Good Survey online

There are too much scam online. I do need like to join some authentic online survey website.

I would appreciate feedback on positive experience and authentic sincere survey company and website.

Below are some useful information on this.. Hope to share all the good stuffs with everyone.

www.acop.com American Consumer Opinions Poll (Anne Parks Surveys)

I have taken surveys for them for years.
Never had to give any personal info...eg ss number, etc...No fees
Just email surveys to me every week or so about different things eg
Opinions on different advertising labels...what gets my attention better, etc...
Very quick...usually 5 to 20 minutes and I receive a check in about 2 weeks usually between $8 and $12 per survey I took.
Not a lot of money, but not a lot of effort. Hope this helps

Proverbs & Funny information

Funny proverbs that I have saw online... Like to share with all

GOSH, I'M RICH!

Silver in the Hair

Gold in the Teeth

Stones in the Kidneys

Sugar in the Blood

Lead in the Butt

Iron in the Arteries

AND An Inexhaustible Supply of Natural Gas!

I NEVER THOUGHT I'D ACCUMULATE SUCH WEALTH!

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All about Diamonds

Dear all, let's talk about diamonds here.

Just my luck.. My poor little miserable wedding band diamond has fallen off and no where to find. I am so sick of seeing the small hole. Too bad I dont even have my salary now. Let me check out some details.. May be when there are fund.. i will try to stuff the hole with the best suitable diamond.

Tell me how to choose a fine diamond or share with me your first or most precious one you have.
I would like to consolidate information on how to choose a good diamond.

How about buying online loose diamond?

One of my girlfriend is into Diamonds.. learning as much as I can about Clarity, Colour grade of the diamond.

Here is an educational link on diamond.

http://sg.bluenile.com/diamonds/diamond-education

KIDZ AMAZE playgound in SAFRA Jurong (kids playground in Singapore)

Our first trip to the KIDZ AMAZE playgound in SAFRA Jurong.

We were invited to come and try out the facilities by my hubby good friends. Our good friend drove us and his wife and 2 lovely girls there. We checked out playground area. It was huge. the girls are so excited. Too bad this location is too far as we stay in North East area and hubby is a spam member.

Upon reaching the entrance of SAFRA, we immediately saw the HUGE indoor playground entrance beckoning to us. Upon entering the premise, we were greeted with a huge 3-storey indoor playground space! Awesome structure!


We checked out the rates and checked in the 3 eager girls into the play area. They were already jumping around in anticipation and excitement. Kindly take notes of the different rates.


Upon payment of the charges, the girls were given a stamp to officially allow them into the indoor playground... and they were told to sanitize their hands. The stamp allows children to go in and out of the play area to go for a break. I did accompany them in to play. We went around & eventually sat down at the cafe to have some snacks. I am almost out of breath.

There was a long round yellow slide which the girls have taken but not without scratches and some minor cuts, despite folding their arms in while sliding down. Haha!

The long slide ended in a ball pool which the kids really like it.

There were many colourful foam balls that the children could collect. I saw cuties packing balls into recycled bags available to be placed into vacuumed holes...

.... that brought all the collected balls into one giant cannon.
In every like 10minutes internal the cannon would auto shoot all over the place and colourful balls would be raining on everyone. The girls liked that a lot. Almost like the "raining gum balls" kinda experience Adam Sandler had in his movie; Bedtime Stories.

All the adults sat down for a break after the recce-ing around. I ordered some foods and drinks.

There is a cafe located beside the playground (Hanis Cafe) beside the seating area there is a small enclosed area which is within sight for younger children to play. Parents can chill out for drinks, snacks, catch up on ME time with reading... or free wireless surfing..

The cafe also offers venue for birthday celebrations and events.

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Indoor Playgrounds
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Video:
Here is a list of indoor playgrounds around Singapore:
Go-Go Bambini (Dempsey)Surrounded with nice eating places and its own cafe. Free for parents and kids under 1 year old.

Kidz Amaze (Toa Payoh Safra is being redeveloped so Kidz Amaze Toa Payoh is close. Thanks Funguy71 for the info. ) At just $7 for entrance and more discount for members, this playground is very popular. Have yet to check it out but heard it is worth every cent going in.eXplorerkid Members pay $11 while non members price is $22 during peak hours. Membership is for kids up to 12 years old.

Polliwogs (East Coast)For the parents, there is a very comfortable sitting area and free flow of coffee and tea. Bring coins. Your kids will want the snacks from their vending machine when they are taking a break from playing. $18 for 90 mins on weekends.
Kidz Amaze (Jurong Safra)It is new and big and full of challenging and fun stuff especially for older kids. Usual price is $15 for non members. Kidz Amaze membership are for age from 3yrs to 18 yrs.

Little O'Zone (Orchid Country Club beside the orchid bowl)$8 dollars an hour for non members. Interesting looking structures with facilities for toddlers. For kids 18 months to 12 years.
* Admission age and charges are base on the last published information on the individual centre’s website.
Check out more indoor playgrounds


Explorer Kid …
Frisk ‘n’ Romp Kids Playclub…
Go-Go Bambini…
Kidz Amaze (SAFRA Jurong)…
Polliwogs…

Adapt Your Parenting Style To Your Child's Growing Needs

One very important article that I think all of mums and dad should read.. very useful.

I am not weighing in on the debate Pro-Drilling or Against-Drilling. Because, I do both depending on the situation. I rather suspect that most Mommies here do too. We all do a bit of both I think. I am also not telling other mommies/daddies what best they should do because I am not in their situation.
I went and dug out The Daughter's report book. Here is my story.
The Daughter scored 79 for English, 88 for Math in P1. She placed in the bottom 25% of her YEAR. However, in P1 she scored 99% for Chinese because Grandma plied her with assessment books. Little Boy's grades followed the same pattern.
English, Math and Science were my subjects to coach. Chinese was Grandma's.
We took very different approaches. I looked past the grades in P1 & P2 for both my kids.

In P1 & P2 my objectives were (1) they get used to school, (2) they adapt well socially, (3) they learn basic self-management skills, (4) the kinda keep up, (5) they like learning (6) they understand the value of diligence and discipline, and (7) they take full ownership of their studies.
These were all specific qualitative aims I had in mind. Not quantifiable but I wanted to focus on laying this foundation so that I would have a strong foundation of work ethic and self-management skills to build on in Upper Primary.

P1 & P2: Foundational Study Skills

I expected my kids to pack their bags, take notes, keep track of homework etc... That's tough you know for the little ones. So many times, they forgot their books. My son lost his exam schedule and I didn't help him get another. For 3 weeks, he went to school with his transparent exam pencil box because we didn't know when exactly his exams where and which day was what exam.
How to get good grades like that?
Nonetheless, whilst they were thus struggling, I was always warm and supportive ... and I gave a lot of loving advice. Next time, you need to remember this and that and the other. I had high expectations (about specific behaviors, not grades) but I tried not to help. I didn't gloat or say "Hah! You deserved it!" That's very mean and discouraging. Every boo boo was an opportunity to talk about how my child could manage himself better.
I gave very little drills at this stage. If they remembered to do their homework, I was happy. My kids "failed" at this stage but neither really failed as in score below 50. I did not allow that to happen. Their lowest grades were still 70+. I reckoned that that was what I could live with... believing that catch up was imminently possible from a 70s range.

P3 & P4: Transiting From Skills Focus to Grades Focus

By P3, they pretty much got the hang of the skills required to keep one's head afloat in school. They took notes, their bags were neat and they owned their study process completely because whilst I was encouraging and free with my advice, I tried not to help too much. So, about P3, I began to set grade goals (90+ for every subject).
At first, neither kid believed they were capable (since neither had ever scored in that range before except for Chinese), but I told them that I knew they could do it.
I began to PROPOSE drills, and because both are close to me, they do bend to my wishes even when gently proposed. Mostly I gave them past year exams from other schools. I planned the schedule and checked in every weekend to see if everything was done, and done well. At this stage, I was still refining study skills. I wanted to see careful work, good handwriting... I was less fussy about grades than I was about general work quality. I threw absolute hissy fits when work was shoddy and careless, but looked past genuine errors and absolute scores.
By end-P4, they were hitting the 90s in English, Math and Science. Strangely though, their Chinese grades dropped to the 80s. I kept telling Grandma that the way she taught the children Chinese made them feel like they didn't own the process. When they did well in Chinese, Grandma felt proud that she was a good teacher and hardworking too and conscientious. But my kids felt dispossessed of their glory. Their Chinese marks belonged to Grandma. Also, as you move into P4, the syllabus changes. Whether Chinese, English, Science or Math, the kids nowadays are no longer tested what is in the textbook.

By P3 & P4, kids are tested OUTSIDE of what is stated in the textbook. Grandma was still drilling textbook material. To score in the 90s for Science, Little Boy had to do independent internet Science research! We constructed Powerpoint slides, put him in a Professor's geeky glasses and made him present his findings. To score in the 90s for English, we were reading tons of storybooks and practising how to create metaphors, analogies and alliterative effects (e.g., Pretty Puddle of Pungent Poo). We read poetry. Basically, there was no way to drill our way to success because there was no way to predict what would be tested. Anything could be tested, and so I took a blunderbuss approach - LEARN EVERYTHING INTERESTING and HAVE FUN. Look at what teacher taught, ask questions of yourself and look for the answers on your own. Never mind if not in syllabus. You learn more and you won't die, and you'll have fun.
"The grades will come" I promised them. Back then, it was me putting on a brave front and being a brave mother so that my children would have the strength to carry on and keep trying. I couldn't tell them I didn't believe in them. In this way, I concur with Amy Chua... the best thing you can do for your child is to believe in him.

Meanwhile, Grandma went on drilling from the textbook. And whatever I said to her, she wouldn't budge from her time-tested method. She had been a Chinese Teacher in the past and had tutored even Mrs Carmee Lim's daughters (ex-Principal of RGS). She thought she knew best but her methods were outdated and designed for a syllabus and an approach that was past.

P5 & P6: ABSOLUTE Grade Focus

In P5 and P6, I became Tiger Mother. The Daughter came home one day in P6 and waved a Science paper scored 98% in my face. I said "It was an easy exam. The PSLE won't be this easy." The Daughter has never forgotten that scathing comment.
I reckoned that by P5 & P6, my kids had amassed enough resilience and process skills to take some knocks and I did knock them about, though never as hard as what Amy Chua seems to have done.

Starting P5, there was a consistent practice schedule which intensified as we moved into the 2nd quarter of P6. I devised the schedule collaboratively with my kids and I was sensitive to their mental and physical states. I had no qualms about deleting work if I thought it was too much. I wanted to manage my kids energy levels. Must always have time to recharge even if grades suffered meantime. The rule in the house is to NEVER TOUCH BOOKS 3 days before and exam paper. And I made sure I allocated whole days or whole weeks of NO BOOKS so that they could play to their hearts' content.

There was a constant process of watching and adjusting. There was a lot of trust and dialogue. I worked them hard but I made sure that I was there to encourage and listen to their problems. But they still owned their study process. I proposed a work schedule and they decided if they could manage. More often than not, they would ADD in stuff and tell me "Mommy, I can try." They knew that the PSLE was an important exam.
I also built in a natural reward into the work schedule. If they somehow did their work fast and well, they had that extra time to play. I never gave more work when they finished theirs earlier than I had expected. And whenever I could, and they had finished earlier than expected, I would take time off work to play with them. Go somewhere they wanna go... do something they like... together.

Results
The Daughter placed consistently in the top 3 places from P5 to Sec 2. In Sec 3, she was handpicked for an accelerated program where the others were smarter and just as driven as she. To keep up, she really pushed herself. End Sec 3, she was in hospital with pneumonia, a result of 2 months of flu and insufficient rest. She was so motivated that it had become a problem. I went to school and got an exemption for one month of homework... plus I locked up her laptop. She vegetated at home that month.

Little Boy is now in P5. He looks at the work schedule that we worked out and if I decide to delete an item, he will say "Leave it in Mom. I will try."
Unfortunately, The Daughter's Chinese marks at 'O' levels went down to the 50s. She hated Chinese and rebelled completely against Grandma's micro-managing ways. Little Boy's Chinese dropped to 79 for the first time in end-P4. So, I've taken over Chinese from Grandma too... and I'm doing it my way now. Read a lot, have a lotta fun, and to hell with textbook. I will be introducing exam practices later in the year however. Learn and have fun first. Drill later.
Both drill and no-drill are important to me.

My Objective

I don't need my kids to be the best in class... but I want them to be the best they can be. If what they can be is 80+, then fine... and seriously, The Daughter's class now is full of people who are so smart she and I feel stupid. That's fine. We're not as smart. And we don't need to be.
She got where she was not because she was smart, but because she was motivated. Motivation can get a child farther than a parent's best wishes and most beautiful dreams. The Daughter is no longer at the top of her class anymore, but that is fine because I know she has reached her potential and maybe even a little beyond. The same with Little Boy. I know he can manage 90+ in every subject if he wants to. Even Chinese.

The trick is to make them want to. And the first step is to turn the ownership of the study process over to them... and make them own it. This should be done early enough (I think). I have just sacked Grandma and turned the ownership of Chinese over to Little Boy. He used to roll his eyes when Grandma complained he was slow. Today, in the car, he said "Mom, I have a problem. I am slow in my compo. Others have done 1.5 pages, I've only done 1."
He now owns his problem and I play the familar supportive role "Oh never mind... you keep on reading those books and one day, the grades will come. I promise" and I look at him with a confident smile. This way, he will keep on trying... and he will end up where he ends up in Chinese. And I will still be happy even if it isn't 90+.

Not the Only Approach

I consciously took an approach where I focused first on Foundational Study Skills to the detriment of grades. It worked for me. I am sure there are other parents who focused on both at the same time quite successfully. I am sharing my story because it isn't a usual approach, but it worked for me.

How to teach our child not to make the same mistakes on paper

I have been tutoring my girl who is in primary one and she keeps making the same mistakes over and over again despite lot of practices. I had reminded her before she do the assignment and yet, still the same mistakes on grammar, maths. I know she can do it but she is not careful. Check out some tips to share on how to be prudent on their work. found this online.. check it out
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For Maths, I teach my dd to check backwards after she solves a question. This is a way of checking as well. And in the event she has no time to check her answers, she can be assured of minimal carelessness.For comprehension cloze passage, I ask her to re-read the sentence after she fills in a blank to make sure that the word fits into the sentence. Then after she fills in all the blanks, she has to re-read the whole cloze passage to check for fluency.
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We teach our DD the concept of being able to do it, and do it well. It took a while to set it in motion. One had to be around while our DD was doing the paper, and the other was instilling positive attitudes about taking responsibility, and self-worth. What I did was to tell DD that all the marks are there on the table for her to take. All she needed to do was to take them all. Making careless mistakes is fine, but not checking and wasting the marks is not taking everything that is given to you. I also told her that she has the God given gift to do well, and by doing well, she would be very happy... For herself, and only herself. Then I also told her that her parents and everyone else would be happy not because she did well, but because she is happy. My wife took time to organize exam papers and they went through the papers about 3 papers a day. Once she surpassed 4 papers, I took the kids out for ice-cream and they ordered anything they wanted. I told everyone that the good fortune is due to their big sister making a very good effort... So we all celebrated her achievement.Also, once she completed her papers and other homework, it was real playtime... We did our best NOT to control. we worked on a work hard, play harder concept.Starting from 80, she eventually hit an average of 95, had a positive attitude in doing her papers, wanting to finish her 4-5 papers a day before playing. I am proud to say that there were at least 3 papers that she scored FULL marks and these were celebrated, reinforced that she can do it, as well as "anchored" the feeling of success.while doing all these, we have been patient, encouraging, and free flow of compliments and hugs. What we learnt is that you need to know your child's love language. Once you know it, fill up the love tank... Only then can they function well to learn more.I hope that our recent experience inspires you to also grow with your child as they grow up. All the best to your improvement, as well as your child's improvement.Oh yeah... I already know what to do even before the results comes out.No matter what the results are, I will ask my DD how she feels about the results, if she felt that she deserved it, etc. She will review the process with me. If it was excellent, I will again anchor the feeling during the process and then the results. If it is not ideal, the importance is that she must feel that she did her best... And anchor that. If she feels that she didn't do her best (which at this point is unlikely as I see tremendous effort on her part), I would anchor her feelings of the process, and then review what could be done better next time, and still tell her that we appreciate her hard work... This is to focus on the process, not the results.In any way, she will win this... Only because she allowed herself to.As parents, we have to show them the way... And they WILL learn. Hence, who we really are will produce who they become.
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We live in a "fine" city & I'm a "fine" mother , so I fine DS1 10 cts (10% of his daily allowance)per careless mistake in all his homework & tests when he was in P1 last yr. His highest record was 80cts in a single nite that I had to let him pay by instalments. I was actually v heart-pained 4 him but no choice, had to carry through. Always explain to him that the objective is so that he remembers to check in school, as we r not ard to remind him. So the fines act as reminders, & hopefully, he will form the good habit of checking his work.Things improved alot (no careless mistakes on most months) even tho he is v sotong by nature.However, after the dec hols, he forgotten the pinch & 10cts is longer "painful" enough, as he starts having savings too. Numerous careless mistakes surfaced again within the 1st few weeks! So I increased his fine to $1 per careless mistake. After a few weeks of fines (his record this yr is $4 in a night!), things r ok now. No fine for the past 2 mths.

for me, i will have a nice talk with the childlook, you know the stuff, right ?yes
is it fair that you lose the mark ? no
so it does not reflect your ability, right ? no
it does not so what are you going to do about it ? be more careful
how are you going to be more careful ? check and check and write carefully, transfer the number carefully and check

kids do take pride in their work, so i psycho them lah.
it works for me/my kids
however, in work place,
I fine them $10 for every one data entry mistake
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Think we touched on this topic in another thread. DD too is prone to carelessness. She can throw away 10 pts just because of carelessness. I had to remind her to check the question numbering, if this page ends with question number 5 then the next page should start with question number 6. Had to do that because she missed out a whole page of questions before. This year she has been pretty ok so far.She has a couldn't care less kind of attitude and will say, not that I don't know how to do what, just that I did not read the numbers correctly or copied the words wrongly. And DH had to echo that thought, saying she knows the answer right so it is basically carelessness so ok lah. For me that is a big NOT OK. To lose marks due to carelessness is wasteful. For DD, money does not incentivise nor deter. I tried various methods, and in the end the one that worked was for her to make her do additional work everytime she exceeds a certain number of careless mistakes. But I think the real turnaround was this year when she came home with full marks on one of her tests and she said she checked her work properly and found 2 mistakes which she corrected else it will not be full marks.

Preparing for Primary School in Singapore

My daughter is in Primary one. Only upon after the months in the year then I realise some information will be greatly appreciated if I have it.

Overall I have no comments about the school as it is one of the good ones around my area.

The communication with the teachers are also not as active as the ones in her childcare. I do anticipate and realise that the primary school teacher has too much to focus on.

I do hope the below information will be helpful for your kids for preparing in Primary.
Some information are obtain online , some advice from friends and some from my personal experience.

Do prepare your child early and preprepare them about the excitment of joining a totally new school.

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It doesn't take one long to realize that Primary school education has evolved (and is still continuing to evolve) way beyond what parents were used to during their own days as students going through the Singapore education system.

It has become quite essential that children are properly prepared for Primary school education in the early years before they first enter Primary school. Failure to do so will result in a high level of stress for both parent and child as early as the first few semesters of Primary school life.
The Ministry of Education (MOE) offers a framework for Pre-schools, and even standards for operators to follow.

The framework outlines the objectives of pre-school education for children to:
Know what is right and what is wrong

Be willing to share and take turns with others
Be able to relate to others
Be curious and be able to explore
Be able to listen and speak with understanding
Be comfortable and happy with themselves
Have developed physical co-ordination and healthy habits
Love their family, friends, teachers and school

While kindergartens (catering to 5 and 6 year olds) have to be registered with the MOE, the kindergartens themselves are operated entirely by the private industry and their syllabus and course materials are not regulated by MOE. This flexibility resulted in significant disparity across kindergartens in terms of the level of depth and breadth of coverage of material used for preparing children for Primary One. Not all kindergarten prepare children in the same manner for Primary school. Even within the same chain (eg. PAP's Children Foundation PCF) of kindergartens, the comprehensiveness can be very different depending on the what parents are willing to pay for.

It is therefore important for parents to familarize themselves with the Primary One syllabus in order to know how well the kindergartens are actually preparing their children for formal schooling.

Below are some information that you should prepare yourself and your kids. which are some of the things you can do in preparing your child for Primary school education.

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Due to the new holistic teaching the school are implementing with the kids. There is a section that I think most kids need help on " show and Tell" .. even as adult I dont think I can even flare well in this section without much help and practice. Personally I think it will be tough for those kids who are very timid and quiet but nothing is impossible.. Get them prepare like some fun time. It will expose them up to speak well and better.

Primary schools that do away with exams for P1 students have implemented Show & Tell and Written Expression as formative assessments. Our children can be prepared for both the above activities much easier than we credit them for. Here are a couple of stuff i did with my daughter.

Hope these can be suggestions for your children's future preparation...

Topics for show and tell were given in advance somewhere 3 to 4 weeks prior to the actual session. Parents are encouraged to help prepare their children for it. The children will not be allowed to read from any notes or cue cards that may have been prepared from home. The session has to be done spontaneously... for some time. Kids have to memorise the passage of the show and tell.

It will be better to keep all the vocabulary as simple as possible. Sentence structure should be kept simple and easy for the children to understand.

Some General topics across schools would be :
1. My Family
2. My Favourite Toy
3. My Favourite Food (etc)

My daughter chose "My Favourite Toy "for show and tell. We went through some of her precious toys and I do ask her to make her own selection ... While some parents prepare their children for Show & Tell by writing down their own simple points or the sentences that they have come up with for their children... there are parents like me who like to get the kiddies down to the preparation work.

I do think it is important for the kids to be involved in the process. It's like research work for their own project and it will be easier for them to remember the information.

We start by mind mapping what are the areas she wanted to cover / talk about. Who, what , When she got the gift... why etc we expand and brainstorm on those areas with more details / information.

Your child should wrote their own piece and do also encouraged them to use her own words as much as possible. You should guided them with extra bits here and there for the added punch line. We also added some hand gestures to make it look like story telling / sharing instead of a straight rod speech. We can also prepare some items to make the show and tell more lively. The child will also be more happy and enthusatic to show the friends.

It will be useful to encourage her to practice the show and tell with outsider like uncle and aunties instead of immediate family.

Do be reminded that Eye contact is also important. Memories of passage and points are a must.

Apple iPhone 4S vs. Samsung Galaxy S II vs. HTC Sensation: Smartphone comparison

It may not be the iPhone 5 that everybody expected but Apple does have a new iPhone, the iPhone 4S. Unveiled by new Apple CEO Tim Cook, the iPhone 4S is best described as an evolutionary upgrade over the iPhone 4: it boasts the same design, the same screen and an identical look and feel, but has an upgraded processor, a better camera and a new voice recognition feature called Siri.

Read our detailed iPhone 4S preview and our reviews of the Samsung Galaxy S II and the HTC Sensation.

Techworld Australia: HTC EVO 3D vs. Samsung Galaxy S 2

Though the iPhone 4S is expected to remain one of the most popular smartphones in the world, it has plenty of competition. In Australia, the iPhone 4S will immediately go up against two of the most popular Android smartphones currently on the market when it hits the shelves on 14 October: the Samsung Galaxy S II and the HTC Sensation.

The Samsung and HTC Android phones have similar specifications — the HTC Sensation sports a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, a 4.3in qHD display, an 8-megapixel camera and wraps it in a unibody aluminium design. The Galaxy S II also has a 4.3in screen and an 8-megapixel camera, but uses Super AMOLED Plus display technology that produces more vibrant colours.
So how does the iPhone 4S stack up against the Samsung Galaxy S II and the HTC Sensation when it comes to specifications?

Apple iPhone 4S vs. Samsung Galaxy S II vs. HTC Sensation: Specifications





















































































table in progress... although this take some time...http://www.mybloggertricks.com/2011/09/make-colorful-tables-in-blogspot.html

iphone	Samsung	HTC Sensation
1	2	2

My latest purchases or considering purchase

Is This dress nice?

Look fanstatic on this model...

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Sister, this measurement for your reference. Let me know if you want me to get for you.
Love A.

This are one of my latest purchases.. so excited..

I love the demin skirt good and comfortable.
I am wearing size 12 - Large size :)

loose a bit but very comfortable

Just imagine me a Large size lady... i can wear this skirt :) HOHOHO

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My other purchase- a bit pricy but really love their clothing.

Beautiful - Tell me to stop buying ...............................................................

OMG I have spend for another 2 dress.. thinking too happy to get a new job
Haha already spend a bomb on these.

there its goes.. hope they look nice on me.



Should I buy this dress below???????????????????????????????????????????????????????

so tempted to get 3 dress what do you think about this last dress? should I buy or not ?

Probably by the time, the size ran out :(

Oh the lady is slim so what ever she wear look fantastic but haha me is fat with... ops :)

Private Bus to Shenton Way or other area (Spore)

Dear all,
I am doing a computation of the available resources in my blog. More convenience to know what are the resources available.
Do email quek_cf@yahoo.com me if you have the information to share with all :)
Do deal with care personally as i will not be liable for anything.. this is only to share...
No gain of monentary :)

Btw, I am looking for an earlier bus than my current private bus from Punggol to SHenton way as my new job start work at 830am. do email me if you have info or just comments here.

Good Day

** Latest New bus 713 from Punggol /  SK - shenton way $4... will show the leaflet i receive few days ago :)

1) Punggol to Shenton - updated uncle no longer driving , his son Alex is driving now
Contact no 93398180 (Renhurn ) Do contact him directly. 15-7-12Calling for working pple, who are staying around Punggol Plaza / Rivervale Mall / Rivervale Plaza / St Anne Church, etc.

If you are looking for a chartered bus for work from Punggol / Sengkang / Hougang to Raffles Hotel / Raffles Link / Raffles Place / One Robertson Quay / Shenton Way / Tanjong Pagar,
Just helping the bus uncle out. First come first serve and no standing so there are reserve seat. Air-con bus.

Bus Route: From Punggol Plaza (pass by Punggol Plain, Cove LRT) => Sengkang along Punggol Road (pass by St Anne Church / Rivervale Plaza / North Vista Sec School) => Hougang (pass by Punggol Park / Hougang Mall / Hougang Polyclinic / Hougang Sports Complex / Swimming Pool) => Upp Serangoon Road (pass by Hougang Blk 23 / Maybank / Kovan Melody / Cheris Heart) => Potong Pasir => Bendemeer (pass by Micron) => Jalan Besar (pass by Sim Lim Tower / Sim Lim Building) => Middle Road => Waterloo Street (pass by Standard Chartered Bank) => Bras Basah Road (pass by SMU / NTUC Income / Carlton Hotel / Raffles Hotel / Raffles City) => Esplanade (pass by Raffles Link) => One Fullerton (pass by One Raffles Quay / Lao Pa Sat) => Shenton Way (pass by UIC Building / DBS Tower / M Hotel) => Robinson Road (pass by International Plaza / CPF Building) => Cecil Street (pass by Prudential Tower) => Battery Road (pass by UOB / OCBC)
Time: - Pick up at about 8am (depending on your pick-up point) - Drop Off at about or before 9am.
This is the only day trip for people start work at 9am. (one way)
I am not taking commissions. Purely helping the bus uncle out.

Cost SGD$50 no sure any changes  (kindly bear in mind that you have to pay uncle full amount even if you are holiday as the seat is reserve for you only)
Pay Uncle direct :)

More details on the pick up points and time at

Punggol:Uncle's bus passes by Punggol Blk 161, 172, Punggol Field Road, Prime Supermart/Meridian LRT, 118 (round-about), 199, 101, then proceed to Sengkang via Punggol Road.
Boarding time at
- 7.45am - 7.55am (for various pick up points at Punggol)
- 7.55am - 8.05am(for various pick up points at Sengkang)
- 8.05am - 8.10am (for various pick up points at Hougang)
- 8.10am - 8.20am (for various pick up points along Upper Serangoon Road)

This bus is only suitable for people starting work at 9am.
This is the only bus service offered by this bus uncle.
Fare: Monthly payments (just like school bus).
Per trip payments are not acceptable.

Comments : Ai yoh I am going to miss sitting in Uncle bus.. he really is a nice man... be nice to him

other info ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PREMIUM BUS ROUTESAnother information I saw on Premium bus service - this is more expensive
http://www.publictransport.sg/publish/ptp/en/premium_bus_service/premium_bus_routes.print.html

http://www.smrt.com.sg/buses/premium_services.asp

http://www.comfortdelgrobus.com.sg/premium.htm

http://www.sbstransit.com.sg/transport/premium.aspx

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2) From sengkang to shenton way
There is a new private service from sengkang to shenton way that just started a week ago. Bus No. 575 @ $4 per trip goes from Anchorvale, Compassvale, towards AMK Ave 5, then CTE. There are 2 timings: 7.30am and 8.00am. It's a 45mins journey. Call Alex @ 93621155 for more info


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3) There's one from Raffles Place to Bedok Reservoir.

Your best bet is to take a SBS bus from Raffles Place and change to the private bus.Was informed by my friends that this is really convivnent since a lot of buses from Alexandra like 97,100,57 goes to Raffles Place.The private bus is white with blue/green stripes.It will display the area and the number AC2 or OMO 2 on the front of the bus.Cost $2.30 per trip, used to cost only $1.20. sigh.http://www.bedoktransport.com/

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4) Private Minivan Service from Woodlands to Raffles Place/Tanjong Pagar

Tired of the long and crowded morning rides on the mrt to work? For morning private minivan service from Woodlands to Raffles Place / Tanjong Pagar area. I am taking the minivan service and the driver is keen to find a few more passengers. Monthly rates are reasonable and it's almost a door-to-door service. Arrive at Raffles Place / Tanjong Pagar between 8.30am - 9.00am.

Response from driver : Hi,

Can you pls add email woodlandsprivatebus@gmail.com to the above "Minivan Woodlands to Raffles Place" post too? Thanks in advance!
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1. friend just gave me this contact. John Ang 94517007 he has this svc, he's the boss...




2. the driver is Mr low 93248840 he more familiar with the bus route




3. another co is Mr Yap 92370292 hope this helps...




4. A private bus from Rumbia LRT station to Raffles Place everyday. It's 55 per month, one way. The uncle passes Rumbia station at about 7.45 am. You can call him at +65-97843831.

One very important skill to teach our kid

After reading this article.... I think this is very important..
Teach our your child how to call for help 999 in emergency

Read the story below or at this link sg parents .com .. Thank you

A two-year-old toddler is being hailed a hero after saving her mum’s life by using a mobile phone to call for help.

Mum, Larissa Taylor unexpectedly collapsed next to her eight-month-old daughter’s bed on Thursday and was lying in a way that stopped her from breathing properly. Lia Vega, the heroic toddler, sensed that something was wrong.
She picked up a nearby mobile phone and pressed the call button twice to dial the last number called. That number was her grandmother’s, Bobbie Gonzalez.
“Her mum will call and let her talk to me a lot, but using the phone and calling me on her own, that was new.”
“I was very surprised,” said Bobbie.
Bobbie recalled that Lia said; “Mommy fall down to the floor of sissy’s bed.”
Upon hearing that, Bobbie rushed to her daughter’s side before sending her off to a nearby hospital. Doctors then informed her that Larissa had suffered from several seizures before passing out. Turns out, the young mum was diabetic and hypoglycaemic — her low blood-sugar level had triggered the seizures.
“I don’t know how my daughter knew to call my mum or anything.”
“I never taught her how to use the phone and she saved me that day,” said Larissa in an interview.
The family said doctors told them Larissa would have died had she stayed lying there for more than 10 minutes.
“Without her, I don’t know how long my daughter would have laid there and possibly died. It’s just amazing what kids learn without even being taught,” said the proud grandma.
Larissa now thinks of her eldest daughter as her “superhero.”
“I’ve been calling her my superhero. Because she saved me, she saved my life that day.”

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In case of an emergency; dial 911
It seems that good things do come in small packages. Just last year, 3-year-old Jaden Bolli, managed to save his mum’s life by calling 911 when she too, went into a seizure and collapsed.
It does not make it any less remarkable that the toddler was taught how to call 911 in an emergency by his mum just days earlier. Candace Robbins, Jaden’s mum told reports that she taught her son how to call for help.
“I told him; ‘You have to call 9-1-1, hit the green button and tell them that you need help,’ and he said, ‘Okay.’”
Of course, no one could have predicted that only four days later, Jaden would be putting his newfound skills to work.
Teach your kids how to call for help
If there is one thing we can learn from these stories, it is the importance of teaching your kids how to call for help. The first thing that your kids should know is how to dial 999.
They should also know their full name, their full address and to be able to give a short description of the emergency. It is also helpful for your kids to know their phone number as the dispatcher will often ask this question in case the call is disconnected.
Have your kids practice by speaking into the phone while role-playing with them.
Suggest situations like; “Mommy’s fallen down the stairs and can’t get to the phone. Now what do you do?”
After your child enters the number, ask them questions that an emergency operator would ask, such as: “What is your name?,” “Where are you calling from?,” and “What is the emergency?”Stress that the description should be short like “Mummy fell down the stairs”, “Daddy is not breathing” or “Mummy’s head is bleeding” and that they should stay calm at all times.
Practice with your kids till they are comfortable with making the phone call. On top of already programming the emergency numbers onto your mobile phone — do write down each phone number clearly so that it will be easy for young kids to read.
Because accidents can and do happen in any part of the home; make copies of the completed list and post one near every telephone in the house and on the refrigerator.
No one wants to think about an emergency happening at home, but it’s better to face that possibility than to be caught unprepared. So teach your kids how to call for help and do keep emergency numbers close.

Other articles
A mother was forced to choose between saving her teenage son or daughter from drowning
Let's live each day to the fullest and love ourself and our kids/ family. We do not know when we will need to made such a nerve wacking decision or when the decision will not even be available to us. We are not perfect parents but let try to be the best for our child. To love them protect them and educate them. We will in our own way.

Why you should exercise during your pregnancy

Best Hotel Spa:

The Mandarin Oriental group has fared best of the hotels across the Asia-Pacific region vying to win the Crystal Awards for the top spa, winning no fewer than four of the 18 awards, the most by a single company.

Some 150 properties were put forward for the awards, which were presented on October 12 at The Forbidden City by IndoChine, at Singapore's Clark Quay.
Now in their eighth year, the awards have grown to be recognized as the most prestigious endorsement of excellence in the spa and wellness industry, but retain the underlying aim of educating spa users of the levels of service and quality they can expect from the industry.

Six new categories were added this year: best spa design, best conscious cuisine, best private label spa product, best natural/organic spa product range, product supplier of the year and best men's treatment.

Organizers of the event said the expansion of the awards is "in recognition of the ever-evolving nature and development of the spa and wellness industry.But of the 40 unique brands represented, it was the Hong Kong-based Mandarin Oriental which emerged as the most prolific winner, taking the Best Hotel Spa award for its property in Tokyo, the Dhara Dhevi Chiang Mai hotel lifting both the Best Resort Spa and Best Signature Treatment awards, and the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group recognized as the Best Wellness & Spa Group.
The spa at the hotel in Tokyo has responded by announcing that it is offering a 50-minute trial of the Azuki Ritual treatment at Y25,990 (€246.56) until December 15, instead of Y49,720 (€471.68) for 110 minutes.
The deep-cleaning ritual combines the anti-oxidizing effects of Azuki beans with sea salt.Some of the other top awards went to the COMO Shambhala Estate, in Bali, which was recognized as the Best Wellness Retreat, while The Spa at Encore, in Macau, won the award for best design. The Jive Spa, at the Nedesar Palace in Varanasi, India, shared the award for Best Boutique Hotel Spa with DeLa Spa at Villa de Daun in Bali.The purifying facial provided at The Peninsula in Hong Kong took the top award for Best Men's Treatment, while Voya's natural and organic products won the top award in that category.Organizers of the annual awards said all the entrants are judged based on their merits and actual performance from a guest's perspective, with the awards designed to honor the best in each category, irrespective of their size.

Winners of The Crystal Awards Asia-Pacific 2011:-

Best Hotel Spa:

The Spa at Mandarin Oriental Tokyo, Japan
- Best Boutique Hotel Spa: Jiva Spa at Nadesar Palace, Varanasi, India, andDaLa Spa at Villa de daun, Bali, Indonesia
- Best Day Spa: Yogilini Retreat, Taichung, Taiwan, and Tirta Spa, Boracay, Philippines
- Best Resort Spa: The Dheva Spa and Wellness Centre, Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi, Chiang Mai- Best Wellness Retreat: COMO Shambhala Estate, Bali, Indonesia
- Best Cam/Integrated Medical Centre: CHAIN'S Medicare Centre, Hong Kong
- Best Spa Design: The Spa at Encore, Wynn Macau
- Best Destination Spa: Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru
- Best Conscious Cuisine: Kamalaya Wellness Sanctuary & Holistic Spa, Koh Samui, Thailand
- Best Signature Treatment: Lanna Signature Ceremony, The Dheva Spa and Wellness Centre, Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi, Chiang Mai, Thailand, and Suam-Suam Panas / Shiok-Shiok Sejuk, Spa Village Malacca, Malaysia
- Best Men's Treatment: Purifying Facial, The Peninsula Hong Kong
- Best Private Lebel Spa Product: Anantara Spa
- Best Natural/Organic Spa Product Range: VOYA
- Product Supplier of the Year: Aromatherapy Associates
- Best In-Spa Training: ESPA
- Spa Academy of the Year: Ananda Spa Institute,Hyderabad
- Spa Consultant of the Year: Spatality
- Best Wellness & Spa Group: Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group

Medicine Buddha's Mantra ( 药师佛灵咒 )

I have been falling sick for 2 weeks. Was feeling horrible last 2 days and yesterday. The flu has been stuck in my system.. Accidently, I came across this Medicine Buddha's Mantra. I played this several time on my iphone thru youtube.

As it is rather peaceful.... Althought I dont understand ... had fallen asleep while playing it yesterday. This morning, I woke up 510am and feeling really good.

Try it ... if you are into Buddism
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0pQE1hfjCU&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUJucA-mrgE&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDUdT5z_CBU&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXrASTfc1ok&feature=related
I like the last one .. the lady has good voice.. touching although i dont understand

Activities for kids- Workshop

Check these workshop out .. I have enrol and get this for my daughter.. she really love it.

$15 for Cookie Baking and Decorating Workshop; Let Your Child Bake Up A Storm with Genius R Us! (For Kids aged 3-12)
S$15.00

Value S$28.00
Discount 47%
Saving S$13.00
S$3 Credits Can Be Used
221 Orders, Deal Activated!
Limited Quantities Available! Hurry, Share this with your friends NOW!


Educate your child the fun way. Let your child learn to bake delicious homemade cookies from scratch at this Creative Cookie Baking and Decorating Workshop!

___________________________________________________________________

Today's Big Deal: 50% off Dessert Making Workshop for 1 Child & 1 Adult + 2 x Set Meal + Photo & Creative Session @ Outback Steakhouse (Millenia Walk) at $24.90
S$24.90

Value S$50.00
Discount 51%
Saving S$25.10
S$6 Credits Can Be Used
Time Left 1Hours 1Minutes 33Seconds
314 Orders , Deal Activated!
Limited Quantities Available! Hurry, Share this with your friends NOW!


Engage your kids in Dessert Making Workshop specially designed for kids aged 3 to 8 years old. Learn to make Outback’s Signature Dessert: Chocolate Thunder From Down Under!
*Scroll to Terms & Conditions

Cleaning with Vinegar

Lifestyle & Home Services

Cleaning with Vinegar

Vinegar is a multipurpose cleaning agent, which is safer and more cost effective than commercially available cleaning products. To understand more about cleaning with vinegar, read on...

Vinegar is one of the most versatile solutions, which is produced by fermenting ethanol or other alcohol containing liquids. It is estimated more than 90 percent of the American households purchase vinegar from the market. Many people prefer to prepare vinegar at home, rather than purchasing it. With such an option, you can get the benefit of pure vinegar without any unusual additives. Vinegar is used for a wide variety of household applications, starting from cooking to cleaning, gardening and home remedies for certain health conditions. Let's discuss in brief about cleaning with vinegar.

Cleaning with Vinegar

Cleaning with vinegar has been known to mankind since a long time back. One of the most popular uses of vinegar is getting rid of the toxic molds, fungus and other microbes. The acidic property of vinegar helps in killing these harmful microorganisms. Other than this, vinegar can also be used for cleaning almost all household items. Following is a list of applications about cleaning with vinegar:

Carpet Cleaning with Vinegar: During carpet cleaning, it is worst to deal with spills and tough stains. With white vinegar, you can clean the carpet stain with less efforts. Mix one teaspoon each of white vinegar and a mild detergent with a little amount of lukewarm water. Apply this mixture to the carpet stain and rub it with a soft brush or a towel, until the stain has vanished. Moisten the towel and rub the area afterward.

Cleaning Windows with Vinegar: Vinegar is also an ideal product for cleaning windows. Mix equal amounts of white vinegar and warm water. Wash the window panes with this solution to give a clear appearance. Wipe with a dry cloth after cleaning the windows with vinegar.

Cleaning Hardwood Floors with Vinegar: For using vinegar to clean hardwood floors, add half a cup of white vinegar in about 15 litres of water. Use this solution to clean and wash the floors. In order to impart fragrance in the room, you can add 10-15 drops of your favourite essential oil in the solution.

Cleaning Copper and Brass Items with Vinegar: Copper and brass cookwares can be brightened by using a mixture of vinegar, salt and flour. Dissolve ½ teaspoon of salt in a small cup of vinegar and add flour to make a paste. Apply the paste to the metal stains and leave it for about 10 minutes. Wash off the paste and wipe the metal by using a dry cloth.

Cleaning Wood with Vinegar: Water marks on wood furniture or other wood items can be cleared by using a mixture of vinegar and olive oil. Take 2 teaspoons each of white distilled vinegar and olive oil and mix them together. Use the mixture for cleaning water marks with the help of a rough cloth.

Cleaning Bathrooms with Vinegar: Clean the bathroom walls and floors with a solution of vinegar and water. Bathroom cleaning with vinegar not only removes the stains, but also leaves the bathroom free of smell and microbial growth. You can wash the shower heads with vinegar to remove rust and other chemical buildups.

This is in brief about the uses of vinegar for house cleaning. The major advantage of cleaning with white vinegar is that it is eco-friendly and cost effective in comparison to chemical cleaning products. Go green by using vinegar as an all purpose cleaning agent, instead of using commercially available harmful cleaning agents.

What to do in SIngapore now ...

There are a few places in Singapore that is worth visiting...

Where to go Shopping - you can easily take the MRT to the location
1) Expo MRT - Changi Point / EXPO for any sales....

2) No MRT- one option is to take 36 from Dhoby Ghault MRT bustop - Parkway Parade, after walk from the NTUC to East Coast park... if you like outdoor one of the nice place to visit. rent a bike, then visit the hawker . (if you like beef.. try the beef guay teow) & satay etc...

3) Serangoon Mrt- Nex, after visit serangoon garden.. go chomp chomp for dinner

4) Jurong East Mrt - Jurong Point

5) Harbour Front MRT- Vivo /Habourfont - VISIT SENTOSA
6) SK Mrt - Compass point - Small mall but after you should travel to take Prata at Jalan Kayu - take bus 67 from sk bus stop

more coming...........as not enought time to update :)
email me at quek_cf@yahoo.com but my response are slow :)

7) This is an option for all who are in Singapore. Let's visit Singapore Arts Musuem.

http://www.nationalmuseum.sg/

Guided tours are subject to the availability of volunteer guides There will be no guided tours on 25 Dec 2011 (Christmas), 1 Jan (New Year’s Day) and 24 Jan 2012 (Chinese New Year), and on Open House Days.Mandarin tours will cease on 19 Dec 2011 and resume on 7 January 2012Back to top

CURATOR’S TOURS
Dreams & Reality: A Curator’s Tourby Szan TanFri 11 Nov & Fri 2 Dec 2011 7.30pmWed 23 Nov 2011 & 11 Jan 2012 7.30pmDuration: 90 minutesMeeting point: Exhibition Galleries, BasementBuy now! S$19 (includes exhibition admission and handling fees) Limited to 15 participants per session
Catch a glimpse of the epoch of change in France during the late 19th and early 20th centuries through paintings, drawings and photographs from world renowned Musée d’Orsay. Join the exhibition curator, Szan Tan, as she takes you through this exhibition that examines the reaction of man towards modernity at the turn of the century.

INTERACTIVE TOURS (For children 9 to 14 years old only)
Dreams & Reality: An Interactive Tour for ChildrenSat 29 Oct, 5 Nov, 19 Nov, 3 Dec & 17 Dec 2011 10.30am & 1.30pmDuration: 60 minutesMeeting point: Exhibition Galleries, BasementBUY NOW! S$12 per child* (includes exhibition admission and handling fees) Limited to 25 participants per session*Exhibition fee applies to accompanying adults separately.
Join master painter Vincent van Gogh on a journey where he gets inspired by two colourful characters in his quest to perfect his work. Through dramatised performance, fun activities and lots of interaction with the characters, participants will enjoy discovering more about the paintings, drawings and photographs featured in the exhibition of Dreams and Reality: Masterpieces of Painting, Drawing and Photography from the Musée d’Orsay, Paris.GROUP TOURS

Private group tours in English can be arranged for up to 15 participants per session at S$150, subject to the availability of guides. Please email to nhb_nm_hospitality@nhb.gov.sg for details. Back to top

2) Visit Bontanic Garden in the morning ......

So, you've arrived. It's early and nothing really opens for business until around 11 a.m., so how are you going to kill time? Slip on the trainers and head out to the Botanic Gardens

(open 5 a.m. to midnight).

At this time of the day, downtown Singapore's last remaining green lung is a cool, bucolic retreat filled with joggers, dogs and tai-chi practitioners. Wander through the swaths of virgin rainforest (the main boardwalk through it is entered from Upper Palm Valley Road) and then take in the National Orchid Garden's many-colored collection of 1,000 orchid species and 2,000 hybrids. When you're done, drop into the food court near Tanglin Gate for a traditional local breakfast of soft-boiled eggs, coffee and toast slathered with coconut jam.
1. Singapore Botanic Gardens1 Cluny Road, Singapore 259569; 65-6471-7361

My handmade soup/ dishes for family

Will take the picture one day

I have a simple prawn dish for all of you.. this is one of the simples and easiest to prepare.
Try it.

Preparation Time - 5 Minutes
Cooking Time - 5 Minutes

Ingredients: 4 Servings
10-15 Large Tiger Prawns (fresh)
2 Cloves of garlic finely chopped
2 Tablespoons of olive oil

Prepare:

1. Peel and de-vein the prawns, do leave the head and tail ...
2. Heat the olive oil and  garlic in a pan for a minute, then add the prawns and cook on a high heat for about 1 and a 1/2 minutes, Ideally the prawns should be fried on a griddle. Do not overcook the prawns, but ensure they are sizzling before serving.

Recently I am into soup .. for my family. I love to try cooking using online assistance. Planning to do a good soup for my hubby and kid. Saw this online ... going to give is a try

1) My first try
Huai Shan With Pork Ribs Soup

cooking in process :)
Nice taste

I use a vision pot as the pot can keep at certain temperature.

Ingredients(Serves 2-3)
-150g fresh huai shan root/Chinese wild yam (淮山), cut to large chunks
-1/2 chicken or pork (around 500g) skin removed and cut to large chunks-
-1 large carrot, peeled and cut to chunks-
-3 slices old ginger (I dont like ginger so I remove this)
- 1.5 litres of water- sea salt
-a few seedless 8 Red dates
- Wolfberry, commercially called goji berry, is the common name for the fruit of two very closely related species: Lycium barbarum (Chinese: 寧夏枸杞; pinyin: Níngxià gǒuqǐ) and L. chinense (Chinese: 枸杞; pinyin: gǒuqǐ) add the last

Directions
1. Blanch chicken Pork pieces in boiling water for about 5 minutes set aside.
2. Add water, blanched chicken and the rest of the ingredients into soup pot.
Bring to rapid boil for first 10 mins, then simmer over low fire
(with lid partially covered) for another 60 mins.
Add red dates and simmer 30 mins, 10 mins before add wolfberry the last.
3. Season with light soya sauce if needed.

Serve with warm rice.
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My next adverture soup

OMG this is so expensive... may be have to put off for sometime

1) cordyceps 冬虫夏草 Chicken Soup

What is cordyceps 冬虫夏草 ? This is literally means winter worm, summer grass.

You can easily get this from Yu Ren Sheng or those medical hall shop.

The weird name arises because cordyceps is actually a hybrid chinese herb made up of a type of parasitic fungus growing within a caterpillar.
Cordyceps is highly prized as a dietary supplement for maintaining youth.

this is expensive .

My collegue was telling me that her boyfriend has went to see a TCM doctor for hairlost.

He has recommend taking this Cordyceps.
Aftertaking there are improvement and he even mention that his ... is hard .. ops
I think this is very good for men.
especially if you plan for baby.

You can also cook the soup using a double-boiling jar or a electric stew pot.
Cordyceps sinensis. Source: Guangdong Food Safety Web
Looking to buy some chinese herbs online? Try 1stChineseHerbs.comIngredients1 chicken thigh2 cordyceps (东虫夏草 dong chong xia cao)6 red dates (红枣 hong zao)7 chinese wolfberries (枸杞子 gou ji zi)1000ml waterDirections
Cut chicken thigh into pieces. Parboil for 2 minutes. Wash and trim excess fats
Rinse the cordyceps, chinese wolfberries and red dates
Place the chicken pieces into a large soup bowl together with the cordyceps, chinese wolfberries and red dates
Add the water
Cover soup bowl with clingwrap
Steam for 1.5 hours
Add salt to taste before serving
Recipe link: An anti-aging chicken soup recipe

More information on Cordceps

Cordyceps is one of the most unique, rare, and treasured plants used in herbal medicine. In its natural form, Cordyceps can be found only at elevations above 3500 meters in isolated areas of southwestern China. This herb is actually a type of fungus which grows on the backs of caterpillars indigenous to China, Nepal, and Tibet. Due to its rarity, Cordyceps harvested in the wild is very expensive, costing about $1000 for 100 grams. Wild cordyceps from Tibet is supposed to be the best in the world. Scientific research has proven that wild cordyceps is richer in certain components, and also that the proportions of its ingredients are different from the cultivated herb, and this might make some differences in the activity. Nevertheless, the laboratory versions of Cordyceps are still a premium and valuable tonic herb.Used for nearly 1500 years in traditional Chinese medicine, the Cordyceps fungus has been found to be very effective in treating circulatory, respiratory, and immune system problems in addition to its most popular usage as a powerful aphrodisiac. Recent studies performed at Beijing Medical University of China and in Japan have shown a 64% success rate among men suffering from impotence vs. 24% in the placebo group.

In ancient China, Cordyceps was highly recommended as one of the most effective medicines for all illness. Due to its anti-aging and cure-all properties, it can be compared to ginseng, reishi and deer velvet. In general, cordyceps is a tonic that helps build strength, improve organic functioning, strengthen the immune system and contributes to longevity.

Cordyceps BenefitsCordyceps is a powerful tonic and can help restore normal function of the body, stimulate immune response, increase energy, vitality, and longevity. Recent research has shown that cordyceps can improve sport performance and muscle-building capability. In TCM, Cordyceps has been used to help regulate blood pressure, strengthen cardiovascular system, and improving sexual energy and desire. Clinical tests performed at Hunan Medical University have shown that cordyceps is effective in relaxing the smooth muscles tissue of the penis, increasing blood flow, resulting in harder erections. A few animal studies have shown cordyceps feeding to increase the ratio of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) to inorganic phosphate (Pi) in the liver by 45-55% - an effect that may be viewed as beneficial in terms of energy state and potential for performance enhancement. Furthermore, mice fed cordyceps and subjected to an extreme low oxygen environment, were able to utilize oxygen more efficiently (30-50% increase), better tolerate acidosis and hypoxia (lack of oxygen) and live 2-3 times longer than a control group. A number of Chinese clinical studies, primarily in elderly patients with fatigue, cordyceps-treated patients reported significant improvements in their level of fatigue, ability to tolerate cold temperatures, memory and cognitive capacity and sex drive.

Cordyceps Research
Cordyceps Helps Maintain Healthy Cholesterol LevelSeveral studies have demonstrated that Cordyceps sinensis helps to lower total cholesterol by 10 to 21% and triglycerides by 9 to 26%. At the same time it helps to increase HDL-cholesterol (“good cholesterol”) by 27 to 30%

Cordyceps Maintain Healthy Immune ResponseSeveral studies have shown Cordyceps to increase Natural Killer (NK) cells, our body’s first line of defense against infections and illness. In in-vitro study, Cordyceps significantly enhance the NK cell activity in healthy individuals as well as in patients with leukemia. According to a study published in Chinese J Integrated Traditional Western Med, Cordyceps enhanced the NK cell activity in healthy individuals by 74% and increased the NK activity of leukemia patients by 400%. Similar improvements of NK cell activities were found in patients with melanoma cancer.

Cordyceps Increases Energy Level and Reduces FatigueSeveral studies with animals have demonstrated that Cordyceps sinensis increases the cellular energy production and oxygen supply. Cordyceps increases ATP synthesis, the basic unit of energy production, thereby promoting better oxygen efficiency, faster energy recovery, and reduce fatigue. In a clinical research involving elderly individuals with fatigue, after taking Cordyceps supplement for 30 days, 92% of individuals are showing reduction of fatigue, 89% showed reduction in feeling cold, 83% showed reduction in dizziness. Cordyceps has been clinically proven to increase cellular Bio-Energy by as much as 55%. In a double blind, placebo controlled investigation that involved elderly individuals, volunteers that took 3 gram of Cordyceps a day showed a marked reduction in fatigue and improvement shortness of breath.

Cordyceps Increases Endurance, Stamina, and Athletic Performance
Cordyceps help reduces muscle Soreness, enhances recovery, improves stamina and athletic performance. In a study with mice demonstrated their improved swimming capabilities after six weeks of Cordyceps supplementation compared with a control group.

Cordyceps Enhance Sexual FunctionCordyceps may help improve libido and quality of life in men & women experiencing sexual frustration. In a double blind and placebo-controlled study involving 200 men with reduced libido and other sexual problems, Cordyceps significantly enhance their sexual function. 64% of the Cordyceps-users reported significant improvement in sexual function compared with 24% of the placebo group. According to a double blind, placebo controlled study published on Journal of Alternative & Complementary Medicine, 21 elderly women experiencing sexual frustration were given Cordyceps supplementation. 90% reported improvements in libido and sexual health following the use of Cordyceps, compared with none in the control group. In another human clinical study involving 189 men and women with decreased libido and desire, 66% showed improvement of symptoms and desire after Cordyceps supplementation.

Cordyceps Improve FertilityCordyceps help improve fertility by increasing sperm count. According to a study published on J Modern Diagnostics Therapeutics, 22 males with low sperm count were given Cordyceps supplement for 8 weeks. The result showed 33% increase in sperm count, 29% decreased in incidence of sperm malformations, and a 79% increase in survival rate.

Cordyceps Maintain Healthy Respiratory FunctionSeveral scientific studies have demonstrated the benefits of Cordyceps sinensis in alleviating the symptoms of several respiratory illnesses including chronic bronchitis and asthma. In a double blind, placebo controlled study with 30 elderly volunteers Cordyceps significantly improved the maximum amount of oxygen these people were able to assimilate.

Cordyceps Enhanced Cardiovascular Health

Numerous studies have demonstrated the benefits of Cordyceps sinensis on heart rhythm disturbances, such as cardiac arrhythmias and chronic heart failure. In an in vivo mouse model induced with Pneumonia, research results showed that animals taking Cordyceps had a significantly greater survival rate of 20% mortality vs. 80% mortality in 30 minutes, a startling 400% improvement.

Cordyceps Maintain Healthy Liver FunctionsIn a research published on China J Chinese Materia Medica, that involved 33 patients with Hepatitis “B”, 8 patients with cirrhosis taking Cordyceps supplement showed 71.9% improvement on “Thymol Turbidity Test” and 78.6% improvement in” SGPT Test”, both are enzyme test showing improvement in liver functions.

Cordyceps Maintain Healthy Kidney FunctionAccording to J Administration Traditional Chinese Med, patients with chronic kidney diseases showed 51% improvement after one month with Cordyceps supplement.

Cordyceps as Complementary Chemotherapy SupplementSeveral clinical studies have been conducted in China and Japan with cancer patients. The studies were done with CSE (Cordyceps sinensis mycelium) using a therapeutic dose of 6 grams per day (= 4 capsules twice daily). In one study with 50 lung cancer patients administered CSE in conjunction with chemotherapy, tumors reduced in size in 46% of patients. A study in cancer patients with various types of tumors found CSE (6 g/day for over 2 months) improved subjective symptoms in the majority of patients. White blood cell counts were maintained and tumor size was significantly reduced in about half of the patients. Researchers in Japan reported that CSE enhances the general reactivity of the immune system in individuals with cancer. Mice were injected with cancerous (lymphoma) cells and then orally administered CSE. This lead to a reduction of tumor size and prolongation of the host survival time. CSE also improved the antibody responses.