored to each role.
Trainee race officials can expect to go for approximately seven days of training, most of which will be conducted over weekends. Training for the general officials' modules - where trainee race officials can expect to be briefed and trained on safety aspects, Formula One protocols and basic track and flag signals - is slated to begin in May 2010.
Interested participants can register to be a race official via the official website:raceofficials.singaporegp.sg.
Successful applicants will be notified of their selection by the end of March.

5 ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS NEEDED IN ORDER TO SECURE THE RACE OFFICIAL STATUS

5. LOVE THE SMELL OF BURNING RUBBER

4. BE ABSOLUTELY AT PEACE AMID DEAFENING 180 DECIBEL SOUNDS

3. HAVE NO FEAR OF CROWDED PLACES

2. PREFERS SPEEDING TO THE FINISH AS OPPOSED TO TAKING HIS TIME

1. ABLE TO KEEP EYES ON THE CAR AND OUT OF THE STANDS FILLED WITH HOT WOMEN.

Occupations that Turn Women On
A survey of women who had signed up to a online dating site quizzed them about their ideal partner.
Top 5 turn on jobs for women
Firemen
Doctors
Teachers
Police officers
Fitness instructors
Top 5 turn off jobs for women
Bankers
Estate agents
Politicians
Lawyers
Traffic wardens
No news on DJs though!

MAKAN KAKIS - CHEAP & GOOD FOOD!

Crawford mkt / food court. Carrot cake $1.50 prawn mee $2.00. Prata kosong $1.20. Benedict tan

LOR MEE AMOY ST FOOD CTR. Selling $2.00 with lots ingredients and also the nasi lemark nxt to it. Selling below $2.50. Try it with no regrets. Tasty n yammy. Jeannie

The Gold Health Guide
Common Health Myths #3
Does exercising on an empty stomach burn more fat?
Prevention magazine says that it is possible, but overall fat burn wil be minimal. During exercise, the body burns both fat and carbohydrates for calories. Studies have shown that working out without eating might burn a few more calories. However, the total amount of calories expended is still about the same, continued the Prevention report.

The Foreign-Local Debate

2010-01-27T07:23:00.022+08:00

FLAMING HOT TOPIC!
Employers' Dilemma: Foreigners Willing to do what Locals Won't even with More Pay?
When entrepreneur Adam Khoo wrote a blog entry titled "The Expats Will Rule Singapore", he did not expect the flurry of hate mail that followed.
Mr Khoo, 35, co-founder and executive chairman of Adam Khoo Learning Technologies Group, had described how, when he advertised to hire a marketing executive, more than 60% of applicants were foreigners. He wrote that some of the foreigners had master's degrees and were willing to work for less than $2,000 a month, compared to local fresh graduates who asked for at least $2,500.
Mr Khoo's blog post was also copied and flamed in online forums.
But Mr Khoo has explained that his words were taken out of context.
The father of two young girls said that he felt foreigners were less picky than locals, and he was worried about how his daughters and other young Singaporeans would be able to compete with them in future. He added that it didn't mean he preferred hiring foreigners.
Mr Khoo said that his office here has about 90 staff and only three are foreigners.
Mr Khoo said that when Law Minister K Shanmugam said at a dialogue with Yew Tee residents last Sunday that foreign workers were not stealing jobs from Singaporeans, but were really doing jobs shunned by Singaporeans, it struck a chord with him.
Employers in other sectors are also lamenting the reluctance of Singaporeans to take up certain jobs.
For e.g. Owner of the Paradise Group of restaurant Eldwin Chua claims he has no choice but to hire foreign staff - his attempts to hire and retain Singaporeans have mostly failed. "Singaporeans complain so much... But do they know that when locals take up the jobs, many of them turn up for just two days before quitting, because they can't take the long hours of standing?"
The Paradise Group has 200 waiters and waitresses in its eight restaurants, and 90% are either permanent residents or foreigners from China and Malaysia.
Mr Kunasegaran, who has been in the cleaning business for 16 years, said: "I advertise for cleaners in the papers but when Singaporean applicants call up, they ask about the salary and whether they need to wash the toilets. Of course toilets have to be cleaned. And when I say so, they never contact me again."
THE SMSes Came in Fast & Furious:

absolutely true. I worry for the next generation. Parents have made them too soft.

true n not true. Employer sh follow sbs transit. For locals, pay extra instead of peanuts. David soh
David's obviously referring to last week's news reports that SBS Transit announced it would increase salaries of new bus captains to $1,375 a month, up from the current $1,196, in an attempt to recruit more Singaporeans. Together with other allowances, they can earn more than $1,900 a month in their first year of employment. SBS Transit has 5,500 bus captains, of which only 38% are Singaporeans.

S'poreans are v. pampered & so picky dat dey tend to choose jobs coz dey r confident of getting e job. Foreigners try to achieve jobs wth their skills & once selected dey try to gv their 100%. Dey r definitely not stealing jobs......CR

Agree S'poreans r a pampered lot. Nowadays a simple 'scolding' either leads to resignation or the other extreme - they talk back ... Angrily. They hv no patience. Cheers. Al.

Hamish, my question is: How did we managed to not only survive but prosper before this influx of foreign workers?

i think singaporean are willing to do the jobs foreigner do but the employers are the ones who are not willing to pay a little bit more to us. They dont mind the smaller paycheck cos it is big money back home but how are we to survive here wif the same paycheck? Noraini

not true , in the service industry eg food , even if u pay locals more they r not willing to work . tried advertising for locals once they heard must work on Sun they just disappeared.

jobs are not being stolen by the foreign 'talents'. Instead, they create an environment where wages are suppressed. In your cleaners scenario, you fail to mention that the pay for these workers and cleaners are only like 500 to 800 a month. Imagine a local with two kids and a wife trying to survive on this while paying the monthly fees on the overpriced hdb? Think about it.

our business is suffering. We employ some skilled foreign workers but MOM require us to employ a number of local staff. But they are not interested. Don't turn up for interviews. No commitment. And just don't turn up for the slightest reason. We need to change.

employers have a diff idea of "high" pay than employees. Aidil.

weren't our forefathers 'expats' in a sense? Not quite what we associate as expats today tho but I Wld think similar. is this just another cycle then? AD

Foreign workers is cheap labour and should only be meant for the construction industry. Others need to employ singaporeans and pay more as things are expensive.

I m working as a supervisor in the cleaning ind. Locals dun like to work as a cleaner b cos of face value n they dun like to work long hours even OT is paid. Cherry.

family businesses normally survive 2 generations, then the 3rd gets greedy and kills it. Worrying, we are entering our 3rd generation.

say on equal scenario both locals n foreigners r pay d same 2k/mth we locals need 2 contribute 2 cpf which makes d nett pay home lesser. N we locals have 2 pay for our children education n in singapore it is not cheap 2 send your child to local university.

in my opinion it is singapore employers r not willing to pay the dues local employees deserved. they wanna cut cost and thus, making more profits.

hi hamish, denise...jain here. The foreigners are contributing to Singapore's productivity by achieving more for less. Good for them.

singaporean u pay them $1500 thay oni do $750 of the job, cos thay tink highly of thamslf, end of the day u hav 2 pay them 3k 2 do the same job. Does it make cents?

In the tender sector, if u wan a job, u need to price right n low so to cut cost, companies tend to hire low cost workers as locals are not able to cope with the low income. And these jobs are usually shun by locals. JL

Felix ask any Singaporean if they were jobless and would work as a construction worker or cleaner and chances are they will say no bec the work Is too hard and pay is too low ! so why r we begrudging the foreigner who is willing to do it ?!

If public sector is alrdy paying bonuses, nothing wrong 4 any oth employers to maximise profit margins! If i am an employer, i wud recruit @ the zoo if the primates there can sing & dance, even if they can't talk ! :)

Speaking of Primates...
Film Made by Chimpanzees to be Shown on BBC

11 chimps at Edinburgh Zoo were given animal-proof cameras by scientists in a bid to see how they view the world around them.
For 18 months they used the 'Chimpcams' - which were housed in a study plastic box and had a viewfinder on the top - by carrying them around their enclosure.
The chimps then selected the clips they most liked to watch by using a touchscreen monitor on a wall in the research room.

Optimum Number of Friends You Should Have on Facebook
Many people have over 1,000 friends on Facebook, but experts say our brains can't cope with more than 150. Academics from Oxford University claim humans are only capable of managing an active network of 150 friends because it's the result of having lived for centuries in small tribes and villages.
Evolutionary anthropologist Prof Robin Dunbar, argues that while you may have over 1,000 friends on Facebook, you will only be able to maintain a worthwhile relationship with 150.

A Royal Flush
One of history's great inventors died 100 years ago this week. Then again, maybe he didn't. It depends on whether he ever lived. You see, while Sir Thomas Crapper is widely recognized as the inventor of the flush toilet, some say that he lived only in the mind of British author Wallace Reyburn, who wrote the alleged biography entitled Flushed With Pride. According to the bathroom history, Clean And Decent by Lawrence Wright, the island of Crete had flush toilets as early as 2500 B.C. so you can see that leaves Sir Thomas right in the Crapper!

Today’s Show is made possible by the NUMBERS ASSOCIATED WITH TOILETS!

In a lifetime, the average person uses 657 miles (1057km) of toilet paper.

The average toilet is flushed 2.56 times every day.

In 47 of the 50 American states, the average voting machine lever has more germs than the average public toilet flush lever.

The Chinese invented toilet paper in 450 BC.

The water tank for the first flush toilet had to be suspended 12 feet (3.6m) above the toilet bowl.

MAKAN KAKIS - CHEAP & GOOD FOOD!

ST Forum ONLINE STORY Jan 25, 2010
Wonton mee stall won't up price - out of concern for poor retirees
I HAVE been a customer of a wonton mee stall in Block 6 Jalan Bukit Merah since the 1980s until today.
In the 1980s, they sold wonton mee at $1.50, and today they sell it at only $2. It is the lowest-priced mee stall in the market.
Despite the increase in costs over the past 30 years, the stall owners have increased the price by only 50 cents. Their bowl of mee is not only cheap but also delicious. They open their stall as early as 5.45am to enable early workers to fill their stomachs before they go to work.
I believe their wonton mee is worth at least $2.50. So I suggested that they increase the price to $2.50. They thanked me and explained to me why they did not increase the price. It was because they had a heart for poor retirees, many of whom live from hand to mouth.
I was touched by their empathy. The least I could do was write this letter to thank them on behalf of all their customers, retirees and others.
May they continue to be healthy so their customers will not miss their cheap but delicious and fulfilling wonton mee.
Loke Kong

Based on the story above, we were inspired to hunt down more delicious, super affordable food in Singapore. Share with us your foodie finds - any dish, as long as it's no more than $2.50!

hey 2.50 is way too easy. Anyway cambridge road market is the place to go. There is a carrot cake stall that goes for 1.50 or more. Stall has been there since 30 odd years ago! The old man still fries the carrot cake. Sometimes his son. Also there is a chicken, char siew duck rice stall selling each plate at 2. Comes with a bowl of peanut soup! No kidding! But no mixing of meats. Former is a long queue. Yum. :)

cambridge rd mkt near owen rd blk 41. I heard of the carrot cake its gd. 12 ys ago. Same price. David

Mixed rice stall at Bedok North St. 2 bk128 selling each plate rice + any 3 dishes (fish, veg, meat, egg.. many dishes to chose) 2each only. Think the only mixed rice stall that giving really good Value for yr mney 2 for 3 different dishes n good serving. Must also salute them for their cheerfulness in serving normal workers n heartlander folks patrons. Sometime, I also note they make exception to sell below 2 to the elderly folk who just want 1 or 2 dishes + rice. I think since they hv been selling for some years at such price n still make a decent living, reckon the affortable rental fm Hdb / Nea must be the factor n they passed the saving to their customers. We shud honour more of such stall owners to reconizise their effort in serving the community their own little way to the small man in the street . Terrence

at east coast lagoon hawker center, satay beehoon at $2 ,one of the best in singapore ,warning be prepare to q for about an hour, open at 6pm sharp

mee rebus in blk 18 bedok south. At 1.50/bowl. Taste fantastic. Price just increased 0.20 about 1yr ago. Mustaffa lim

Chicken rice stall at Tampines St.81 blk 82 selling each basic plate $1.30each (good serving), used to sell $1 per plate in the '90s and increase by 30cents few years ago. Terrence

Hi DEN-ISH, wow ! What good tips 4 abling us 2 find nice food with such fantastic prices still existing. Thank you 4 the tips conveyed through Gold 90.5. Must go and try. Haha. Good day. Adeline

Hamish's 5 Things

A LITTLE MIDWEEK MADNESS - BECAUSE WE NEED IT - 5 HILARIOUS ACTUAL WARNING LABELS

5. "Caution: The contents of this bottle should not be fed to fish." -- On a bottle of shampoo for dogs.

4. "For external use only!" -- On a curling iron.

3. "Shin pads cannot protect any part of the body they do not cover." -- On a pair of shin guards made for bicyclists.

2. "Caution: Remove infant before folding for storage." -- On a portable stroller.

1. "Fits one head." -- On a hotel-provided shower cap box.

The Gold Health Guide
Common Health Myths #2
Are dental fillings that contain mercury dangerous?
Probably not, says Prevention magazine's medical advisor.
Some critics claim that amalgam fillings may lead to health problems such as Alzheimer's as they release minute amounts of mecury when they are placed in or removed from teeth, and when a person chews. However, almost every major health organization in America has declared such fillings safe. Two extended studies of about 500 children each who had amalgam fillings found no significant changes in IQ, attention span and memory.

Never Too Young for Compassion - 7-Year-Old Cycles for Haiti

Fake It Till You Make It!

2010-01-26T07:20:00.012+08:00

Pontang Kings and Queens
A British study of 5,000 workers looked for the names of those who were most likely to ring in sick and fake their illness to get the day off work.
It was found that men named Andy and women called Sarah were most likely to call in sick when they were not!
The survey also discovered that for the average employee, out of 3 days they called in sick, they were actually not sick at all for 2 of those 3 days. Which means
Excuses like "the car won't start" or " my child is ill" were the most common, along with tried and tested excuses of food poisoning, migraines, and sore throats.
Odd and imaginative excuses for a day off work:
* An call-centre worker who rang up her boss and told him 'I'm still too drunk to do any work'.
* 'My daughter's got chewing gum stuck in her hair and I'm trying to get it out'.
* An IT technician who claimed 'My car blew up on my way into work, and I'm with the Firemen now'.
But be warned – if you’re not careful, you’ll get yourself in hot water by going too far trying to keep up the illusion. It is a tangled web we weave when we deceive!
We're not sure how this reflects the Singaporean office worker, but have a go - have you called in sick when you weren't? What excuse did you use?

Yes i've done it several times esp on rainy day & Mondays. MC excuses- food poisoning, rashes. Rather save leave for travelling.

grandmother pregnant, i can't come to work.

excuse: I had to bathe my goldfishes, & they were difficult tìs morning. David

My secretary had resigned in a huff over a small issue and gave the required 1 month's notice. On her last day of service, she was required to hand over her fhles amd duties to the new replacement. Knowing that this was an important thing to do, she refused to do it and said that she was going to report sick to our company doctor to avoid handing over and put us in a bit of fix. When she left for the clinic, I rang the doctor and informed him of her intention. So what the doctor did was to give my leaving secretary a B Complex Injection. This is one of the most painful injections and acts as a booster and no harm. The doctor then told her to go back to work as he did not give her medical leave. Hence, she was back in the office with a painful bottom and had to hand over to the new staff. Good lesson learnt. G. Surajan.
But now she has the excuse to call you a pain in the butt! Haha.

Beer: the next health drink?
Benjamin Franklin said it best: "Beer is living proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.” And sometimes, beer loves us back too: Studies have suggested that, when consumed in moderation, beer has many health benefits.
Good for the Heart
At least if you drink moderately. An Emory University study involving over 2,200 elderly men and women discovered that those who consumed at least 1.5 drinks daily had up to a 50% lesser risk of suffering from heart failure. Another study conducted by Germany, France and the United Kingdom found that moderate consumption of beer or wine may have anti-inflammatory properties, which can lower the risk coronary heart disease.
Good for the Brain
Using an MRI, a Boston scientist discovered that light drinkers (one to six drinks a week) to moderate drinkers (seven to 14 drinks a week) have fewer strokes than nondrinkers -- probably because of alcohol's effect in thinning the blood and preventing the formation of tiny blood clots in the brain. Note, however, that although heavy drinkers (more than 15 drinks a week) have the least amount of strokes, they also suffer the most atrophy or wasting of brain tissues.
Moderate amounts of alcohol can also help reduce stress, decrease anxiety and self-consciousness, and improve your mood. Beer in particular has plenty of nutrients, such as protein, B vitamins, phosphorus, magnesium, selenium, iron, niacin, and riboflavin.
Beer can also be unhealthy
Before you go out and celebrate with a few pints, keep in mind that all of the studies above point out that beer is only healthy if you drink moderately.
What all doctors and scientists agree on, is that the health risks of drinking larger amounts of alcohol will quickly outweigh its benefits; and to make matters worse, alcohol can impair your judgment, thus making it hard for you to stop at just a drink or two.
Remember that you bear the ultimate responsibility for your health -- and if you love beer, this means understanding the health benefits and risks of alcohol, as well as drinking only in moderation. Taking care of your liver by taking liver-friendly supplements should also be a part of your daily health routine.

Growing number of men 'use partner's makeup', survey says
A growing number of males admit to secretly dipping into the make-up bag owned by their female partner to help make them look beautiful.
More than a third of men questioned admitted to using these items in secret, despite 31% of women claiming to have caught their partner using them.
Just outside the top ten included hair straighteners, fake tan, nail varnish and eyeliner or mascara.
Surprisingly, the average cost of beauty damage by men to the home equates to about $565 each per year compared to $425 by women.
Top ten beauty products and appliances that men borrow are:
1. Tweezers (39%)
2. Moisturiser (37 %)
3. Hair dryer (36%)
4. Nail file / buffer (29%)
5. Hair styling products (22%)
6. Lip balm / lip gloss (22%)
7. Face mask / facial scrub (15%)
7. Shaver (15%)
9. Concealer / foundation (10%)
10. Hair removal cream / wax (8%)
Just outside the top ten included hair straighteners, fake tan, nail varnish and eyeliner or mascara!

Today’s Show is made possible by the NUMBER THIRTY-SEVEN!

37 - As seen above, 37% of men admit to secretly "borrowing" their female partners' moisturise to use.

37 - 37% of professionals working in wedding based businesses will never marry. 79% of those who do will divorce before two years of marriage.

37 - On average, an adult male will get his hair cut once every 37 days.

37 - The typical bedroom closet/cupboard contains 37% more clothing than it was designed to hold.
Denise: Which is more than I can say for my brain!

37 - 37 hours. 102 sets. Two tired strangers. One Guinness World record! Gavin White, 39, and Jeganathan "Jega" Ramasamy, 48, both from Sydney, Australia, set out last Friday to play the world's longest continuous singles tennis match. Battling shocking heat throughout Saturday, followed by rain, fatigue, sleep depravation and even delirium, the pair were supported by a team of family and friends as they smashed the Guinness World Record by almost an hour! Gavin had placed an ad in the local paper, keen to find a partner to break the previous record of 36 hours and 36 minutes and raise money for the Haitian earthquake victims. Jega was the man who answered the call.

Hamish's 5 Things

LETS MAKE TUESDAY A WARM AND FUZZY DAY - 5 KIDS LETTERS TO GOD ALWAYS MAKES ME FEEL WARM AND FUZZY

5. DEAR GOD - My teacher is mean. She always yells at us. She's old and ugly. Why did you make bad and mean people?

4. DEAR GOD - I don't like brussel sprouts. Do I still have to eat them? I don't like milk, either. Mostly I like pizza.

3. DEAR GOD - Would you make me a little brother? I want to have someone to boss around like my brother does me.

2. DEAR GOD - Why do old people smell funny?

1. DEAR GOD - Do you listen to my prayers every night? Do you really know when I only pretend to brush my teeth? Don't tell Mommy, O.K.?

The Gold Health Guide
Common Health Myths #1
Will eating after 8 or 9pm cause weight gain?
Most people think that metabolism slows down at night, but that is not true. Eating at night may cause you to gain weight if you consume more calories than what your body usually expends. Many people practise emotional eating at night - out of boredom or otherwise - and they end up consuming more calories than is needed for the day. The extra calories are stored as fat. Therefore it's about how much you eat, NOT what time you eat!

Service & Secret Passwords

2010-01-25T06:47:00.013+08:00

Service literacy test to up F&B standards

Foreign workers in the Hotel, Retail and Food and Beverage (F&B) industries
will have to pass a Service Literacy Test (SLT) in order to qualify for skilled
levy status.
With the implementation of the test, MOM aims to enhance
service standards, raise productivity levels and the quality of the foreign
workforce in Singapore.
The test will apply to new non-Malaysian work permit
holders, as well as existing non-Malaysian work permit holders who have received
their renewal notice from MOM.
The new criterion is in addition to all other
skilled levy requirements, such as possessing the requisite academic
qualifications or passing certain skill/trade tests.
While the additional
criterion will be implemented only in July this year, employers will be allowed
to register for the test from April 2010.
This is to ensure that employers
will have sufficient time to consider sending their work permit holders for
English language course before they sit for the SLT.
About the test
The test was developed based on general work settings in the
three industries.
Work permit holders will have to pass both components of
the test - Speaking and Listening.
In the Speaking test, work permit holders
will be asked questions through a pre-recorded video clip and respond by
speaking into an attached microphone. A computer system captures the responses
for scoring later.
In the Listening test, work permit holders will listen to
a conversation, instruction or comment, and subsequently be asked to select a
suitable response from a list of multiple-choice answers.

I don't think it is sufficient to prove a person, foreigner or locals alike, service oriented. the service industry firstly needs an attitude overhaul, then work on the english. no point having perfect english but the wrong attitude. = Di

I'm Toh. Ideally more shud b done. This basic literacy thing is long over due.

english language first then go beyond to quality svc. Shd apply to locals as well. Our svc quality has a long long way to go. It's not something that comes naturally unfortunately. AJ

Good morning! I agree with Denise. I think this service literacy test should apply to BOTH foreigners and locals.But a workshop is more effective to educate both in good service and language standards. Cheers, diane

Stop complaining Singaporeans! U r the ones who don't want to work in the service industries in the first place, so we need to hire foreign workers.

perhaps è 10% service charge should b removed n let è staff earn their tips, u may get more motivated staff.

Gd morn' guys. I had a Sri Lankan maid who came with hardly a working knowledge of English. But when she went home after her contract she could write letters to me although not in 100% perfection. It's the willingness to improve that's impt. right? Valerie :-P

Most Common Internet Password
Security experts have issued a warning after discovering the number of people who use common passwords to protect themselves online.
A recent study of 32 million passwords found 20 percent of people use common words or phrases such as abc123, iloveyou and Password.
Experts claim this makes some users particularly susceptible to hackers and identity theft - even by just guessing at random passwords.
As 20% of people use one of the 5000 most common passwords, it's claimed that it would take only one attempt to guess 0.9% of the users passwords. This is a rate of one success per 111 attempts.
They have even compiled a worrying list of the top 5 most common passwords:
1. 123456
2. 12345
3. 123456789
4. Password
5. iloveyou
The experts suggest that when selecting a new password you should not go for a name, a slang word, or any word in the dictionary. It should also not include any part of your name or your e-mail address or use consecutive digits and adjacent keyboard keys.

Today’s Show is made possible by the NUMBER THIRTY!

30 - The most Tabasco sauce drunk in 30 seconds is 120 ml (2 bottles) by Andrew Hajinikitas of Australia and was set in the studios of Guinness World Records in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia on 8 May 2005. Click here to see the incredible record-smashing feat!

30 - Most Emmy awards won by a series - Frasier, the Cheers spinoff & sitcom starring Kelsey Grammer.
Incidentally, today in 1949 marked the first Emmys Ceremony, in recognition of excellence in television performance and production, at the Hollywood Athletic Club.

30 - The record for most skips in 30 seconds is 152 and was achieved by Megumi Suzuki (Japan) at the Japanese Rope Skipping Championships in Saitama Prefecture, Japan, on 10 September 2006.

The Gold Health Guide
Cleaning Safety: Housework Hazards
Cleaning chemicals can cause breathing problems, according to a new study from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. Those with asthma reported worse symptoms - such as coughing and wheezing - but cleaning gave even non-sufferers sneezing fits and a stuffy nose. Since a dirty house isn't an option, breathe easier by trying these tips:

Try damp dusting. If you need to avoid chemicals altogether and it works for the surface you're cleaning, use just a little water on a cloth or sponge.

Minimize chemical splashes by adding bleach to water, not the other way around.

Consider wearing an N95 face mask, especially if you're asthmatic.

Choose cleaning products that have low health-risk scores as compiled by the America's National Institutes of Health. The index rates products from 0 ("minimal" for health risk) through 4 ("severe").

Hamish's 5 Things

SOMETIMES WHAT WE NEED ARE HOMER SIMPSON QUOTES TO PUT MONDAY IN ITS PROPER PERSPECTIVE

5. Marge, don't discourage the boy. Weaseling out of things is important to learn. It's what separates us from the animals!... except the weasels. - Homer

4. I hope I didn't brain my damage... - Homer

3.I saw weird stuff in that place last night. Weird, strange, sick, twisted, eerie, godless, evil stuff... and I want in. - HOMER

2. What's the point of going out? We're just going to wind up back here anyway. - Homer

1. No, please don't eat me. I have a wife and kids, eat them. - Homer

Make Babies then Make them Behave

2010-01-22T07:14:00.016+08:00

Blast From the Past! - We Are the World

Update: Quincy Jones and Lionel Richie are planning to record a 25th anniversary edition of the song to benefit the Haitian earthquake victims. So far, artistes like John Legend and Natalie Cole have been asked to sing on the record.

Go Home and Make Babies!
South Korea's health ministry, which is charged with boosting the nation's low birthrate, is turning off the lights in its offices once a month to encourage staff to go home early and make more babies.
The ministry said in a statement Wednesday the switches will be flicked at 7.30 pm every third Wednesday in the month to "help staff get dedicated to childbirth and upbringing".
Those with urgent duties will be exempt from the switch-off.
"Going home early may have no direct link to having more kids, but you cannot just completely rule out a possible link between them," Choi Jin-Sun, who is in charge if the project at the ministry.
Low birthrate is a pressing issue in this fast-ageing society.
Health Minister Jeon Jae-Hee told the Korea Times newspaper,"Korea may lose out in the global economic competition due to a lack of manpower. It is actually the most urgent and important issue the country is facing."
Married staff at the ministry are not doing their bit, with an average of 1.63 children compared to the average of 1.82 among all civil servants. The ministry aims to increase the figure to 2.0 in two years.
Ham: I can see the copy for their campaign now... Lights out so you can be Turned On! From midweek to midwife - it can be done!
Do you think it could work here in S'pore to boost our own flagging birthrate?

no it wont. There other factors as well. David

Hamish, Lights-out, it does work. Check the statistics on when we had a power black out in S'pore!

How about stopping football and Korean dramas on tv for awhile and see what happens.. ruzi

Simple Way to Make the Children Behave
Classical Music is doing a fine job of "disciplining" students at one school in the UK!
Disruptive students have to listen to classical music like Elgar, Mozart and Verdi in detentions and staff at West Park School in Derby claim the fear of being 'subjected' to two-hour stints of the classical music is improving behaviour.
Pupils are given two warnings before having to attend the Friday afternoon sessions.
Since introducing the musical aspect to the detention teachers say numbers of disruptive pupils have fallen by more than 60%!

Wear it, Eat it

Say I do to this wacky wedding creation - for the bride with a hearty appetite!
Lukka Sigurdardottir has made a wedding dress that doubles up as dessert.
Forget having your cake and eating it, now you can have your dress and eat it too!

Today’s Show is made possible by the NUMBER NINETY-FIVE!

95 - Over 95% of people will yawn within twenty seconds of seeing another person yawn unless they have yawned within the past 90 seconds.

95 - In a five-minute shower we use 95 to 190 litres of water! Shockingly, baths use less water than a typical shower. Soak in a partially filled tub and you'll actually use less water than a short shower.

95 - An estimated 95% of all fireworks ever made were manufactured in China.

95 - A jellyfish is 95% water, as is a tomato.

Approximately 66% of the human body consists of water.

Human brains are 75% water.

Human bones are 25% water.

Human blood is 83% water.

Water exists within all our organs and it is transported throughout our body to assist physical functions.

The total amount of water in the body of an average adult is 37 litres.

Hamish's 5 Things

As suggested by Gold 90FM Listener Joseph Ngo (Thanks for the email!):
5 UNIQUELY SINGAPOREAN REASONS WHY SINGAPOREANS LOVE TOOTING THEIR CAR HORNS:

5. YOUR CAR IS BLOCKING MY CAR AND I CANT GET OUT OF THE LOT AND YOU ARE MAKING ME LATE.

4. THATS MY PARKING LOT - I SAW IT FIRST AND NEVERMIND THAT THERE ARE MANY OTHER AVAILABLE LOTS - I SAW IT FIRST - ITS MINE.

3. HEY ITS ME - YOUR FAMILY MEMBER, NO I DO NOT WANT TO USE THE MOBILE PHONE AND CALL YOU - I WOULD PREFER TO WAKE UP THE NEIGHBORHOOD JUST TO SHOW THEM HOW SLOW YOU ARE TO COME DOWN TO THE CAR.

2. THE LIGHT JUST TURNED GREEN 1 SECOND AGO - WHY AREN'T YOU SPEEDING OFF LIKE ANY GOOD SINGAPOREAN?

1. KARANG GUNI MAN IS HERE! KARANG GUNI MAN IS HERE!!!

The Gold Health Guide
Good Teeth = Good Health
Tip #5: Eat Right, Don't Smoke
Include plenty of dairy and other calcium-rich foods, like sardines, in your diet. Calcium helps maintain strong bones and teeth, and the vitamin C in citrus fruits boosts gum health. Equally important to what you do eat is what you don't. Sugary and sticky foods that stick to the crevices of your teeth are particularly bad, as bacteria feed off the sugars and release acids that cause cavities. If you do eat candy or other sweets, try to brush immediately afterward or, if that's not possible, rinse your mouth with water.
Also, don't smoke or use tobacco products. People who smoke are four times more likely than nonsmokers to have gum disease, according to a study by the Journal of Periodontology. Using smokeless tobacco increases a person's risk for oral cancers, including lip, tongue, cheeks, and gums. On a smaller scale, tobacco products contribute to bad breath, or halitosis.

MAKAN KAKIS
Where can we find the best Hainanese-style Curry Rice in S'pore?

WINNER OF THE GOLD GIFT PACK! Congratulations, Richard! whampoa market row facing a condominium. Economic rice hai nam style. Has been patronizing since I was 4 yes old and I am 48 now. Let's start with the rice. The frangrant and taste has been the same since I was 4. Same goes to the dishes eg chap chye normally finishes at 9am, pork chop, braised egg etc... The curry gravy my son treat it like campbell soup. When I was young my dad use to bring me there. But due to being poor,he will just order rice ,pork chop and chap chye for all 4 of us and we really enjoy it. Listeners listening in, DIE DIE MUST TRY . Richard soH

Other Recommendations today:

hi denise n hamish! Strange, y no one votd the one frm tiong bahru. Its located diagonally opp tiong bahru hawker entrance where the escalator is. Its a small coffeeshop. In fact, if compared to scissor cut, this one is better. Go try it to find out - ms tan
Loo’s Hainanese Curry Rice (been around for more than half a century!)
Blk 57 Eng Hoon Street
#01-88 Tai Kwang Huat Coffee Shop
8am to 2pm

The best hainanese curry rice can be found in the coffee shop next to market at Beo crescent. Crispy pork chop, soft juicy cabbage, spicy chili sotong, fried egg with yoke waiting to spill into the rice, topped with tasty curry and lor gravy. Stanley Chee

Beo Cres got two best Hainese curry rice stall one at b/38 n e other at b/40..but i like e one at b/38..e bak pah v crispy n asam fish oso v nice.. cheap oso..give him 9/10

Divorce, Sarcasm and Other Fun Morning Stuff

2010-01-21T06:44:00.022+08:00

Celebrate Divorce With Gifts?
A UK high street retailer, has launched what is thought to be the first 'divorce gift list' for couples ceremonially untieing the marital knot.
The new service follows the rising popularity of 'congratulations on your divorce' greeting cards and divorce celebration parties, made popular by celebrities including Paul MacCartney's ex-wife Heather Mills.
A divorce may not be universally seen as an occasion for celebration, but the divorce gift list could become the 21st-century equivalent of the traditional wedding list.
The tendency for modern couples to live together before getting married means the wedding list – designed to stock the newly-weds' first home with basic goods – has become somewhat obsolete.
Divorce, on the other hand, results in one partner leaving the marital home, meaning they may have to furnish their new place with cookware, linens and electric goods.
A spokesman for the department store said, “Divorcing can be an expensive time and registering for a Divorce Gift List means that family and friends can help the newly separated begin their new life.”
High on the list of male divorcees: large plasma screen TVs, computer games and non-iron shirts!
What Do You Think?

I THINK THE IDEA ITSELF IS RIDICULOUS! EVEN IF THE MARRIAGE DIDN'T WORK BEFORE THE HONEYMOON PERIOD IS OVER THE COUPLE SHOULD RETURN ALL THE ANGPOWS AND PRESENTS THEY HAD RECEIVED!!... Valerie

Thought the registry should be for return of wedding gifts!

Express Your Sarky Self!

Introducing... the SarcMark! Tired of having your text/ email messages misinterpreted? US firm Sarcasm Inc has invented a new punctuation mark that conveys sarcasm. The idea of a specific punctuation mark to indicate double meaning appeared to strike a chord with people tired of having their ironic emails misinterpreted, and the invention has since been picked up across the world.
Thousands of the sarcasm punctuation marks have been sold in less than a week and the makers are now in talks with websites and digital publishers about making them more widely available.
The inventors have already secured a sizeable windfall from the humble idea – a dot within a spiral that can be downloaded for US$1.99 – and hopes to make the mark a standard feature of email and text platforms.
The Michigan-based company has been keen to stress that their invention is more than a gimmick, pointing to its value as a tool for alerting deaf people to sarcasm in subtitles.
The SarcMark was eight years in the making due to the complexity of making the new punctuation mark compatible with the numerous word processing formats.

Worried that the SMS Generation Can't Spell?
Despite using text-speak like LOL, plz and l8ter, children who are heavy mobile phone users are unlikely to be problem spellers and readers.
Research carried out on a sample of 8-12 year olds found that texting can even help pupils to spell better!
Experts from the University of Coventry claim text language word-play, such as cutting the end off a word, contractions and initialism - all show an understanding of English.
This means texting children are well equipped to learn correct spelling, contradicting previous thoughts.
OMG! Tt's Gr8 nuz. LOL!

Today’s Show is made possible by the NUMBER FIFTEEN!

15 - In just 15 seconds, 250 electric eels can produce enough energy to power an electric golf cart for 130 minutes.

15 - By weight, about 15% of produce put on display at grocery stores is never sold, mostly because of bruises or overripeness. Tomatoes are the worst, with 1 in 3 being thrown away.

15 - If a person rubs a wet bar of soap vigorously against his or her wet skin for 15 seconds, the weight of the bar will be reduced by approximately 4.5 grams. Which means whithin 5 minutes, the average bar of soap (at 90g) will disappear completely!

15 - The odourless, colourless plasma emitted by a microwave stays in food for up to 15after cooking.

More Microwave Trivia

Microwaves run most efficiently when they are warmed up. Running a microwave empty for three seconds before heating food will reduce overall wattage and cooking time by up to 43%.

Properly warming up a microwave will also increase its useful lifetime by an average of 21 months.

Technically speaking, microwave ovens use milliwave radiation, but were intentionally misnamed to take advantage of the public's high interest in microcomputers at the time.

Hamish's 5 Things

5 OTHER THINGS WE COULD DO IF WE CANT SEE THE WORLD CUP HERE IN SINGAPORE IN 2010.

5.PRAY THAT INTERNET LIVE STREAMING WILL NOT SUFFER THE SAME FATE

4. MAKE FRIENDS WITH FRIENDS FROM OUR NEIGBORING COUNTRIES AND SEE IF THEY CAN PUT YOU UP FOR 2 ODD WEEKS TO SAVE MONEY.

3. IF NO FRIENDS CAN BE FOUND THEN BITE THE BULLET AND BOOK A HOTEL ROOM WITH KAKIS IN SAME NEIGBORING COUNTRIES FOR THE SAME DURATION.

2. PUT ON A BRAVE FACE, GO INTO DENIAL FOR 2 WEEKS AND SAY ITS ONLY FOOTBALL. (FORGET IT THIS CANT BE DONE!)

1. IF ALL ELSE FAILS DO THE UNIQUELY SINGAPORE THING - GO SHOPPING

The Gold Health Guide
Good Teeth = Good Health
Tip #4: Brush or Floss First?
Both brushing and flossing are essential for good oral health, but does it matter which comes first?
Many dentists suggest that you floss first, then brush your teeth. Flossing before brushing gives you an opportunity to clear out the space between teeth, which will allow the toothpaste to do its job more thoroughly. It also loosens all of the food particles that will be washed away while brushing and rinsing.
However, the real concern is whether or not you floss. Flossing after you brush your teeth is much better than not flossing at all. Therefore the sequence makes no difference as long as you do a thorough job. Brushing and flossing is the best way to remove decay-causing plaque from your teeth and help maintain optimal oral health.

MAKAN KAKIS
Where can we find the best Hainanese-style Curry Rice in S'pore?

Scissors Curry Rice @ corner coffeeshop junction of Jln Besar and Kitchener Rd is out of this world. Everyone knows this place v famous. Jim

d hainanese curry rice in beo crescent has crispy pork chop to die for. D portions are good and reasonably priced. Must go before 12 to get a table otherwise will have to wait for next available table. Gotta try to believe it. Its good and popular w office crowd from that area. From Winston
No Name Hainanese Curry Rice
Blk 40 Beo Crescent
6.30am to 3pm
Closed Wed

Red Hill Curry Rice Blk 85 Redhill Market has really good pork chop. best in spore!

Wham! Bam! World Cup Ban?!

2010-01-20T07:18:00.019+08:00

World Cup May Not be Shown in Singapore?

IF SINGTEL and StarHub's joint bid to broadcast World Cup
soccer matches fails, Singapore will face a total television blackout on the
action from South Africa.
Not even the free-to-air telecasts of four critical
games will be shown here if the telcos fail to secure the rights from football's
world governing body Fifa - at a reported $100million.
The matches are the
opening game between host South Africa and Mexico on June 11, the semi-finals on
July 6 and 7, and the final on July 11.
SingTel had said earlier that if the
joint bid failed, Singapore fans would still get to see those four key matches.
But a SingTel spokesman clarified with The Straits Times on Tuesday that
that would not be the case.
'The free-to-air match telecast is dependent on
whether the broadcast rights for World Cup 2010 are awarded to Singapore,' the
spokesman said.

Emotions ran high when we asked for your views this morning via SMS:

hi DEN-ISH, oh i feel its terrible if you cant get 2 watch World Cup, or even worst have 2 pay in order 2 watch the WC . Yes, thats slaughtering pple 4 they will know these football fans will pay the money in order 2 get 2 watch the WC. Why pay when we already pd 4 our TV licence. Sounded like a football fan craze ?? but i am not, so have or no WC 2 watch does not affect me.
you mean after going to the casinos and resort and when i retire to my hotel i can’t watch the world cup? You top guys must be pulling my legs. Spencer
since we have many first, might as well make history to be the first developed country that will not telecast the world cup ! Brandon
this is certainly the death of singapore football.there's no respect for the beautiful game.all there is, is just money möney money. -zarifi.
If World Cup is featured in Malaysia,all you have to do is go to JB, book a chalet there and use the TV to watch World Cup.
No world cup?! Hurray! No more mcs, no more urgent leave, No more MIA from the office! Oh dear. No more world cup sales!
I'll boycott. They are holding us ransom.
Don’t care. football is over rated anyway.
john "It is totally not acceptable for modern Spore. We talk abt being "plugged in n "connected" 2 the world but 2 put ourself out of the world cup footprint is bad image n will hurt spore reputation.
I'm disappointed, sick and tired of those in charge (FIFA, telcos, etc). They r nothing but sharks, taking us fans for a ride. I'm glad I've been getting my past world cup, epl, champs league, etc via free Internet streaming. Not good quality, but I'm not cheated. jam
the news is in headlines, indication that we should be prepared to pay more. Don't worry, we will somehow be able to watch it at higher cost probably. Steven
Its a sin to waste so much money. Donate to haiti. I can forgo the world cup
it is all the fault of privatisation. Free last time now pay oso cant c! Chilson Yuen
JASON all this is only wayang by e telcos.
If its election year? There surely will be showing the wc!
sometimes its not just the profit. Its the total service package to be provided to the nation. No point showing a cheap movie no one wants to watch.
assuming there r one million household in singpore. Each paying around a hundred for tv lic. Thats almost 100m. Some times we cannot even see the lions play live.
blame telco for offering bid for EPL rights tt can't be refused. So why should FIFA relent?
Budiman singaporeans don't worry. Indonesian channels RCTI and GlobalTV are airing the FULL WC season for free. Got antenna = got world cup.
Never mind. Where is the nearest country with WC2010 tv rights? Let's go on permanent holiday. Hey I'm retired already. Oz rules any one? Cheers Fairley

MAKAN KAKIS
It's all about the Hainanese-style Curry Rice this week! Essentials - a good curry, crispy pork chop and stewed cabbage. But if you know of stalls with other yummy dishes, recommend them to us!

whampoa market row facing a condominium. Economic rice hai nam style. Has been patronizing since I was 4 yes old and I am 48 now. Let's start with the rice. The frangrant and taste has been the same since I was 4. Same goes to the dishes eg chap chye normally finishes at 9am, pork chop, braised egg etc... The curry gravy my son treat it like campbell soup. When I was young my dad use to bring me there. But due to being poor,he will just order rice, pork chop and chap chye for all 4 of us and we really enjoy it. Listeners listening in, DIE DIE MUST TRY . Richard soh

whampoa hawker ctr da one at da market side. Stall is facing da condo. U cannot miss it coz of da long queue. Open at 7am n by 11am most dishes r sold. B prepared to wait. Da curry rice hv been around 4 more than half a century thru generation. Da pork chop is heavenly soft n smooth which i cant find anywhere else, da chap chye is so soft n tasty, n their kong bak is not too fat. As 4 their signature curry i can just eat it with plain rice coz da curry is so fragrant. I hv been eating tis stall for 43 years at least once every week. Stall close on Sun n Mon. Die die must try if going to die also must try. I hv tried most of da pork chop ard Singapore but nothing beats near da scissors cut one is my 2of choice. Go try n u will sms me where to find good food in future coz I LIVE TO EAT. From Benny.

I am a big big fan of Hainai curry rice, unfortunately, travelled all around island to taste any good recommendation. By far, the best stall is China Street Hainainese Curry Rice stall located within Maxwell Food Centre. The must have, crispy pork chop and cabbages are simply fantastic, go with the right combination of the sweet curry and dark soy gravy. Don't mind its presentation and sometimes serving attitude but the food is simply irresistible. Been patronising for the past 30 years or so... Dion Tay
Denise: Did a little research on this stall... China Street = Zhong Guo Jie Jia Li Fan, Maxwell Road Food Centre Stall 68. The guy manning this stall is the brother of the Traditional Hainanese Curry Rice at Old Airport Road Hawker Centre. Worth a try!

Handphones Powered by Soft Drinks
Designer Daizi Zheng, from Central St Martins college in London, came up with the idea of powering cellphones with soft drinks after reading about bio-batteries, which generate energy from glucose molecules.
Speaking of the design Daizi Zheng said: "The concept is based on the idea to create a pollution free environment by using bio-batteries as an alternative to conventional batteries. In order to use the bio-battery as a power source for the phone all that is required is a small supply of a sugary drink... Bio-batteries are fully biodegradable and have, on a single charge, a potential life-span three to four times longer than conventional lithium batteries."
The future looks thirst-quenchingly conversational!

Most stressful time of the day for modern mothers
Apparently, 8.25am is the exact time of stress. Why? A poll of 2,000 mothers in England found that driving to work leaves 40 per cent of mums stressed before they even reach their desk.
Getting everything and everyone ready and dropping the kids at school makes a very stressful start of the day for mums.
Driving is something that requires concentration and when you add wet weather into the mix the situation can get dangerous.
20% of mums drive the kids to school when it's raining and this adds to the cars on the road, and with the distractions and stress generated, extra care is essential.
The report also found that 40% of mums believe the school run is enough to make even the most patient people lose their cool.
42% of mothers said they had snapped at the children while making their way to school, regardless of whether they were well-behaved or not.
More than half then drive to work after they have dropped their children off, and admit that their morning routine is a bad start to the day.
The poll also revealed millions of mothers have a hard time organising the whole family on a day-to-day basis.
38% said making sure their child had the right P.E. kit, letters, homework, money and permission slips was enough to have them tearing their hair out.
More than a third said getting the children dressed in the morning was tricky, while 21% struggled with breakfast and 27% dread 'inevitable' traffic jams.
Just one thing - we know that mothers in Singapore get stressed much earlier in the day because schools start earlier here.

Today’s Show is made possible by the NUMBER THIRTEEN!

13 - The days get longer by 13 seconds every century.

13 - The longest distance in kilometres, to ride a bike while pulling a wheelie. A 14-year-old boy set a new world record for this bike stunt over the weekend. Aaron Stannage, lifted his front wheel and cycled for over an hour at a track in Leeds, UK for a total distance of 13km, conclusively beating the previous record of almost 2.5km.

Hamish's 5 Things

LIGHTEN UP ! ITS WEDNESDAY! - BRING ON THE FUNNY ENGLISH SUBTITLES FROM CHINESE MOVIES AGAIN!

5. “Beware! Your bones are going to be disconnected.”

4. “How can you use my intestines as a gift?”

3. THE GOOD ELEPHANT IN AIRSHIP DROPPED WHAT THINGS?

2. THROW AWAY YOUR COMMON SENSE AND GET AN AFRO!

1. (THIS IS FROM A SCIENCE FICTION MOVIE FEATURING AERIAL DOGFIGHTS) HE IS IN MY BEHIND

The Gold Health Guide
Good Teeth = Good Health
5 Tips to a healthy smile - Tip #3
Visit your dentist.
Visit your dentist at least twice a year for thorough dental cleanings. Your dentist can spot the early signs of gum disease, which is more easily treated when caught in the beginning stages. If you are prone to gum disease and cavities, consider visiting your dentist every four months.
Similarly, if you have other health conditions that put you at higher risk for dental problems, ask your dentist how often you should have an exam. A special dental-hygiene regimen should be considered for pregnant women, people with diabetes, and anyone undergoing chemotherapy treatment or using medications that can affect the gums or dry out the mouth (including some psychiatric medications).
It's wise to examine your own mouth regularly for signs of trouble, such as a nonhealing sore on the lip or inside of your cheek, swollen gums, or sensitive or bleeding gums. If you notice any of these conditions, make an extra dental appointment to have them checked out.

When Wheel We See You Again?

2010-01-19T07:27:00.015+08:00

The 5-Hour Wheelchair Stand-off
Take 1 public bus, 1 bus driver, 1 family of 4 plus maid and 1 folded wheelchair and you get a stand-off of epic proportions...
On Sunday, the family got on a bus headed back to Bedok from Mandai but were asked to alight because they were carrying a folded wheelchair with them, just in case their 90-year-old relative needed it.
The driver's reason? The bus is not wheelchair accessible and he was afraid of breaking company protocol and compromising safety rules. Needless to say, the family (90-year-old in tow) were not happy and refused to budge, leading to said 5-hour standoff, in which the other bus passenegers had to alight and the police were called in to mediate.

What are your thoughts?

Ham: I think the family here, while acting on the principle of the whole matter, were a tad exploitative. Spare a thought for the old lady, why not just take a cab home and save everyone the fuss?

It was reported on chinese press tt the bus co. called 4 cab 2 send them home.

the bus driver should have been more flexible.

i feel it is up to the driver to apply some leniency. They did fold the wheelchair. Not everyone can afford a taxi trip these days noraini

this is joe. I think the bus driver shud jus move on. Come on, like they said, there was a 90yr old woman there. Also, the wheel chair was folded. The bus driver shud close one eye. Not forgetting there are other commuters! Tk u

the bus driver should exercise empowerment. As long as safety is not compromise I dun see why can't a folded wheelchair goes on board. Sandra

... Bus company paid SGD10 at most (for their cab fare) but minus fare already tapped ... only lost SGD6 ... so for 5hrs ... each of the 4 family earns 25cents per hrs ... real smart family NOT !

Move Over Chicken Rice, See ya, Chilli Crab!
In the Tasty Singapore Restaurant Association of Singapore Chef competition held yesterday, eight teams of professional chefs were challenged to come up with the next iconic Singaporean dish.
Of the eight professional teams that took part, the Putien Group of restaurants proved to have the sharpest knives in the kitchen.
The chefs have to tackle five dishes - a starter, soup, meat, seafood and dessert - with just 56 minutes to prepare each.
Those competing include teams from Chinese, Indian, Japanese and Western restaurants in Singapore.
So what makes a dish uniquely Singaporean?
"Mainly, you have to come out with dishes that comply with the four races that we have in Singapore," said one chef.
"We look for sweet, sour and spicy. It must have local ingredients like garlic, onion, chilli," said another.
The winning entries include Heavenly Oriental Blossom soup by Putien Restaurants, Palm Beach’s Beef Satay with Peanut Butter Sauce and Crispy Soon Hockwith Honey and Tangy Sauce. Best dessert went to TungLok’s chilled fresh durian withpurple rice puree and coconut ice cream served in young coconut.
The best from the five categories will be served at the Restaurant Association of Singapore's Industry night on January 28.
The winning dishes will also be used as ambassadors of the Singapore food scene.

Someone to Keep Your Bed Warm - Literally!
A hotel chain in England is employing human bed warmers to help guests get a good night's sleep.
The five minute free bed warming sessions are touted to be ''like having a giant hot water bottle in your bed''.
The walking electric blankets are dressed in special all-in-one sleeper suits and are sent to warm the beds of guests staying at the Holiday Inn before they get under the covers.
Dr Chris Idzikowski, director of the Edinburgh Sleep Centre, said the somewhat whacky idea could actually help people sleep better. He said: ''There's plenty of scientific evidence to show that sleep starts at the beginning of the night when body temperature starts to drop. The decline occurs partly because the blood vessels of the hands, face and feet open up and release heat. A warm bed – approximately 20 to 24 degrees Celsius – is a good way to start this process whereas a cold bed would inhibit sleep."
The five minute free bed warming sessions are being tried out in London and Manchester at the end of January.

Today’s Show is made possible by the NUMBER TWELVE!

12 - One in 12 staples manufactured is used by the tea bag industry.

12 - On average, in any twelve month period, individuals with a net worth of over $125 million spend more time traveling off the ground (helicopters and jets) than they spend traveling on the ground (cars, trains, golf carts, etc.) .

12 - According to the International Association of Firefighters, approximately 12% of high-rise office fire alarms are set off by someone accidentally burning something in the microwave.

12 - Dodecahedrophobia is the fear of twelve-sided polygons.

12 - Only 12% of all monetary transactions around the world involve actual physical currency.

Hamish's 5 Things

SOMETIMES TUESDAY NEEDS HILARIOUS HEADLINES TO HELP US THROUGH IT

5. Police Begin Campaign to Run Down Jaywalkers

4. Astronaut Takes Blame for Gas in Space

3. MAN SHOT IN HEAD NOT POPULAR

2. HEADLESS BODY IN TOPLESS BAR

1. IRAQI HEAD NEEDS ARMS

The Gold Health Guide
Good Teeth = Good Health
5 Tips to a healthy smile - Tip #2
A bright, white smile makes you appear younger and more attractive. And the mouth is also the gateway to the body, which means the state of your teeth and gums affects your overall health. Improve the health and appearance of your teeth with these tips for good dental care:
2. Floss daily.
Flossing removes the bacteria from in between your teeth that your toothbrush does not reach, which helps prevent gum disease. Most dentists recommend flossing twice a day, but if you only do it once daily, be sure to floss before bedtime. When you sleep, you produce less saliva, which leaves teeth and gums particularly vulnerable to bacteria.

Coffee Can Dry You Out
Q: To prevent your skin from becoming dehydrated and flaky, how many glasses of water should you drink for every cup of coffee you drink?
A: Two glasses.

Hamish Makes Headlines...

2010-01-18T07:21:00.015+08:00

... and for all the right reasons! :D

We're awfully proud of Mr Brown for being the featured celebrity in Life!'s Monday Interview. Be sure to pick up a copy of the papers to read about your favourite morning show host (and enjoy the pictures of him as a 2-year-old, amongst others!).

Golden Globes Goodies
It's luxury & excess all the way for the rich & famous... Each attendee will receive a gift bag valued at US$500: women will be given a Dooney and Bourke bag with Calvin Klein's Euphoria perfume, L'Oreal cosmetics, and InStyle's The Secrets of Style. Men, on the other hand, will receive a Tumi duffel bag packed with Euphoria for men, custom Alexander West shirts, and a book on style for gentleman. Every bag will contain a Martin Scorcese-directed DVD.
Things are looking good for presenters too. For ultimate in star treatment, the Globes committee has organized a special room, called the Presenters' Lounge, where presenters can have their makeup retouched and drink champagne before heading on stage. The room is furnished with US$500,000 worth of decor, and its walls are covered in $3 million worth of artwork.

Stars Give Back
Balancing the excess of the Golden Globes, we must mention the big-hearted stars who have delved into their even bigger bank accounts to contribute to the Haitian Earthquake refief efforts:

Actress Sandra Bullock and Hollywood power couple Brad Pitt & Angelina Jolie have both donated US$1 Million each to Doctors Without Borders' emergency medical operations in Port-Au-Prince.

Supermodel Giselle Bundchen has also given US$1.5 Million to the Red Cross .

Singer Lady Gaga has promised that all the proceeds from ticket sales and merchandise sold at her show this week in New York will go to Haiti.

Magician David Blaine raised money for Haiti last Friday by performing some card tricks for the tourists in Time Square. All the proceeds from the stint went to the Red Cross HaitiEarthquake Relief Fund.

How You Can Contribute to the Haiti Relief Effort
Red Cross: www.redcross.org
Doctors Without Borders: www.doctorswithoutborders.org

Today’s Show is made possible by the NUMBER THIRTY-ONE!

31 - Baskin Robbins has had mustard flavored ice cream among its 31 flavors for a total of 4 months 3 days over the past 72 years. The last time it was on their menu was 1954!

31 - 31% of business executives say the quality of a potential consultant's business card is a "important" or "very important" factor in selecting a firm for business-to-business services.

31 - Legendary rubber-cheeked trumpet player Dizzy Gillespie could produce 31 psi (unit of pressure - pound-force per square inch) with his mouth - enough to inflate a car tire!

Hamish's 5 Things

5 REASONS WHY ADDING 2000 SAMBA DANCERS TO THE CHINGAY PARADE IS A GREAT IDEA

5. BIKINIS ON PARADE IN SINGAPORE - I MEAN COME ON DOES IT GET ANY BETTER THAN THAT?

4. THEIR SAMBA IS HOTTER THAN OUR SAMBAL - NO QUESTION!

3. COSTUMES WOULD BE MINIMAL SO BUDGETS WOULD BE SMALLER - THANK THE MAKER!!!!

2. THIS IS AS CLOSE AS ANY SINGAPOREAN WILL GET TO AN AUTHENTIC VICTORIA'S SECRET LINGERIE PARADE EVER!!!!!

1. WITH 2000 SCANTILY CLAD DANCERS - PERHAPS OUR POPULATION WILL INCREASE WITH ALL THAT CHARGED LIBIDO !!!!

The Gold Health Guide
Good Teeth = Good Health
5 Tips to a healthy smile - Tip #1
A bright, white smile makes you appear younger and more attractive. And the mouth is also the gateway to the body, which means the state of your teeth and gums affects your overall health. Improve the health and appearance of your teeth with these tips for good dental care:
1. Brush regularly.
Brushing is the cornerstone of dental hygiene. It removes food particles that bacteria feed on, cleans teeth, and freshens breath. A toothpaste with fluoride helps strengthen teeth, but you must brush for at least two minutes to allow it to do its work! Many electric toothbrushes have a built-in two-minute timer, which can make brushing for the full amount of time easier, he says.

How to Burn an Extra 48,000 Calories Without Even Trying!
Go Shopping! Researchers found that the average woman burns off 48,000 calories a year just by going shopping. Women make up to 132 shopping trips every 12 months - spending a total of 159 hours and 56 minutes walking at a fast pace. Monthly shopping trips include two clothes-buying visits to the mall, five trips to get food and four trips to the convenience/ provision shop .During this time they burn off approximately five calories-a-minute - a total of 47,700 calories over a 12 month period. That's the equivalent of 25 days worth of women's recommended intake of 1,940 calories a day, or 500 glasses of red wine!
And that, is why men should embrace shopping too!

How Much do You Trust Your Help?
Making the news today is one family that trusts their domestic helper so much, she drives their cars (even the Jag!) to run errands like grocery shopping!
We ask - if your maid could drive, would you let her have use of your car?

It is good for the maid to drive the car. However, the employer must not ask the maid to wash the car since it is not within her job scope.

no.. Their traffic rules overseas' different from Sg.

yes i will. After all their job is a profession. David

ARE U KIDDING I DON'T ALLOW MY OWN SIS 2 DRIVE, LET ALONE D MAID, BCAUSE S'PORE ROAD ARE STRESSFUL 2 DRIVE AROUND. TOO MANY HONKING. - Steven

Today is the Most Depressing Day of 2010?
Back in 2005, Cliff Arnall, a Welsh psychologist, 'calculated' that the 3rd Monday in January is the most depressing day of the year. The self-styled 'freelance happiness guru' chose the date based on a pseudo-mathematical formula involving the weather, debt, motivational levels and time elapsed since Christmas. He also reflected on what thousands had told him during stress management or happiness workshops and realised that there were these factors pointing to the third Monday in January as being particularly depressing.
However, Mr Atnall is now backtracking and is urging Britons to refute the whole Blue Monday notion and be cheerful instead. He acknowledges that proclaiming today as Blue Monday isn't particularly helpful and it's "almost a self-fulfilling prophecy that it is the most depressing day."
He said Monday January 18 should instead be used to "get a bit of perspective" about our own lives - achieving happiness and being less materialistic was a year-round aim. He’s now also encouraging people to refute the whole notion of there being a most depressing day and to use the day as a springboard for the things that really matter in your life.
Ham: Allow me to add a little more perspective to your day then, via the old Brownian Wisdom... Life will always be happier if you're able to see the waterfall in every drop of rain!

Fat-Bottomed Friday!

2010-01-15T06:56:00.025+08:00

Haiti Earthquake Relief - How Can We Help?

The Singapore Red Cross (SRC) said it will channel any donations made to help the quake victims in Haiti to the International Federation of Red Cross Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).
This will help the IFRC with their immediate relief efforts.
However the Singapore Red Cross said it will not be launching a public appeal here as several appeals have been made to Singaporeans to help survivors of disasters in the region.
SRC said it does not want to cause "donor fatigue".
Nonetheless it will channel any donations made to the IFRC emergency appeal fund for Earthquake Haiti.
For logistical considerations, the Singapore Red Cross said it will not be accepting any donations-in-kind such as clothes or food. - CNA

For more info, visit the Singapore Red Cross website.

Fat-Bottoms are Fab!
Carrying fat on the hips, thighs and behind, rather than around the waist, "is good for you" - it has a range of health benefits and actively protects against diabetes and heart disease, experts at Oxford University said.
A big bottom is much better than carrying fat around the waist, which tends to release more harmful fatty acids into the body, the research shows.
Belly fat also releases molecules called cytokines which trigger inflammation - raising the risk of diabetes and heart disease.
But fat carried on the thighs traps these harmful fatty acids and stops them from latching on to the liver and muscles and causing a range of health problems, including insulin resistance.
Although fat around the thighs and backside tends to burn slower and be harder to shift, it can release beneficial hormones which protect the arteries and help blood sugar control, the research showed.
Bottom line (haha, pun intended), shape matters - and as far as health is concerned, being 'pear-shaped' is preferable to being 'apple-shaped'.
In an ideal world, the more fat around the thighs the better, providing the stomach stays slim. Unfortunately, you tend not to get one without the other!

Don't Miss The Solar Eclipse Today!
A COOL sensation will descend over Singapore this afternoon with a solar eclipse said to be the longest of its kind in the next 1,000 years.
People will experience a cool sensation on the skin as there will be a dip in radiation from the sun. It will feel like the sun in more temperate climates.
Today's eclipse is an annular one - the moon will pass in front of the sun, but will not block it completely, as in a total eclipse. Instead, there will be a ring of fire, or a solar ring, visible around the edge of the darkened moon.
At its peak over the Indian Ocean, the solar eclipse will last for just over 11 minutes.
In Singapore, it will last from about 3.10pm to 5.30pm, with the best viewing time at about 4.25pm.
Remember not to look directly at the sun and happy viewing!

How to Deal With a Sleep Talker
An American woman whose English husband woke her up constantly with his sleep talking has hit on a novel idea to handle the situation. She started a blog of his ramblings for amusement but soon found it hard to keep up and stay awake. A voice-activated recorder solved that problem and now every morning she plays it back to hear his hilarious mindnight musings and blogs about them. Needless to say, her blog has become an online sensation, complete with T-shirts with the best quotes for sale!
Click here for the hilarious blog with sleeptalking quotes that are simply too good to miss!
We could learn a few things from the couple - they've made what was a nocturnal problem into a money (and humour) generating venture! Plus, they believe the sleep talking is actually "healthy", because the husband "works out all of his anxiety and frustration in his dreams. It's like nightly catharsis." Maybe we should all do it!
Some quotes from Sleep Talkin' Man

Don't leave the duck there. It's totally irresponsible.

I haven't put on weight. Your eyes are fat.

So this is what it feels like to be a gummy bear.

Slim Pickings for Singles!
A university maths tutor has discovered the science behind singlehood, finding that our chances of finding the perfect partner are just 1 in 285,000 - that's 0.0000034% chance!
Peter Backus, a tutor at the University of Warwick, published his unique "Why I Don't Have a Girlfriend" thesis after a three-year love drought.
30-year-old Mr Backus found that out of the 30 million women in the UK, only 26 would be suitable girlfriends for him. His quirky study uses a famous maths formula called The Drake Equation, which was first used to estimate the existence of extra-terrestrial life.
Denise: No wonder, in a married world, singles always feel so alienated!
Via SMS: Hi D & H, Drake's equation, more correctly, is related to the existense of INTELLIGENT et. No wonder the chances are so small for singles :)
Read the full thesis on the University of Warwick's website.

Today’s Show is made possible by the NUMBER TWENTY!

20 - 20% of first year university students say they drink coffee "regularly" or "frequently". That figure rises to 64% for final year students!

20 - A person between the ages of 12 and 20 slams nine times more doors in a given year than people in any other age bracket! Ah, the angsty, terrible teen years!

20 - Each year, from December 23rd to December 27th, we emit 20 times more carbon dioxide than we do during any other five day period. People exhale carbon dioxide at a rate that is approximately 1 kg per day, but the heavier the physical activity, the more CO2 released.
Does over-eating at Christmas count as heavy physical activity?! ;)

Hamish's 5 Things

Singapore may have one of the lowest smoking rates in the world but some 360,000 people here are still puffing away.
Due to concerted efforts of the National Smoking Control Programme since the 1970s, smoking prevalence has dropped from above 25 per cent to below 14 per cent today.
Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan revealed the figures in his reply to a question from MP for Tanjong Pagar GRC, Lam Pin Min.
The smokers come from all age groups, from 18 to 69, peaking at 17 per cent for those aged 18 to 29 years.
Mr Khaw said men are six times more likely to smoke than women.
He added that the number of Malay smokers is more than double that of Chinese or Indians.
The number of female smokers is still at single digit percentage, except for Malay females who form 14 per cent.
Mr Khaw said more than half of women smokers are below 29 years and their smoking rate has risen sharply from five per cent in 1998 to nine per cent in 2007.
The health minister said there should be no let up in the anti-smoking drive. He said behavioural change, unfortunately, is never easy. - 938LIVE

5 UNIQUELY SINGAPORE REASONS WHY 360,000 SINGAPOREANS ARE STILL PUFFING AWAY

5. 'YOU PUT ME IN A ROUND ROOM AND ASK ME TO RELAX IN A CORNER AND I CANT FIND ONE - STRESS - NEED TO SMOKE!

4. TO BE LIKE THOSE MODELS ON SUPERMODELME YOU NEED TO HAVE THAT ATTITUDE AND YOU DEVELOP A LOT OF ATTITUDE WHEN YOU SMOKE....

3. MY WHOLE WARDROBE IS GREEN FOR 2 YEARS, ALL I CAN THINK ABOUT IS NUMBERS LIKE 2359 AND LETTERS LIKE ORD - STRESS - MUST SMOKE!

2. I AM A TEENAGER, THE WHOLE CONCEPT OF YOUTH IS TO BE ANTI-ESTABLISHMENT AND TO GIVE CLUELESS ADULTS GRIEF - SO LETS BUM ANOTHER CIGARETTE SO WE CAN LOOK OLDER

1. YOUR LUNGS OR MY LUNGS?

The Gold Health Guide
How to Feel Happier Today
Here's yet another easy and entirely free way to boost your contentment: Tip #5...
You've been Booked!
If you like peace and quiet as much as you do reading, ask if your local library could use your help reading to children. Fulfill a community service and meet new people, all while enjoying a couple hours of book delights. Or share the joy of reding by teaching others through a grassroots literacy organization or starting a neighbourhood book sharing club, or story-telling circle for children.

MAKAN KAKIS
More STEAMBOAT recommendations:

THIS WEEK'S WINNER! CONGRATS, MEI - A GOLD GIFT PACK IS COMING YOUR WAY!
Came across this Nonya steamboat eatery few wks bk. Very simple setup against a quiet neighbourhd. Make sure to go for their homemade specialties. Goes v well wif their nonya tom yam soup. My all-time fave: homemade porkball n fish glue. Makes me drool everytime i start to dunk d juicy meatball into d steamboat pot! They r @ cactus cafe, yio chu kang rd. It's called Jia Chuan Steamboat. Mei

jia chuan steamboat. I like that it's family run n keeps food fresh.some items are home made by the chef herself. Not the usual frozen items common at other steamboat shop. unique nonya tom yam soup. The tom yam soup is done different..a bit tangy but not too spicy for my family. Cactus rd seletar garden off yio chu kang rd. Alison Ee

it's called xiao long bao buffet at crystal jade at holland village. The buffet comes with a yummy-licious steamboat set! It comes with generous heaps of shitake and golden mushrooms. Fresh slices of meat, mutton pork chicken and beef. Succulent sotong balls and fish balls! Sticks of very fresh prawns which the skin peels of with ease when deshelling them before eating. Soup comes in clear broth or spicy broth for the more adventurous! I'd totally recommend it to anyone. Of course lots more ingredients that would be too long to list! I did mention of course that it was primarily a xiao long bao buffet, but steamboat is so yummy it totally got me hooked! Dwayne lau

Jia Chuan Steam Boat. hidden find in yio chu kang, unique nonya tom yam with extra herbs and spices - got punch! Also got chicken broth and fish broth with ikan billis. Superb sotong balls ! 16 Cactus Road.

Coca is always good. Thai steamboat famous for fishglue - yummy! And the chilli for dipping is so good! - nell

HeyHey Hotpot has yummy hong kong style steamboat. Must try! Selegie Road, Pomo (former paradiz) Centre basement

Bosses, Boomz News & Bogus Sales Tactics

2010-01-14T06:40:00.023+08:00

For Good Health, Tell Bosses What You Think of Them!
Research has found that the relationship between staff and managers was the most commonly reported cause of stress in the workplace. The consequences of stress are pervasive - those under stress may experience psychological symptoms, such as anxiety or depression, physiological symptoms, such as palpitations or raised blood pressure, or cognitive symptoms such as reduced mental capacity.
Stress is also a significant cause of sick leave absences and this puts pressure on those left behind to run the business, creating a cycle of uncomfortable pressure with costs to the individual and to the company.
That's why psychologists argue that telling your boss what you think of them is good for your health. According to their research, presented at the British Psychological Society's occupational psychology conference, giving managers feedback is more likely to make employees ''happy, healthy and stress-free''.
This is because when bosses receive feedback from their staff, they are more likely to change their style and be seen as more effective.

Ris Low is spokesperson for condom company

Ex-beauty queen Ris Low is once again the topic of discussion. Condom company 'Espire' has asked her to be their youth ambassador, reported Shin Min evening daily.
Low will promote their new condom, and raise awareness about safe sex among young people.
After the card fraud incident, Ris Low was interviewed and she said she was "not afraid of embarassment, just want to be famous." She also added that after her serving her sentence, she wants to join another beauty pageant. "Two years later,
I will once again become a phoenix! I will be back!"
To everyone's surprise, she had her way. After the fiasco, she not only became the cover girl for a men's magazine, now she is even the face for Espire.

What do you Gold 90FM listeners think?

She's in the top 25 most influential ppl in Asia! That is BAD INFLUENCE WITH A CAPITAL B!

No way! A person like her who never regreted for what she had done shouldn't be someone for our teens to follow. - AC

I think we shud stop talking abt her & ignore her, pretend she doesn't exist.That way she won't get the 'fame' she so craves.She's like Bai Ling.And NO, I don't want her being the youth ambassador for anything,let alone a condom company

She is annoying and is unable to carry a decent n sensible conversation. She is definitely not a good example for youth. Somebody pls teach n show her wats good n right first before she show others.

Why do people dislike her? I think she has special qualities. Do these very people think they are all perfect?

HI! HER PARENTS SHOULD HAVE NAMED HER 'CRIS-IS LOW'! Sabrina

wonder why all she is "famous" for involves no clothes?

why r u "advertisin" her, no to her.

From the cover of FHM, Ris is now on the cover of D**k.

i think it's it joke, i wonder if she knows Singapore teens are actually making a laughing stock out of her.

hope her condom range not go Boomz 1/2 way thru sex ... hee .. Lawrence

John here. She is the ultimate in safe sex. One look at her and you will be turned off. Excellent choice

Pushy Sales Tactics
This has been making its way round internet forums...
Imagine being offered a free massage after a hard day's work, only to have the masseuse stop abruptly when you decline signing up for a package.
This is what has happened a few people who were offered complimentary massages whilst they were shopping. Ten seconds into the 'free massage', the masseuse suddenly stopped to ask them to sign up for a massage package.
When one of the customers refused, she was asked to leave - with massage oil still on her shoulders!
Another also was forced to take out her wallet to provew she didn't have money for a package.
Sadly, this happens very often, where potential customers get badgered into parting ways with their money by extremely pushy, unpleasant sales staff.
What's your experience and how did you deal with it?

I always tell them i am unemployed, single, no credit card and i'm here because a friend is giving me a treat. Can't buy any packages. Hema

I suggest to take out yr handphone & start calling someone & tell them u gotta go!

i'll tell them i'll lodge a police report and I would if described you just have. But like these places would give a shite.

gimmick gv u travel offer, go 4 1 hr talk to qualify. After talk they force u buy. 4 me i just walk out. David

First do not bring your wallet or credit cards wit you, so you cannot make payment even if forced. 2nd see it as a challenge to beat them at the game. You against a person who will take your money if you LOSE! 3rd develop a thick skin. It is good opportunity to practise how to say no. Cheers. Humphrey C

The only way to deal with such unscrupulous sales tactics is to tell them off strongly. There was a massage promotion package from my reservist association. Good deal at $36 for 1 hour facial and 1 hour body massage. I went with my wife to this spa in chinatown. After half an hour of facial and 15 minute massage, my masseur said time's up. I went to the reception and my wife was fuming there. When questioned, the staff said our skin conditions were excellent and hence the shorter sessions! I raised my voice and told them I am not paying a single cent unless they honoured the contract or I pay prorata the amount. In the end they agreed to the latter.

Thanks for bringing this up Denise. I had been cornered into such situation every time i go for an appt at a particular beauty salon(HK based) with few branches all over S'pore. I did obliged most of the time but now i am lying low... B-)

Today’s Show is made possible by the NUMBER NINETEEN!

19 - Ever feel like yawning when someone else does? This is what behaviourists refer to as the "yawning contagion", and it generally develops at about age 19 months.

19 - Yellow sticky notes account for 19% of intra-office communication.

19 - On average only 19% of store bought goldfish will live past two weeks.

19 - While 82% of women say they have "sought revenge" against a previous significant other, only 19% of men responding said they've been the victim of acts of vengeance from a previous significant other.
Which leads us to conclude that either men are completely oblivious or women are so cunning that our schemes go unnoticed!

Hamish's 5 Things

ITS THURSDAY - LETS HAVE A LAUGH AT 5 RESUME BLUNDERS SO THAT YOU WILL KNOW WHAT NOT TO INCLUDE IF YOU ARE JOB HUNTING

5. ON A RESUME: “2001 summer Voluntary work for taking care of the elderly and vegetable people”

4. UNDER HOBBIES ON A RESUME MAJOR BLUNDER IS IF YOU WRITE: Hobbies: “Drugs and girls”.

3. Candidate stated the ability to persuade people sexually using her words.

2. Candidate explained a gap in employment by saying it was because he was getting over the death of his cat for three months.

1. THIS WAS WRITTEN ON A RESUME: “Let’s meet, so you can ‘ooh’ and ‘aah’ over my experience.”

The Gold Health Guide
How to Feel Happier Today
Doing someone a good deed combats feelings of loneliness as well as encouraging the production of spirit-lifting endorphins. Donating your time to someone else can also help give you emotional generosity, which makes you feel calmer and happier. Want to enjoy these mood-boosting effects? Add joy to your world and others' with this next simple act of goodwill: Tip #4
Help the next generation
Try mentoring a youngster in need of your guidance through any of the many youth organisations - whether it's helping to tutor them or being a big brother or sister to them. For volunteering opportunities, you can check out The National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre's website or you could even help at our adopted charity Boys' Town.

MAKAN KAKIS
The Search for STEAMBOAT continues...

my mum's! Ain't nothing but the real thing. Stock prepared frm chix bones. The pot bursting with spring colour frm healthy stuff like toufu, green veg, carrot, beancurb etc no bloody stuff like liver & get this-over charcoal fire. Sorri, members only. Juz to make u drool...ha ha

"Ma Po Tofu" (<$20 per pax) 2 outlets opposite each other along Thomson Rd Lilian Lim.
Note: Yes, this is actually a steamboat place, despite the rather misleading name. Its sister restaurant just opposite is called ''Tian Xie Di yi shua''
Mapo Doufu Restaurant 麻婆豆腐饭庄 (Thomson), 2 Sin Ming Road, #01-01/02 Sin Ming Plaza, open daily 11am–2.30am

Morning Denise and Hamish, there is a place known as Ting Heng Seafood at Tiong Bahru whose promfret steamboat has got herbs, yam, fried fish, prune that make the soup very tasty and you top that up with beef, pork, meat balls and many others, another horse that got no challengers(no horse run) a must try philip

D is for...

2010-01-13T06:54:00.019+08:00

Beware If Your Name Begins With The Letter “D”
Denise has a vested interested in this... Scientists have discovered that the letter your name begins with can actually affect your lifespan. A study done at Wayne State University looked at the life spans of 10,000 people and concluded that those people whose names began with the letter “D” had a shorter average life span. People whose names started with the letter “A” tended to outlive the “D’s” by an average of 10 years. Psychologists theorize that those whose names start with “D” feel bad about themselves because the letter “D” is often associated with academic failure. Consequently, their poor self-esteem makes them more susceptible to illness.
Strangely, no word on names starting with any other letter!
Denise: I'm sure there are many people with "D" names who'd beg to differ. Including me!

Double-barrelled Race Option

The Ministry of Home Affairs on Tuesday announced further changes to allow a child of mixed heritage to take on a double-barrelled race.
This means that the race of both parents may be recorded on the child's registration papers and identity card, instead of the current rule where the child can only choose from either parents' race.
In situations where mixed-marriage parents are undecided on the race to be reflected, but still prefer their child's race to be double-barrelled, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) will reflect the race of the father first. An example would be "Indian-Chinese" for a child with an Indian father and Chinese mother.

-from CNA

Your Opinions via SMS:

gd morn' :-) In my case i wish the word 'Chindian' was official as i hardly speak a word of Indian. I think the double barrelled option is a very timely move! Valerie

Lisamarie - i think the child should have both parents races with him on the ic, that way it be easier and less leceh. It be fair to the parents too. Both my parents r eurasians so thats kinda easy 4 me.

i think following either mom or dad is ok. although my kids would rather be known as filarasian- philipino eurasian. Michelle

Gold Nugget of Trivia
Q: Is the dirtiest skin surface on the average human: (a) the face (b) the feet or (c) the belly button?

A: The face, because it's always exposed to all the elements, pollution, dirt and saliva (either yours or other peoples!).

Today’s Show is made possible by the NUMBER THIRTY-TWO!

32 - Baby pictures are the most commonly framed. 32% of all frames sold worldwide are used to display pictures of our little darlings.

32 - The average bikini sold in 2005 was 32% the size of the average bikini sold in 1965!

32 - In a recent study, 72% of first graders were able to understand a 1940s radio drama while only 32% of fifth graders were able to do the same.

Hamish's 5 Things

5 UPLIFTING QUOTES TO HELP US THROUGH MIDWEEK

5. Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself. - George Bernard Shaw
4. When you reach the end of your rope, tie a knot in it and hang on. - Thomas Jefferson
3. "To control others is to have power, to control yourself is to know the way" - Lao Ma
2. "If your ship doesn’t come in, swim out to it" - Jonathan Winters
1. "You never see the bad days in a photo album but it’s those days that get us from one happy snapshot to the next." - Annonymous

The Gold Health Guide
How to Feel Happier Today
Simply lending a helping hand to someone else can help you see yourself as more compassionate, according to Sonja Lyubomirsky, professor of psychology at the University of California, Riverside. In turn, that spurs you to feel more confident, optimistic, useful, and yes, happy!
So here's Tip #3 on doing good and boosting your mood!
Relatively Speaking
Pledge to call an older relative once a week for a catch-up—your recipient will feel more connected to the world, and you'll benefit from his or her wisdom & experience!

TV = Heart Attack?
Every hour per day watching TV increases risk of heart disease death by 20%, according to a new study published in this month's edition of Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.
Researchers from the Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute, in Australia measured participants' cholesterol and blood sugar levels - key indicators of health - and how many hours they spent watching TV.
They found that people who spent more than four hours a day sitting in front of the TV were 80% more likely to die from a cardiovascular related disease than those who watched less than two hours.
Tracking the lifestyle habits of 8,800 adults over the past seven years, researchers also found they were also moderately more at risk of dying from cancer.
Every type of sedentary behaviour, such as driving and sitting at a computer, also poses significant health risks, Australian researchers concluded.
Even if someone has a healthy body weight, sitting for long periods of time still has an unhealthy influence on their body sugar and blood fats.
Researchers advised people should avoid sitting for long periods of time to lower their risk of developing diseases.

MAKAN KAKIS
STEAMBOAT, please! There's something so wholesome and communal and heart-warming about steamboat - any suggestions where to go for the best in Singapore?

Parkway parade basement hv tom yum n normal soup. Soup n chilli yummy. David

For a real classic, try Thien Kee Hainanese Steamboat @ basement of Golden Mile Tower. Great stock, very fresh beef slices. So satisfying!
"What makes this steamboat Hainanese?" we asked. And a relative of the owners, Mr Swee called to explain - the family who runs the restaurant started off selling chicken rice and made super stock with their leftover chicken parts. Customers started asking for the stock to be used in steamboat and that's how they diversified to include steamboat in their restaurant.

Denise's recommendation: Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao Restaurant @ Holland Village has surprisingly good and value-for-money steamboat only from 8.30pm onwards, all the way to 1am! This all-you-can-eat ala carte buffet comes with choices of soup from sweetcorn and pork to Dan dan (sesame & peanut) to Mala (spicy Szechuan pepper corn) and is YAAAH-MAY! Did I mention free fresh prawns and free flow xiao long baos? All for less than $25! The thinly sliced lamb with mala soup combination is unbeatable! And the self-serve condiment table with coriander, spring onion, flavoured oils, sesame paste, chilli sauce, soy and dark sauces makes seasoning your food fun too.

Hamish's recommendation: San Katong Laksa Steamboat Restaurant, 404 Telok Blangah Road, Tel: 6275 7069, Open Daily: 11am - Midnight. You can have it ying yang style, so the pot is split between normal stock and laksa - best of both worlds! It's unusual and unusually tasty! Shiok!!!

If your Child was Prime Minister...

2010-01-12T07:19:00.016+08:00

Annual Local Survey on Children
Surprising and funny results of annual survey conducted on 50 children aged 7 - 14 in November & December last year...
What would you do if you were Prime Minister?
If they had their way — and the job of the Prime Minister — there would be more theme parks and peanut butter factories. But all insects would be killed. Other priorities include saving our coral reefs, ensuring everyone has a job and banning all exams.
What is the coolest job?
Being a lawyer was the top answer for the 2nd year running!
Becoming a doctor, a teacher or joining the police force were the other popular selections, while being a Formula 1 driver, food critic or deep space researcher were among the creative choices.
What are you looking forward to doing in 2010?
• Watching the Youth Olympic Games
• Getting better academic results in school
• Canoeing on a cyber lake (if there are any)
• Keeping my family united and together
• Living my life
Which would you choose - Money or Family?
93% — five percentage points more than last year — said it was more important to spend time with loved ones than to make big bucks.
“Children in Singapore sometimes get criticised for being too materialistic, although we’re pleased to say that our survey has shown otherwise,” said Adecco (the company that conducted the survey) South East Asia regional director Lynne Ng.

Ham: That's because the children are still young. Give them another 10 years or so and their answers may change!

We let you do the talking - do you think Ham's right? Responses via SMS:

Right! KIDS still family centred. Teens more self conscious n materislist, 2look good
hamish is right. You hv to be realistic, without money you cannot take care of the family. It is not possible to give up everything to take care of the family in the current economic situation. That wd be irresponsible. Margaret 39yrs
no, i do not agree. I am willing to sacrifice all to spend time with my love one. I am already 34.
of course the survey result is not accurate cos 7yr old kids don't even know how to count money yet!
I spent my early part of my life making money, but at age 50 now, i realise bonding with my family was more important. I urge everyone to balance work and family.
Another 10yrs would mean being in ur 20s? I'm 25, and it's always been family 1st! Who else will do ur laundry 4 free?! :-P fiona
hi Denise & The Nephew Majority of 2day's adults will say family is impt Bt our kids 2day r brought up in a vry materialistic world Unless & until we instil in them the impt of family value chances r they will chg their opinion in future Y do u tink the govt hs 2 intro new laws on family. Frm: Ravi
children's thoughts are always pure and holy and we adults know they are right and good but so many times we cant do the right thing. Definitely family and friends are more important than making money tks philip
family time is d is something money can't buy nor can u make it anytime. Money can make anytime. Selvi
something is more simple to think like kid.money is nt everything.love is everlasting.elf
DEFINITELY STILL FAMILY, OTHERWISE WHERE TO FIND THE MONEY. VERNON
I am 53. I fully agree with the school kids cos money is never a pblm - u either get it frm yr parents, if not u still have pocketmoney funds. For working kids we always long for super long weekends! just to spend quality time with our families. When u reaches my age & without a job, I have all the time in the world to be with my family. However... when my savings got depleted, quality time turned into torture time cos we couldn't afford to have a decent meal in any restaurants anymore. So bottomline rules over materialism!

The Gold Health Guide
How to Feel Happier Today
Tip #2 on doing good and boosting your mood!
Feed Them
Give someone who doesn't have time to cook (say, your neighbour who's working two shifts or your friend who just had baby number 2) the gift of a homecooked meal. Put the food in disposable containers so she doesn't need to return them, and include heating instructions. Short on time? Buying dinner also counts as a mood-boosting good deed!

Today’s Show is made possible by the NUMBER EIGHTY-THREE!
83 - 83% of fried eggs consumed in restaurants are ordered sunny side up.

83 - In his high school years Albert Einstein scored only an 83 on an IQ test. In his adult years when he was asked why his score was so low, he replied that he "never took tests too seriously."

83 - 83% of door bells chime with the familiar two-tone ding dong sound.

83 - Bananas account for 83% of Ecuador's exported goods.

Let's Go Bananas Over Bananas!
Here are some handy, uncommon uses for Bananas:
1. Whitening Teeth
Simply rub the inside of a banana peel on to teeth in a circular motion for approximately two minutes with a little water and salt - the results are phenomenal. You should see the benefits after about 2 weeks.
2. Maintain Sheen on Your Green
Rub the soft inside of a banana skin over the leaves of your houseplants. It will add a shine and remove dust at the same time.
3. Emergency Shoe Shiner
Rub your leather shoes with the soft inside of a banana skin. Then clean and buff the surface with a tissue or napkin for a lovely shine.

Hamish's 5 Things

5 FUNNY THINGS THAT POLITICIANS FROM THE PAST HAVE SAID

5. I have opinions of my own -- strong opinions -- but I don't always agree with them. -- Former President George W Bush

4. I cannot tell you how grateful I am -- I am filled with humidity. -- Gib Lewis, speaker of the Texas House

3. "A politician needs the ability to foretell what is going to happen tomorrow, next week, next month, and next year. And to have the ability afterwards to explain why it didn't happen." --Winston Churchill

2. "You teach a child to read, and he or her will be able to pass a literacy test." -- George W. Bush
1. “Politics: “Poli” a Latin word meaning “many”; and "tics" meaning “bloodsucking creatures”.” -- Robin Williams

International No Pants Subway Ride Day 2010

Yesterday marked the 9th year of a sublimely ridiculous event. injecting a little amusement into the otherwise dreary morning commute.
'No Pants Subway Ride Day' is a day where people around the would are encouraged to take the train without their trousers.
The idea started in New York - where this year 3,000 people turned out - but it has spread across the US and around the world to over 43 cities.
As such, people from Washington to Adelaide and Zurich all boarded trains without their trousers, much to the bemusement of other travellers.
But of course, this probably didn't happen in Singapore!
Below are some video clips of pantsless train rides in action:

How Men Can Reduce Their Risk of Heart Disease by Half
Men who have sex at least twice a week can almost halve their risk of heart disease, according to new research.
The results, published in the American Journal of Cardiology, showed men who made love at least twice a week are up to 45% less likely to have heart disease than those whose sexual encounters were limited to once a month or less.
Researchers said the benefits of sex could be due to both the physical and emotional effects on the body.
Men with the desire for frequent sexual activity and who are able to engage in it are likely to be healthier.
Also, men who have frequent sex might be more likely to be in a supportive intimate relationship and this might improve health through stress reduction and social support.
However, while the study of over 1,000 men shows sex appears to have a protective effect on the male heart, it did not examine whether women benefit too.
Denise: How typical!
Ham: What to do, those reserachers probably finished up, rolled over went to sleep right after!

C'mon Get Happy!

2010-01-11T07:09:00.017+08:00

The Gold Health Guide
How to Feel Happier Today
Are you grouchy, irritable, off to a bad start? Throw off the unhappiness and pay attention... It's easy, it's entirely free and we have a week's worth of tips on how to boost your contentment. Thankfully, you don't need to write a check to reap the happiness-enhancing benefits of doing good.
Sing someone's praises
Is somebody's good work going unacknowledged? Applaud the efforts of a particularly productive colleague at your next meeting or praise your child's efforts to be helpful or obedient. You'll feel generous just for having spread a positive word, and you'll help foster a work and home environment where the compliments flow freely. Ultimately, it will make you feel happier as you give others a mood boost with your compliments!

Get Happy with This Hilarious Blast from the Past!

And you thought your dancing was bad! :)

Top 20 most irritating pieces of technology
According to new research, we are annoyed by this at least four times a day and 68% of those who get riled up are men! What is this annoying thing that has so many of us hot under the collar?
Technology!
Even so, two thirds of us hate the fact we can't live without our infuriating technology.
Here's the annoying list in full:
1. Car alarms
2. That hourglass icon appearing on computer screen
3. Computer crashing
4. Speed cameras
5. Automated phone systems
6. Novelty doorbells
7. Skipping CD
8. The 'bong' sound in Windows when you can't do something
9. Uncomfortable headphones
10. Printers
11. 'Out of Office' replies
12. Predictive text messaging
13. Vocal vehicle reverse warnings
14. Alarm clock
15. Ball mouse
16. GPS
17. Security lights
18. House alarms
19. Interactive television
20. In-car parking sensors

Today’s Show is made possible by the NUMBER FIFTY-THREE!

53 - Some mazing maths trivia... 53 is a Prime Number (can only be divided by itself or 1) and also the sum of five consecutive primes (5 + 7 + 11 + 13 + 17).

53 - The first television broadcast of the Oscars took place in 1953, hosted by Bob Hope.
We remember Bob as a the consummate host - funny, self-deprecating and charming. Here are a couple of our favourite quotes from him:
"Middle age is when your age starts to show around your middle." & "Welcome to the Academy Awards, or, as it's known at my house, Passover."

53 - The racing number of Herbie, a Volkswagen Beetle with a mind of his own, first appearing in the 1969 film The Love Bug

53 - Number of postcards from fellow Beatles in Ringo Starr’s 2003 book "Postcards From the Boys".

53 - There are currently 163 petabytes of collective iPod hard drive space available in the world, of which only 53 petabytes are being used. That's a lot of music not being uploaded effectively!

Hamish's 5 Things

Singapore lawyers need to continuously improve themselves to keep up with global challenges. Singapore's Chief Justice Chan Sek Keong said this at the opening of the Legal Year 2010 held at the Supreme Court on Saturday. Chief Justice Chan stressed that globalisation of trade and services would result in greater demands for bigger and smarter law firms to serve the needs of the new economy and specialised knowledge and litigation skills will always be in demand. So the Singapore Academy of Law will work with the two law schools for more courses to cater to lawyers who want to upgrade their skills.

5 FUNNY THINGS LAWYERS SAY IN COURTS , UNINTENTIONALLY.
5. "How far apart were the vehicles at the time of the collision?"
4. "The youngest son, the 20 year old, how old is he?"
3. "Were you alone or by yourself?"
2. "You don't know what it was, and you didn't know what it looked like, but can you describe it?"
1. "Now, doctor, isn't it true that when a person dies in his sleep, in most cases he just passes quietly away and doesn't know anything about it until the next morning?"

Men - All Thought, No Action?
Researchers found that the average male thinks about sex 13 times a day – a total of 4,745 times every year.
Almost a third even admitted it is often the first thing they think about when they wake up in the mornings.
In comparison, women think about sex just five times day – or 1,825 times a year.
But when it comes to actually having sex, men have to make do with it an average of just twice a week, or 104 times a year.
The study of 3,000 people also showed that despite the difference in the amount of times men think about sex and actually do it, almost 74% claim they are happy about the amount of sex they were getting.
But just 58% of women said the same.
And 43% of couples also admitted arguing over who instigates the lovemaking, with men most likely to make the first move.
Researchers also found one in three guys think a candlelit dinner is the best way of getting a woman in the mood, followed by a relaxing massage.
But women are more likely to play romantic music or cook their partner's favourite meal to try and get them into bed.

More Trend Forecasts for the New Year!
What else is hot in 2010?

Hand-me-ups
Hand-me-ups refer to outdated cell phones and other devices that are passed on to one's parents, once newer models are available. The result? Happy children who get the upgrade and new gadgets they want and parents we get handed free electronic devices that are less complicated to use and still in good working condition!

Self-expanding Bras and Protein Undies!
Bras that pump up or down with body temperature and smooth out ageing cleavages are among hot new undies to be unveiled at this month's Paris lingerie show.
High-tech has started to play a growing role in underwear. Take ultra-sounds for example, now used as well as laser technology to cut and construct garments without seaming or stitching.
Amid innovations at the January 23-25 Paris trade fair, stand-outs include a Dutch-designed anti-wrinkle bra that can iron out crinkly cleavages as a woman sleeps, and a smart Slovenian brassiere whose cups are made of memory foam (a NASA patented technology from the 1960s) that expand with body heat when the wearer works out or flirts. Also making a splash is the range of French lingerie called Milkshake made from a fabric of milk proteins that contains 10 amino acids to hydrate the skin. In other words, you moisturise as you wear!

NEIL HUMPHREYS

2010-01-08T17:49:00.000+08:00

Best-selling author Neil Humphreys comes in this morning to regale us with his many stories about Singapore, football and Kelong!
You can read about his latest obsession in his brand new book, Match Fixer.

Neil's debut novel, Match Fixer, takes place inside the murky underbelly of Asian football. 'Squeaky-clean' Singapore plays host to betting syndicates, which have for decades fed off the insatiable illegal gambling habits of the local population and made a select few bookies very rich and far too powerful.
Corruption is destroying The Beautiful Game in Asia and has spread its tentacles into the UK via spread betting cartels. Floodlights have been knocked out. Players jailed. Questions asked.

Click the player below for Neil's hilarious interview!

Match Fixer can be found at most book stores across Singapore.
Meet the always entertaining Neil tomorrow (Saturday), 2 - 3pm at Kinokuniya Ngee Ann City, grab a copy of Match Fixer and get it signed!

All Hail the King

2010-01-08T06:53:00.026+08:00

ELVIS DAY

Happy Birthday Elvis! The King of Rock and Roll was born 8th January in 1935 and he would have been 75 today.
We're keeping his music and memory alive and have officially declared Gold 90FM as the home of Elvis all this month of January.
Listen out for more music from Elvis and more trivia about him everyday!

Hamish's 5 Things

5 NUGGETS OF WISDOM FROM THE KING ON HIS BIRTHDAY

5. My voice alone is just an ordinary voice. What people come to see is how I use it. If I stand still while I'm singing, I'm dead, man. I might as well go back to driving a truck.

4. Some people tap their feet, some people snap their fingers, and some people sway back and forth. I just sorta do 'em all together, I guess.

3. I'm not tryin' to be sexy. Ah didn't have any clear idea of trying to sell sex. It's just my way of expressin' how I feel when I move around. It's all leg movement. I don't do nothin' with my body.

2. Truth is like the sun. You can shut it out for a time, but it ain't goin' away.

1. I believe the key to happiness is: someone to love, something to do, and something to look forward to.

Today’s Show is made possible by the NUMBER EIGHT!

8 - Whether boiled, scrambled, poached or sunny side up, about eight eggs are consumed each year for every person on earth. Assuming the current world population stands at 6.7 billion, that would be equivalent to 53 billion6 hundred million eggs eaten per year!

8 - A house on average, has 8 new batteries of varying sizes.

8 - While jean-maker Levi Strauss was alive, he forbade his company from producing jeans in any other colour than blue. However, black jeans were introduced by the company 8 months after his death!

8 - 8 out of the ten oldest known people living today were born prematurely

The Gold Health Guide

Tips on Squeezing Exercise into Your Busy Schedule

9. Keep records.
Grab a diary or logbook, and every day that you exercise, write down what you did and for how long. Your records will make it easy for you to see what you’ve accomplished and make you more accountable.

10. Save the Date.
Whether morning, afternoon, or evening, pick the time that is most convenient for you to exercise and write it down in your daily planner. Keep your exercise routine as you would keep any appointment.

Trend-Spotting for 2010
Marketing Daily has rounded up the trend forecasts for 2010 and finds:

1. Pantone has named turquoise the color of the year, for its "deep compassion and healing, a color of faith and truth, inspired by water and sky." A potent combination of calming blue and invigorating green.
Trend-spotting firm Iconoculture predicts that everything about water will be hot, especially being savvy about water-sustainability.

2. JWT Intelligence predicts that 2010 will be a huge year for bacon, with the tasty, salty pork product appearing in everything from cocktails to lollipops to cupcakes. Say hello to bacon martinis, bacon soap and bacon car fragrance!

3. Silent dance parties are also getting more and more popular. If you're wondering, like us, what on earth a silent dance party is, people gather to dance in one place, but listen and dance silently to their own music from their mp3 players!

Sick Portraits
An Italian doctor claims that he has been able to diagnose the illnesses suffered by people in the world's most famous paintings.
Dr Vito Franco of the University of Palermo says the intriguing smile of the Mona Lisa was the result of very high levels of cholesterol.
He came to this conclusion by studying the details of the Leonardo da Vinci masterpiece, where he says he can see a build up of fatty acids around her left eye.
After analysing a whole host of renaissance workshe claims to have found that most subjects suffered from one disease or another!
Read more on this story here.

The Worst Present a Husband Could Give

2010-01-07T09:31:00.003+08:00

Nothing Says I Love You Like Manure!

An Iowa farmer has given his wife her "crappiest" ever birthday present.
Dick Kleis used a manure spreader to spell out "HAP B DAY LUV U" in a field visible from the living room of the couple's home.
Wife Carole was surprisingly happy with the gift of more than 50 tonnes of dung. "He's done weird things before for birthdays," she said. "But maybe not this weird."
Mr Kleis did also take his wife out for dinner and a movie to celebrate her 67th birthday, but wanted to do something unique.
Mr Kleis said it took about three hours and four loads of liquid manure to create the message.
"I was going to put a heart out there after the happy birthday, but I ran out of manure," he said.
Ham: I can't believe the wife wasn't peeved!
Denise: Nah, she was pooped! At least the present was from the bottom of his heart!
Ham: Nah, it was just from his bottom!

Today’s Show is made possible by the NUMBER SEVEN!

7 - More hats are manufactured by hand in the seven district of the Basque Country than anywhere else in the world. Five out of every seven hats produced are black.

7 - In 7% of people, their fingernails grow faster than toe-nails.

7 - On average, a pair of sunglasses lasts for seven months before being lost.

7 - 93% of the world's caterpillars become moths, and only 7% become butterflies.

Hamish's 5 Things

Chinese couples rush to get married before Year of the Tiger
SINGAPORE: When the new Lunar New Year starts on Valentine's Day, cupid's arrows may not be as up to the mark as usual.
Traditionally, Chinese couples prefer not to get married during the Year of the Tiger due to superstition that it is bad luck.
One couple, in particular, have said they are rushing to tie the knot before the Year of the Tiger sets in to appease their parents and relatives.
However, bridal boutiques are not worried about business in the Tiger Year, as many feel Singaporeans are not that superstitious.

5 MORE REASONS WHY COUPLES DONT WANT TO GET MARRIED IN THE YEAR OF THE TIGER

5. THE VILLAIN IN THE JUNGLE BOOK WAS A TIGER CALLED SHERE KHAN - SO THERE!

4. REMEMBER WHAT THAT TIGER DID TO THAT FOOL WHO WENT INTO ITS ENCLOSURE IN OUR ZOO? - SO THERE

3. POET WILLIAM BLAKE WROTE TYGER TYGER BURNING BRIGHT - IT WAS A POEM ABOUT FEAR OF THE TIGER - AND HE MUST KNOW SOMETHING!

2. TWO WORDS - TIGER WOODS - ENOUGH SAID!

1. COUPLES WONT WANT TO GET MARRIED IN THE YEAR OF THE TIGER - THE WEDDING WILL SOMEHOW BE ALWAYS REFERRED TO AS 'PLEASE COME TO THE TIGER SHOW!!!!

Want to Enlarge Your Social Circle? Have Kids!
Having a baby increases the number of friends a woman has by eight, it has been found.
Researchers claim that the average childless woman has just three friends they feel comfortable sharing secrets with and relying on.
ut those with children say they have an average of 11 good firends - most of who they meet because of their kids.
aiting at the school playground is said to be the place most moms make new friends, followed by mother and baby groups and the nursery.
10% have met new pals whilst sweating it out at the gym.
Of course - they were trying to work off those pregnancy pounds!

It Takes Great Resolve...
By now, a third of us who made New Year's resolutions have failed! Here are/were the top resolutions for 2010:
1. Stop smoking
2. Get Fit
3. Lose Weight
4. Enjoy Life More
5. Quit Drinking
6. Get Organised
7. Learn Something New
8. Get Out of Debt
9. Spend more time with the Family
10. Help Others

The Gold Health Guide
Tips to Fit Fitness into Your Busy Day
Watch your step.
Investing in a good pedometer can help you stay motivated. If you have a pedometer attached to your waist and you can see how many steps you’ve taken, you’ll see it doesn’t take long to walk 5,000 steps and you will be inspired. And building up to 10,000 steps a day won’t seem like such a daunting a task.
Hire the right help. While weight training is important, if you don’t know what you’re doing, you run the risk of injuring yourself or not being effective. It’s best to get instructions from a personal trainer at the gym. You also can buy a weight-training DVD and follow along in your living room.

Of Toasters, Diets and New Year's Resolutions

2010-01-06T07:27:00.018+08:00

Forget new year's resolutions you can't keep, try some new ones with this fun New Year's Resolution Generator!

The Video Hamish Wants You To See...

Today’s Show is made possible by the NUMBER SIX!

6 - Surprisingly, one in 6 British people have never tasted tea and never will!

6 - An average person spends six minutes a day using hesitant speech, such as "um" or "uh".

6 - For reasons medical experts don't understand, most people are born left handed, but switch preference to the right hand before they are 6 months old.

Hamish's 5 Things

Funny Classifieds

5. Illiterate? Write today for free help.

4. For sale: antique desk suitable for lady with thick legs and large drawers.

3. Mixing bowl set designed to please a cook with round bottom for efficient beating.

2. We do not tear your clothing with machinery. We do it carefully by hand.

1. Vacation Special: have your home exterminated. Get rid of aunts. Zap does the job in 24 hours.

The Gold Health Guide
How to Fit Fitness into Your Busy Schedule
5. Phone a friend.
Find someone who likes the same activity that you do — walking in the neighborhood, riding bikes, playing tennis — and make a date to do it together. Exercising with a friend or in a group can be very motivating and you're likely to walk longer or bike greater distances if you’re talking to a friend along the way. The time will go by faster. Don’t have a buddy who is available? Grab an MP3 player and listen to your favorite music or an audio book while exercising.
6. Do what you like.
Whatever exercise you choose, be sure it’s one that you enjoy. You’re more likely to stick with it if it’s something you have fun doing rather than something you see as a chore or a bore.

Deep Dark Secret of Women
More than a third of women who claim to currently be on a New Year's diet are secret snackers, it has been found.
A massive 36% of women who say they are watching their waistline, are actually hiding food or eating it in the dark.
Favourite places to stash food - revealed by a poll of 2,000 women - included handbags, under the bed and in clothes drawers.
And the women admitted to secretly eating it while in the car, walking down the street or even on a sun-bed - anywhere they think they won't get caught.
While it was also found the average diet lasts 15 weeks, 28% of women admitted they have only stuck to a diet for 24 hours, with some barely last between breakfast and lunch!

The End of Burnt Toast
All hail the all-new space-age, transparent toaster! Engineers have spent 15 years perfecting the £160 Magimix Vision Toaster, which has double insulated clear glass on both sides giving a panoramic view of each slice as it cooks.
They had to find away to cook the bread in the toaster without using traditional metal elements which obscured the bread.
Magimix solved the problem by placing this metal plates behind long life quartz elements in the corners of the toaster which deflect heat evenly across the bread.
Perfect for people who want to see their toast going brown while it hovers in front of them! It's like being a master illusionist of pastries!

On the 12th Day of Christmas...

2010-01-05T06:43:00.023+08:00

...Your Gold Breakfast Duo said to Thee...

Tonight is Twelfth Night, the evening before Epiphany, marking the end of medieval Christmas festivities. Today's the day for giving the gift of 12 drummers drumming and also for finally taking down those Christmas decorations. And yes, it is also the event for which a Shakespeare play is named.

Celebrate Mee!
Today in 2007, Momofuku Ando, also known as "Mr. Noodle," died at age 96 in Osaka, Japan. Taiwanese-Japanese businessman who founded Nissin Food Products Co. He is also famed as the inventor of Ramen - instant noodles and cup noodles in 1958. So popular is his delicious invention that it's been eaten in space! Ando's "Space Ram" noodles can be eaten in zero gravity.
Ando claimed that the secrets of his health were playing golf and eating his invention Chikin Ramen almost every day. He was said to have eaten Ramen until the day before he died.

And Now for a Musical Interlude...
We've mentioned this before, but if you missed it, you gotta see it! A hilarious literal interpretation of Natalie Imbruglia's song Torn, complete with actions and an appearance by Natalie herself!

Today’s Show is made possible by the NUMBER FIVE!

5 - The 1,000,000th U.S. patent was filed in 1912 for an alarm clock that dumped water on the owner if they did not disarm it within 5 minutes.

5 - Worldwide, five in six people have never been on the internet.

5 - Out of 5 people, four own at least one book they have never read.

5 - In an average person's wardrobe, 5% of his or her tee shirts were received as gifts.

Hamish's 5 Things
ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT BUMPER STICKERS FOR TUESDAY
5. A cubicle is just a padded cell without a door.
4. Reality is the only obstacle to happiness.
3. Why be difficult, when with a bit of effort, you can be impossible?
2. I didn't fight my way to the top of the food chain to be a vegetarian.
1. All I want is less to do, more time to do it, and higher pay for not getting it done.

Smacked children more successful later in life?
Controversial story here: Children who are smacked by their parents may grow up to be happier and more successful than those spared physical discipline, research suggests.
A study found that youngsters smacked up to the age of six did better at school and were more optimistic about their lives than those never hit by their parents.
They were also more likely to undertake voluntary work and keener to attend university, experts discovered.
The research, conducted in the United States, is likely to anger children’s rights campaigners who have argued that spanking is an outdated form of punishment that can cause long-term mental health problems.
The findings were rejected by Britain's National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, which has fought to ban smacking.
However, a pressure group, Parents Outloud, welcomed the research, saying parents should not be criminalised for mild smacking.
Its spokeswoman said that a light tap is often the most effective way of teaching young children not to do something that is dangerous or hurtful to other people – it is a preventive measure.
However, previous studies have suggested that smacking children can lead them to develop behavioural problems such as being more aggressive.

What do Gold 90FM listeners think?

Victor Reutens "the rod shd not be spared, but used with LOVE, TRUE MEANING & UNDERSTANDING". I'm Still in mood 4 A Merry Christmas! ... &Happy New Year, dear DYNAMIC DUO Denise & Hamish! :-)

I believe in NOT sparing the rod. Some form of discipline is needed - of course not to the pt of abuse. Find many kids ildisciplined n down right rude these days. Something I think a good smack may help put right. Appolina.

Corporal Punish according to age,maturity of kid to enable them to understand gravity of issue through tactile learning.

If spanking is pain enough, reason for punishment clear. You only need to cane once , the rest me the time you just wave the cane and the kid will fly.

I AM THANKFUL WE DO NOT HAVE VOCAL CHILD RIGHTS GROUP IN MY TIME AS A CHILD, OR ELSE I WONT KNOW WHAT HAS BECOME OF ME tks philip

Sharks that SMS!

Australian lifeguards will soon get text messages when Great White sharks swim near the beaches they are patrolling. Researchers are electronically tagging the man-eating predators with GPS units which will constantly monitor their movements. If the sharks then get too near to a beach a satellite receiver will automatically send out emails and text messages to wildlife officials and lifeguards. Currently 74 white sharks have been tagged and there are 20 communications-equipped monitoring stations have been installed off the Perth coast.
Denise: I feel really out of touch! These sharks are more tech savvy than me!

Big-Footed Women
Women's feet are getting bigger, with the average shoe size up from a five to a six in the past five years, figures have found.
Medical experts believe that the rise in size is down to the obesity epidemic, pointing to high-density foods such as pizza being eaten during puberty stimulating the growth hormone.
The research from department stores found that in 2009, ladies' size nines sales increased by 23%, while sales of size sixes jumped by 17%.
Even men’s feet are getting bigger these days. And you know what they say about men with big feet right?
Yup, big shoes.

Small-handed Women
Women have a better sense of touch because of their smaller hands and fingers, researchers have found.
Scientists from McMaster University tested the tactile acuity and sensitivity of 100 females by pressing progressively narrower parallel grooves against their stationary fingertips.
It was found that people with smaller fingers could discern tighter grooves thanks to having more closely spaced sensory receptors in their tiny digits.
Apparently, this explains why in previous tests women were found to have more acute sensation in the fingers.

The Gold Health Guide
How to Fit Fitness into Your Busy Schedule
3. Going somewhere? Take the long way.
Walking up or down a few flights of stairs each day can be good for your heart. Avoid elevators and escalators whenever possible. If you take the bus or MRT to work, get off a stop before your office and walk the extra distance. When you go to the mall or the grocery shopping, park furthest from the entrance, not as close to it as you can, and you'll get a few extra minutes of walking — one of the best exercises there is. Walking is great because anyone can do it and you don’t need any special equipment other than a properly fitting pair of shoes.
4. Be a morning person.
Studies show that people who exercise in the morning are more likely to stick with it. Think about it - Are you going to feel like exercising at the end of a hard day? Probably not. If you do your workout in the morning, you’re not only more likely to do it, but you'll also set a positive tone for the day.

NEW YEAR, FIRST WORK WEEK!

2010-01-04T06:56:00.034+08:00

A British schoolboy chorister has been invited to appear as a soloist on Broadway in New York later this month after he was spotted singing on YouTube. Take a listen for yourself:

Geraint Llyr Owen, 13, a member of Llandaff Cathedral Choir, Cardiff, performed a solo in Pie Jesu at the Celebrating Karl Jenkins concert at the Wales Millennium Centre in November.
The concert was broadcast on the Welsh language channel S4C and the clip was posted on the internet.
Distinguished Concerts International New York saw it and invited Geraint to perform the same piece in a Martin Luther King Jr Day concert in the Avery Fisher Hall in the Lincoln Centre on Broadway on Jan 18.
Can Youtube do for Geraint what it did for Susan Boyle? Only time will tell. But one thing's for sure, 2010's looking bright for the singing youngster!

Today’s Show is made possible by the NUMBER FOUR!

4 - An Amercian company is in the process of developing a "4 ply" toilet paper. Talk about luxury for the bottom! But disturbingly, a company executive said the idea was inspired by multi-blade razors!

4 - Eating 4 sardines (with the bones in) will meet an adult woman's minimum daily requirement of calcium. Eating two dozen or more will cause her to ingest an excessive amount of mercury.

4 - While on duty, a trucker usually only gets around 4 hours of sleep every night. And we thought we were sleep-deprived!

4 - 4% of the words used in Shakespeare's plays had never appeared in print before. In other words, the old Brad made words up for the benefit of his works!

Here are some words Shakespeare made up that have become commonly used in today's English language (taken from Brush Up Your Shakespeare, the Oxford English Dictionary credits Shakespeare as the first to use these words):
"arch-villain," "bedazzle," "cheap" (as in vulgar or flimsy), "dauntless," "embrace" (as a noun), "fashionable," "go-between," "honey-tongued," "inauspicious," "lustrous," "nimble-footed," "outbreak," "pander," "sanctimonious," "time-honored," "unearthly," "vulnerable," and "well-bred."
Plus, here are some common, familiar phrases he made up too:
• Eaten out of house and home
• Pomp and circumstance
• Foregone conclusion
• Full circle
• The makings of
• Method in the madness
• Neither rhyme nor reason
• One fell swoop
• Seen better days
• It smells to heaven
• A sorry sight
• A spotless reputation
• Strange bedfellows
• The world's (my) oyster

Dining Out Messes with Your Mind?
Restaurant owners are increasingly putting more thought into their menus, knowing that even slight changes can make a big difference in how you order a meal. It's resulted in a cottage industry of "menu engineers and consultants" because now, even casual restaurants are spending a lot more time what's known as "menu psychology." One of the most important things restaurants can do is the obvious: Make the food sound more appetizing. One way is by including certain key words, such as the names of mothers, grandmothers, and other relatives. No wonder many menus feature dishes like Mama's Spaghetti, Auntie Mildred's Chow Gun and Grandma's Ayam Pedas!
It also has to do with how the menu is laid out, such as putting an expensive item on top so the others seem more reasonably priced and not including dollar signs, which apparently leads customers to spend less.
For more on Menu Psychology, read this interesting article from the New York Times!
And now you know the little tricks, go out and dine with peace of mind!

Green Jewellery
A jewellery designer has come up with the ultimate 'green' collection - rings with live plants growing inside them instead of precious stones - perfect for the urbanite who has little access to the great outdoors. Now it comes indoors and on to your fingers!
Featuring tiny Icelandic moss plants sprouting in their stainless steel bases, the pieces are said to be a 'clash of jewellery and gardening'. They need watering like any other plant and if looked after, designer Hafsteinn Juliusson claims they can last up to six months. But they don't need to be pruned because the moss grows really slowly.
Each ring will to cost around 485 pounds.

The Gold Health Guide
How to Fit Fitness into Your Busy Schedule
Sometimes the problem isn’t motivation — it’s simply finding the time. But scheduling exercise isn’t as difficult as you might think. All this week, we'll reveal tips for you to squeeze exercise into your busy day.
1. Be less efficient.
People typically try to think of ways to make daily tasks easier. But if we make them harder, we can get more exercise, says Sabrena Merrill, a certified personal trainer and spokeswoman for the American Council on Exercise (ACE). For e.g. Bring in the groceries from your car one bag at a time so you have to make several trips or put the laundry away a few items at a time, rather than carrying it up in a basket.
2. Shun labor-saving devices.
For e.g. Wash the car by hand rather than taking it to the car wash. It takes about an hour and a half to do a good job, and in the meantime you’ve gotten great exercise.

Hamish's 5 Things
POST NEW YEAR MONDAY QUOTES TO START 2010 IN THE RIGHT SPIRITS AND WITH A SMILE
5. * Attempt to get a new car for your mother-in-law... it'll be a great trade!
4. * Borrow money from pessimists-because they don't expect it back.
3. * Money can't buy love. But it CAN rent a very close imitation.
2. * If you must choose between two evils, pick the one you've never tried
before.
1. * A conscience is what hurts when all your other parts feel so good.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2010-01-01T07:35:00.008+08:00

Today’s Show is made possible by a whole bunch of NUMBERS!

11 - The village of Burghead in Moray celebrates the New Year with the Burning of the Clavie, a unique event that takes place on 11 January each year.
the residents of the small Moray village of Burghead are preparing for their own very special and unique celebrations to welcome the New Year with a fire ceremony, which has ancient roots and is believed to bring good luck for the coming year.
The clavie, which means basket in Gaelic, is carefully crafted before the ceremony each year with a barrel atop a long pole, which is then packed with tar-soaked sticks and mixed with peat, before being set alight.
It has to be specially made to leave a space for the carrier’s head below the staves holding up the burning clavie, which is very heavy making it no mean feat to carry it safely through the village.
The master of ceremonies, known as the 'Clavie King', will start proceedings and a carefully chosen member of the 'Clavie Crew', a squad of veterans often clad in old clothes and overalls bearing the scorch marks from previous ceremonies, will be given the honour of carrying the Clavie.
Becoming a member of the Clavie Crew is one of the highest honours the community of Burghead can bestow upon its men and some local families have been represented in the crew for several generations.
They follow a set route through the village and along the way stop off to give smouldering embers from the clavie to householders who cherish them as tokens of good luck for the next twelve months.
Once the clavie has completely burnt out the pole is retrieved and carried from house to house as the Clavie Crew first foot round the village to wish people a happy New Year and enjoy a dram or two.
Many people may wonder why the community of Burghead celebrate the New Year 11 days later than the rest of the world but this goes back to when the Georgian calendar was introduced in he 1750s.

700 - The original New Year's Eve Ball weighed 700 pounds and was 5 feet in diameter.
It was made of iron and wood and was decorated with 100 25-watt light bulbs.
The first Ball Lowering celebration atop One Times Square was held on December 31, 1907 and is now a worldwide symbol of the turn of the New Year, seen via satellite by more than one billion people each year.

Food Gives Meaning to the New Year

Special New Year foods are often thought to bring luck. Many cultures believe that anything in the shape of a ring is good luck, because it symbolizes "coming full circle," completing a year's cycle.
For that reason, the Dutch believe that eating donuts on New Year's Day will bring good fortune.
Many parts of the U.S. celebrate the new year by consuming black-eyed peas. These legumes are typically accompanied by either hog jowls or ham. The hog, and thus its meat, is considered lucky because it symbolizes prosperity.
Cabbage is another "good luck" vegetable that is consumed on New Year's Day by many. Cabbage leaves are also considered a sign of prosperity, being representative of paper currency.

Other Round-the-World New Year Traditions
In Colombia, Cuba and Puerto Rico, families stuff a life-size male doll with things that have bad memories or sadness associated with them, and then they dress it up in old clothes from each family member. At the stroke of midnight, this 'Mr. Old Year' is set on fire.

Hamish's 5 Things
ITS NEW YEAR'S DAY AND IF YOU ARE STILL IN THE FESTIVE MOOD, HERE ARE 5 THINGS THAT ARE DOWNRIGHT IMPOSSIBLE TO SAY WHEN YOU'RE DRUNK
5. "Thanks, but I don't want to have sex."
4. "Nope, no more booze for me."
3. "Sorry, but you're not really my type."
2. "Oh I couldn't, nobody wants to hear me sing..."
1. "Good evening officer, isn't it lovely out tonight?"

What Will the Next Decade be Called?
The 'Twenty Tens' is favourite to become the nickname for the next decade, according to a new survey. More than 5,000 people were asked to choose the best from a list of potential titles for 2010-2019, including the Teenies, the Tenties and the Tenners. And survey results revealed 'Twenty Tens' was the favourite - with more than 30% believing it was the most catchy.

Beauty is Golden (and mathematical!)
A healthy heart is a beautiful heart! Apparently, there is a "golden ratio" for beauty, a mathematical formula shared by natural and man-made structures thought to be of great beauty. From the Parthenon in Athens to Notre Dame cathedral in Paris and even George Clooney, the Hollywood star, the human heart shares this golden ratio of beauty with them.
When the dimensions of flowers, trees, faces and buildings seen as the most beautiful were analysed they often contained the ratio 1:1.618.
The length of the columns in the Parthenon and the width between them correspond closely to the ratio. It also applies to dimensions of the western face of Notre Dame cathedral which is thought to have been designed with the formula in mind. The beauty of the human face can also be calculated by comparing the distance between the mouth and the nose and the distance between the eyes and the chin, some believe. Those whose features fit most closely with the ratio, including George Clooney, are considered more attractive to others.
Prof Hanno Ulmer, from Innsbruck Medical University in Austria, said that healthy people also “exhibit the harmonious golden ratio”. To carry out the study his team took blood pressure readings from more than 160,000 people. They found that those with a ratio of 1.6180 between their systolic (maximum) and diastolic (minimum) blood pressure counts were less likely to have a fatal heart attack.
Participants in the study who suffered fatal heart attacks had a higher ratio, of 1.7459, the researchers found.

Bidding Farewell to 2009

2009-12-31T06:14:00.008+08:00

Hamish's 5 Things
5 FUNNY NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS - JUST IN CASE YOU HAVEN'T MADE YOUR MIND UP ON ANY YOURSELF
5. I will no longer waste my time relieving the past, instead I will spend it worrying about the future.
4. I will stop sending e-mails to my SPOUSE!!!!
3. I will not ring the stewardess button on airplanes just to get her phone number.
2. I will not bore my boss by with the same excuse for taking leaves. I will think of some more excuses.
1. I will think of a password other than "password."

Today’s Show is made possible by a whole bunch of NUMBERS!

25 - New Year's Day has been observed on January 1st in most English-speaking nations since 1751. But before 1751, New Year's Day was celebrated on March 25th, the day believed at the time to be approximately the first day of spring.

24 - Anthony Thornton set a world record in Minneapolis, USA by walking 95.4 miles in 24 hours—backwards in 1989.
Incidentally, if you walk 45 minutes four days a week this year, you can lose 18 pounds without dieting, according to research by the University of Massachusetts Medical School.

The Eve of the Eve of 2010

2009-12-30T06:51:00.002+08:00

Hamish's 5 Things
THE TOP 5 HANGOVER CURES
5. Tomatoes
Hangover sufferers regularly eat tomatoes (soup, pasta sauce, raw, etc.) to ease their symptoms. They're rich in vitamin C, which gets depleted after a night of drinking. This may explain why the classic morning-after drink, Bloody Mary, is so popular.
4. Good Old Grease
After a hard night's drinking, your digestive system is under a lot of strain, so bacon, sausages and the works may cause indigestion. However, fat contains lots of calories, so you will get a much-needed energy boost, and eggs and meat are rich in the amino acid, cysteine, which is thought to be good at clearing out toxins.
3. Back to Bed
You drank way too much, so you deserve a good rest. This is especially good if you can find someone to wait on your every need. MAYBE CALLED MARY BUT HOLD THE BLOOD!
2. Lots of Water
Your body might have been 90% water before you went out but it feels like 9% now. Get your dried out husk of a body over to the sink and drink, drink, drink. Drink until you can't drink anymore, then wait and drink some more.
1. Roll in the Hay
When you've tried all else (better still, before) get together with, or on top of, the one you love. The exercise will get your blood flowing. And the rest, well you know what that does. When you're done, you can down a big drink of water and slip back into a peaceful slumber.

Today's Show is Made Possible by the NUMBER THIRTY

30 - Richard Page of Mr. Mister fame once bet a friend that he could write a song in under 30 minutes. The resulting song, "I'll Remember", went on to be nominated for a Grammy.

30 - The record for the most touches of a football in 30 seconds, while keeping the ball in the air, is 164 by Mathias Jensen (Norway) in Bud, Norway on 5 October 2007.

30 - Only 30% of humans can flare their nostrils.

30 - A camel can lose up to 30 percent of its body's water in perspiration and continue to cross the desert. A human would die of dehydration after losing only 12 percent of body's water.

Confucious Make Tuesday Bettah!

2009-12-29T23:39:00.011+08:00

Today’s Show is made possible by the NUMBER TWENTY-NINE!

29 - There are 29 millionaire dogs in the world. While all of these canines have their funds managed in trust, they are indeed the legal benefactors.

29 - The average medieval man lived to the age of 29.

29 - Cigarettes are responsible for starting 29% of household fires.

29 - Feb 29 is known as a Leap Day, happening only once every four years. It was the Romans who first designated February 29 as leap day. Later, a more precise formula (still in use today) was adopted in the 16th century when the Gregorian calendar fine-tuned the calculations to include a leap day in years only divisible by four, i.e., 2008, 2012.
While leap day helped official timekeepers, it also resulted in social customs turned upside down when February 29 became a "no man's land" without legal jurisdiction.
As the story goes, the tradition of women romantically pursuing men in leap years began in 5th century Ireland, when St. Bridget complained to St. Patrick about the fair sex having to wait for men to propose.
Patrick finally relented and set February 29 aside as the day set aside allowing women the right to ask for a man's hand in marriage.

Hamish's 5 Things
CONFUCIOUS SAY TUESDAYS - BY POPULAR REQUEST!
5. CONFUCIOUS SAY: Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.
4. CONFUCIOUS SAY: Never give a sword to a man who can't dance.
3. CONFUCIOUS SAY: Man with no legs bums around.
2. CONFUCIOUS SAY: Man who have hand in pocket not just jingling change.
1. CONFUCIOUS SAY: If you turn oriental around, he become disoriented.

It's the Most Fattening Time of the Year!

2009-12-28T10:38:00.007+08:00

The Gold Health Guide
You can lose weight without being hungry. You can learn to take control of the “Snack Monster" and your program can be one to set you up for success, not failure.

An important key is to learn how to recognize what your body requires, the signals it gives you, and learn how to respond to those signals appropriately – diet and guilt are two words that do not belong together.
Hunger is the body’s way of telling us we need to replenish depleted nutrients. Unfortunately our body can’t say “I need more vitamin D". That would make things so easy! Many of us interpret hunger pains as our body saying “I need more fat", “I need more sugar".
The keys to healthy snacking are:
1. Know what foods to avoid.
2. Planning – get yourself organized.

What is a healthy snack?
One that contains little or no sugar, little or no salt (sodium), no white flour and no saturated fat. Check the food labels to see what is inside. Many foods are now labeled ‘fat free’ but are laden with sugars and will still cause an influx of calories. Do not assume that ‘fat free’ means healthy! Western societies are eating more and more fat free foods, and yet obesity levels are rising faster than ever. Healthy snacks do not live in a vending machine.

Here are some healthy snack ideas:

Raw vegetables, such as celery, carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, green pepper, green beans, cucumbers, mushrooms or zucchini may be served with a lowfat dip.

Fresh fruit in season.

Lowfat quick breads and muffins, such as pumpkin, zucchini, banana or bran.

Non-sugared cereals, snack mixes made with popcorn and whole grain cereal.

Lowfat yogurt with fresh, frozen or canned fruit.

Shakes with lowfat milk or yogurt and fruit.

A few squirts of butter-flavored spray and a sprinkle of garlic or onion powder on popcorn

Organize yourself to stay on track.

Plan to have a small snack mid morning and mid afternoon. It is much better to curb your hunger than to starve yourself.

Plan your snacks as part of your overall daily food plan.

Organize your week – especially if you work outside the home. Write a list of snacks for the entire week and make sure you shop ahead. Buy enough to last the whole week.

Buy a variety of healthy snacks so you don’t get bored.

A report has shown that people who have a healthy intake of food in four of five episodes throughout the day are less prone to obesity than those who eat three or less times during the day.
Snacking CAN be good for you!

Today’s Show is made possible by the NUMBER TWENTY-EIGHT!

28 - 28% of the value of gift cards and gift certificates is never redeemed.

28 - The Russian named "world's best lock picker" by the International Locksmith Guild earned that title by picking a lock in 28 seconds.

28 - Humans perform over 28 million voluntary motions in a lifetime.

28 - Disney's "The Never Ending Story" sparked 28 lawsuits from customers who were furious that the movie actually had an end.

Hamish's 5 Things
ALMOST ANOTHER YEAR GONE BY - AND 5 THINGS TO CHEER US UP ABOUT GROWING OLDER...
5. The woman who tells her age is either too young to have anything to lose or too old to have anything to gain.
4. Children are a great comfort in your old age -- and they help you reach it faster, too.
3. When you really are old, flowers will scare you.
1. You know you're getting old when everything hurts. And what doesn't hurt doesn't work.

HO! HO! HO! Merry Christmas!

2009-12-25T09:57:00.009+08:00

Grumpy Christmas?
The average family will have their first argument at 9.58am on Christmas Day, research has found. After getting up early to see what Santa has brought them, tired, excited children and stressed out parents will fall out just before 10am. Parents trying to tidy the house sees most rows erupt, along with high stress levels and arguments over what to watch on TV.The study of 4,100 people found the average parent then ends up telling off their children for the first time by 11.07am.Other average timings are, getting out of bed just before 8am, ready to open presents by 8.19am, eating chocolate at 8.39am followed by breakfast at 9am and 11.49am for the first alcoholic drink. We guess with such a grumpy start to the morning, you'll need that drink!

The Gold Health Guide - Beating Holiday Stress
Tip #5: Moderate!
Do not over-eat, drink, or spend. The negative consequences created from over-indugence will come to us the next few days, in our bodies and our mood. Although the period of holidays is associated primarily with a few more pleasures that we allow ourselves, the exaggerations come to add to the extra stress and guilt to the already intense days. The fulfilment of our daily health habits on nutrition, physical activity and sleep helps dealing with the increased stress.

Hamish's 5 Things
5 OTHER WAYS TO SAY MERRY CHRISTMAS
5. Vietnamese - Chung Mung Giang Sinh
4. Portuguese - Feliz Natal
3. Bulgarian - Tchestita Koleda; Tchestito Rojdestvo Hristovo
2. Hungarian - Kellemes Karacsonyi unnepeket
1. Japanese - Shinnen omedeto Kurisumasu Omedeto

'Twas the Morning Before Christmas...

2009-12-24T10:56:00.003+08:00

Today's Show is Made Possible by the NUMBERS SIX & TWENTY

6 - A recent survey shows that the average person can name only 6 of Santa's 9 reindeer. Vixen was the most commonly forgotten, and the only respondent who did not name Rudolph named the other 8 correctly. Here’s a quick reminder of who Santa’s reindeer are:
1. Dasher
2. Dancer
3. Prancer
4. Vixen
5. Comet
6. Cupid
7. Donner
8. Blitzen
9. Rudolph

20 - One in five, or 20% of people say they always follow the "rules" when they encounter mistletoe.
According to "Holidaye Feasts and Traditions", written by Dennis Gilbin of London, England in 1583, "mistletoe must be hunge noe more than 18 inches above the heads of the peoples in order for a man to be entitled to a kisse from a maiden."

20 - The Wall Street Journal is going Grinch this holiday season and advising shoppers to stay away from the mall. In his "Return on Investments" column, Brett Arends a combination of retailers' astronomical mark-ups and shoppers' poor taste (who doesn't have trouble deciding what gifts to buy?) makes Christmas shopping & gift exchange a big fat waste of time!
Arends says 20% of money spent on gifts is wasted. That money would be much better-off invested somewhere, earning interest, than it would buying something as uneconomical as a Christmas present.
Gift cards are a bit better, because recipients can pick what they want. But even gift card purchases involve 10% waste, so cash is the only way to go.

CRAP WRAP!
A company has launched a 'messy' gift-wrapping service so that it looks like clueless men have wrapped Christmas presents themselves.
Rather than pristine parcels with perfectly folded paper and exquisitely tied ribbon, the gifts arrive with roughly chopped paper and sealed with industrial-style tape.
The firm behind the "CrapWrap" service say many women get upset if their gifts don't look like their man has paid the care and attention to wrap them himself.
They even promise their wrapping handywork is so shoddy your wife or girlfriend won't think for a minute someone else has done it for you.
"It takes a high degree of skill to deliberately wrap a present this poorly," said a spokesperson for Firebox.co.uk which charges £3.95 per parcel.

Who's the Worst Gift-giver?
Grandmothers, mothers and aunties are responsible for buying the worst Christmas gifts according to research revealed today.
A study of 2,000 people found that most named a female relative as the person who consistently buys them lousy presents.
Aunts came out as worst overall with them frequently buying their nephews and nieces cheap copies of designer perfumes, socks and even kitchen utensils.
But most of us are too polite to say anything when given unwanted Christmas gifts and only 33% would consider taking if back to the shop after the holiday.
Of male relatives, brothers buy the worst gifts with more than one in ten purchasing unsuitable gifts!

Speaking of which...

Totally Useless Presents #2765
How to have a red hot Christmas...
Japanese manufacturer Thanko has created the USB Bust Beauty Pad for those who suffer from chilly chests, and it can be yours for a mere US$20. Plug the device into the USB port of your computer, stick the pad in your bra, and your bosom will be toasty in no time.
Well that's one way of telling someone, "Your bosom is hot!"

The Gold Health Guide - How to Have a Stress-free Holiday Season
Tip #4: Take a Time Out.
Children mimic parents in terms of stress levels. If you're frantic and complaining, they're going to feel that. Take control by carving out an afternoon or morning each weekend for family-only relaxation time. If you're at an all-day event, join the kids for part of their nap or sneak into a quiet room to read a book together. It gives you one-on-one time with the children, which often disappears during the holidays. Give yourself a breather, too. Just 15 minutes of solitude is enough to refresh you, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Hamish's 5 Things
5 Christmas Carols that change because the folks have had too much too drink
1. Deck the halls with Buddy Holly.
2. We three kings of porridge and tar.
3. He's making a list, chicken and rice.
4. Noel, Noel, Barney's the King of Israel.
5. You'll go down in Listerine.

Santas, Sausages and Statistics

2009-12-23T07:42:00.015+08:00

Suicide by Sausage?!

Chinese police were held in a hour-long stand-off with a suspected suicide bomber, believing that the straps and bulky items around Sing He's waist were dynamite and detonators.
Mr He had threatened to blow up a restaurant and its customers in Benxi, northern China, unless the staff handed over the contents of the cash register.
The specialist bomb unit called to the scene quickly determined that the device was assembled with pork products - the man was armed with only with sausages!
Maybe that's why sausages are often refereed to as Bangers!

Today's Show is Made Possible by the NUMBER TWENTY-THREE

23 - Red-haired people are twice as likely to be married by age 23 than their blonde-haired counterparts.

23 - One of the most popular films in history, "Gone With The Wind" has been dubbed in 23 different languages, and subtitled in over 80.

23 - Donald Brosofsky of Chelmsford, England has read a Harry Potter book in 23 different languages.

23 - Authors whose names start with an A have their books checked out 23% more often at public libraries.

23 - In the average work force, approximately 23% of 'sick days' are taken by healthy people.

23 - Sneaky-sneaky! A new study has found that 23% would sneak-a-peak at their Christmas gifts online, rather than hunting for them through the house and squeezing wrapped presents. Nowadays they just load up the internet browser and look in the history folder to see what sites and products have been viewed or purchased.
A further 15% of people said they'd accidentally stumbled on what they had been bought by visiting a shopping website on a shared computer.

23 - One out of 50 people still believes in Santa Claus at the age of 23.

Santa Stats
Santa sure is a hard worker! Even after his year's work of deciding who has been naughty and nice is done, he must get the presents and deliver them. A reporter from the Telegraph takes a practical look at what goes into his biggest night of the year:
Children visited
There are roughly 2 billion children worldwide, of which an impressive 700,000,000 children who believe in Santa will be visited in a single night. Assuming three children per household, that's 233,000,000 stops for Santa and his sleigh.
Distance travelled
Santa will have to travel a total of 342,510,000km given that the planet's surface area is 510,000,000km and the number of children involved (each stop between households will be around 1.47km apart).
Speed of sleigh
If he's clever about it, and travels from east to west with the Sun, maximising his available night-time, Santa has about 32 hours to work with. Travelling 342,510,000km in 32 hours equates to a speed of 10,703,437.5km/hr, or a little under 1,800 miles per second, assuming he takes no time actually to deliver the presents or stop for any comfort breaks.
By comparison, the fastest-moving man-made object in history, the space probe Voyager 1, travels at 10.8 miles per second.
Weight of gifts carried
Assuming each child gets the Transformer Optimus Prime, the leader of the Autobots, for a present, in his box, Santa will be carting 659g per child. That's 461,300 metric tonnes! Putting things in perspective, a Boeing 747-8I airliner can carry 237.5 tonnes in passengers, luggage and fuel.
Number of calories consumed
Assuming Santa consumed one mince pie (250kcal) and one 50ml glass of sherry per household (58kcal) at each stop, we have 71,764,000,000 calories total! The recommended daily allowance for an adult male is 2,550kcal. Santa will therefore eat 28,142,745.1 times his daily dues. If Santa is a 300lb man, he will have to walk more than 450 million miles at three miles an hour to burn off his night's excesses.
Amount of alcohol consumed
The aforementioned 50ml glass of sherry works out at around one unit of alcohol, according to the UK definition. So Santa would be expected to knock back 233,000,000 units over the course of the evening. The legal blood alcohol limit is 80mg per 100mls of blood and the daily recommended maximum for a man is four units, meaning that Santa is endangering his health by drinking 58,250,000 times the DoH limits and he'd be at least 50 million times over the legal driving limit as well!

Top 7 Gifts for Christmas
7. Cash
6. Food and liquor
5. Books
4. CDs and DVDs
3. Toys and electronics
2. Clothing
1. Gift cards
Not surprisingly, a new study says that for the 5th year in a row, gift cards are the most popular holiday present in 2009. People usually buy a gift with a gift card; most who are given cash use that to pay bills. 70% of shoppers buy gift cards because they didn't know what else to purchase. Of those buying gift cards, half are doing it to avoid the item being returned, exchanged, regifted or rejected! Half buy gift cards because it takes less time than actually selecting a present.
Interestingly, "Breakage" is the industry term for people who own a gift card but never use them. These people who don't use gift cards are essentially donating money to retailers.
50% of all gift cards are used in the first month. But ater 30 days, the potential for "breakage" gets higher and higher.
18% of people have at least one gift card more than two years old.

Hamish's 5 Things

5 THINGS To Say About The "Special" Christmas Gift

5. Well, well, well...

4. This is perfect for wearing around the basement.

3. If the dog buries it, I'll be furious!

2. I love it -- but I fear the jealousy it will inspire.

1. To think -- I got this the year I vowed to give all my gifts to charity.

The Gold Health Guide
Tips for a stress-free Christmas
3. Get Outside and Play. Getting active boosts your energy and your mood — so don't slow down just because the holiday routine is a little different. For stress-relief that doesn't cost a bundle, head outdoors to a park or the beach for some activity with the kids.

Green-Eyed Monsters

2009-12-22T07:07:00.019+08:00

Today’s Show is made possible by the NUMBER TWENTY-TWO!

22 - On average, green-eyed people earn 22% more money than their blue-eyed peers.

22 - The Space Shuttle Discovery contains exactly 22 million screws. A special plaque with 852 screws was placed on board to reach this precise number.
Incidentally, today in 1999, two astronauts from the U.S. space shuttle Discovery started three days of spacewalks to repair the crippled Hubble Space Telescope so it could focus correctly on stars, galaxies and other celestial objects.

22 - "22" is worn by Manchester United player, John O'Shea, the only player in club history to have played all 11 positions.

@#$%^&* Drivers
Dealing with all that holiday driving in and out of the malls can be a severe exercise in patience, especially when faced with rude, bad drivers. Son't get mad, get even by getting it out of your system - the non-violent way! A Washington-D-C-based website lets you post the plate number of rude, aggressive or clueless drivers. http://www.platewire.com/ has received hundreds of messages from drivers venting over "idiots" on the road with titles like "maniac" and "jerk on the phone. Reading these posts are almost as cathartic as venting yourself.
{via SMS}Hi you can also report traffic offenders to OC Violations, Traffic Police. If the offender agrees to pay fine, end of story. If he/she disputes, then it's a court appearance for both. My 3 experiences? Offender quietly paid the fine. Very satisfying haaa. Cos offence was most grievous. Joachim

She Sells Seasounds...
A new survey shows that 70% of people are relaxed by the sound of the ocean - that's why the cell phone company Orange has launched a new service called Dial-a-Beach.
According to studies conducted by behavioural therapists, soothing, calming sounds can help melt away stress and heighten overall well-being. Richard Schoch, professor of the history of culture at the University of London and author of The Secrets of Happiness, said: "Recent studies show that listening to recorded sounds of the ocean for just 12 minutes can lower both the pulse and blood pressure. We know certain sounds make us feel calmer because they slow down the body's stress response: listening to the sounds on the Orange Relaxation Line can help inject a bit of calm into a frenzied lifestyle."
Reps from the company travelled all over Britain, recording only the best sounding waves. Orange also offers phone lines with forest sounds, crackling fire, birdsongs, and the noise of an English village.

True Sign of Christmas
Chestnuts roasting on an open fire? Songs filling the air? Decorations up in Orchard Road? No, the true sign that Christmas has arrived is luxury loo paper stocked in the bathroom!
According to supermarkets, sales of premium toilet paper increase substantially in December as families try to impress their in-laws, parents and other guests they will welcome into their home this Christmas.
Sales of good quality coffee and flavoured teas like Earl Grey also jumped, as consumers hide the jar of instant coffee and generic box of black tea to try and impress their guests with their refined taste.
The distinct trend in shoppers trading-up at this time of year is the real indication that Christmas is well and truly here!
It's what we call SAS - Sikit Atas Syndrome!

Hamish's 5 Things

5 THINGS - Things I HOPE I DON'T GET for Christmas

#1. Novelty Boxer Shorts - THOSE GLOW IN THE DARK ONES REALLY DO NOT TURN WOMEN ON, TRUST ME.
#2. Whatever “For Dummies” book pertains to the career I’m actively pursuing - TRUE FRIENDS NEVER CALL THEIR OTHER FRIENDS MORONS
#3. The DVD first season of some short-lived, completely forgettable show - IF THE NETWORK THOUGHT IT WAS BAD, WOULD I WANT TO SEE IT?
#4. The gift from the out of touch relative who thinks I’m 2 decades younger than I actually am - BEWARE THE STORIES FROM YOUR CHILDHOOD WILL EMERGE AND YOU HAVE NOWHERE TO HIDE.
#5. The Obvious Last-Minute Gift - WELL OF COURSE I NEED A FRAME FOR MY PICTURE SO THAT I CAN ADMIRE MYSELF!!!!

The Gold Health Guide
Managing the Stress of the Season
2. Let Someone Else Play Santa.
When you find yourself baking or wrapping presents way past midnight, it's time to lower your expectations and start delegating. Send your partner out with a shopping list and get the kids to wrap gifts and create one-of-a-kind (and cheap!) cards and labels. This is an opportunity to make children feel proud of themselves. We take that away when we want everything to be picture perfect. It's so much more exciting for them hand over a present they wrapped or made themselves.