2012 National Library Book Exchange is back!!

Book lovers exchange used reads, share passion for reading
and recycle books to protect the environment

The annual book exchange is back. This year, the book exchange event will be held at the following place and date.

Venue: The Plaza, National Library Building
Date: 28 April 2012 - Saturday

I've participated on this kind of event before and it is really a good opportunity for us to exchange our old story books with others books. It is a way of recycle, sharing and cultivate a good habit of reading for our younger generation.

Please feel free to attend this event when you're free, it is a worth to visit tour.. Cheers. For more information, please visit this NLB link for details.

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Book lovers can exchange their used books and share their passion for reading with other Singaporeans at the Book Exchange 2012 held at The Plaza, National Library Building on Saturday, 28 April. This event offers a platform for the sharing of books and gives used reads a new lease of life.

The National Library Board (NLB) is organising the Book Exchange in conjunction with the World Book and Copyright Day. This day is celebrated throughout the world to pay tribute to books and authors, and encourages people especially the young to discover the pleasure of reading. Through such events, NLB hopes to promote a vibrant and self-sustaining reading and learning culture in Singapore. Local celebrity, children's author and NLB's reading ambassador, Mr Edmund Chen, will be at the event to encourage participants to read more books and give away signed copies of his book “Dino Rulez” to the first 50 participants.
“Since 2009, the number of books exchanged has increased by more than 35 percent, and the number of participants has grown by more than 40 percent. We are encouraged by the public's strong support and enthusiasm towards the Book Exchange. Over the last three years, over 207,000 books have changed hands. We hope that this initiative will help participants discover new finds and good reads and continue to encourage Singaporeans to grow their reading appetite,” said Mrs. Elaine Ng, Chief Executive Officer of the NLB.
The Book Exchange 2012 hopes to see a 10 percent increase in the number of participants and the number of books exchanged. This initiative is sponsored by Keppel Land for the second year. Keppel staff will be donating their own books to this initiative. In addition, they will also be collecting books from their tenants and business associates in nine office properties donating them to the Book Exchange. As a contribution to community, staff of Keppel Land are lending their hands to the event by volunteering to unpack and display these books.

Mr Choo Chin Teck, Director of Corporate Services at Keppel Land said, “Our support of NLB's Book Exchange not only allows us to help nurture a reading culture among Singaporeans but also encourages all our stakeholders to recycle used resources including pre-loved books so that others can enjoy them.”

To participate in the Book Exchange, members of the public can drop off their books at any of the 24 public libraries from 13 to 27 April from 11.00am to 8.00pm. A coupon will be given for every book and can be used to exchange for other books at the main event on 28 April from 8.30am to 6.00pm. Adults' and children's fiction and non-fiction books in the four official languages are accepted. In the spirit of recycling, participants are encouraged to bring their own bags to store their books.

For the entire month from 12 April, in conjunction with this event, a host of exciting fringe activities have been organised to enrich their learning by participating in exciting programmes to be held in four official languages at our libraries island wide. For more information on the Book Exchange, members of the public can visit the website at http://www.pl.sg/, contact NLB Helpdesk at tel: 6332 3255 or email: helpdesk@nlb.gov.sg.

Homemade Yogurt

Homemade Yogurt

Last weekend, I've tried to omemade yogurt with reference to this link,
it is really easy to make. You may try this recipe and it is free from perservation,
less sweet compare the one we buy from supermarket and of course it is more economic.


Ingredients
1) Fresh milk 1 litre
2) Plain natural yogurt - 3 tablespoon
3) A container


Steps
1) Take out all the ingredients from fridge and cool down at room
     temperature.
2)  Pour the fresh milk into container
3) To save the time, get another bigger container and pour some boil water and cool it off
     into it and let it cool down at room temperature abt 3-5 minutes, until the water temperature around 70-80'c. I didn't use thermometre to test, just estimation by testing the temperature outside the container.
4) Then, put the container with fresh milk into the container filled with warm water.
5) Let it stay about 5-8 minutes and take out the fresh milk container.
6) Fill in the boil water container with tap water to make the water cool.
7) Put the continer with fresh milk again into the water container about 5-8 minutes.
8) Add 3 tablespoon of plain natural yogurt and stir well
9) Ready and let the milk mixture ferment for about 8-9 hours. I put it at a corner of kitchen and let it ferment at room temperature. Avoid to put at the sunlight corner.

It is ready to consume. The taste is exactly the one same we bought from supermarket

知恩图报

最近到图书馆借了李嘉诚的管理智慧全集。书中道出李嘉诚的一番话＂是员工养活老板、养活公司＂在现今的工作社会里，设问有几个老板有这样的想法。这样知恩图报的老板或上司可说是少之又少。或者可说本身换工经验少，所遇见的上司也是非常的有限，但从未遇见过有此想法的老板。一生中如有辛遇到这样的上司，可说是三生有辛，至少你所付出的，上司体会的到。相反的， 你在工司努力十年半载，老板还不晓得你的工作性质是什么，身为员工的你，会怪自己有多失败，还是怪做老板的不曾用心去关心过员工呢？？

LA Goat Farm, Kluang

LA DAIRY GOAT FARM
160, Jalan Yap Tao Sah, (Yap Tau Sah), Kluang, Johor 86000
Tel: +6(07)-7878676

LA Dairy Goat Farm is a farm nearby Jalan Chong Hwa. When we arrived at this farm, we can only spot a lady worker was working there. Admission is free. Due to we've not book a tour in advance and we've to visit the farm at our own.

Goat milk is available to sell here.

Goose

This farm is not limited to goat, but other animal like deer.

Inside the shed

Goat..a tame animal : ) cute......

Passion fruit

虚惊一场

四月二日（雨） 最近盛传有小孩被拐带，原先是从朋友的面簿得悉宏茂桥有小孩差点被拐带。后又收到朋友传来的讯息说又有小孩在某某地方被拐带，越听越恐慌，平日爱带孩子们出门的我，也不敢独自带孩子到楼下的游戏场玩一玩。可怜孩子闷的发脾气，没发子，还是得带他门出去透透气，呼吸新鲜空气.. 隔天，收到朋友的消息说原来拐带的传闻是虚传， 目前警方根本没收到任何投报，虚惊一场。但警方还是劝告大众要小心看顾孩子，毕竟犯罪率低不代表无犯罪案。 今天午餐的路途中，一路上看见刚放学的年幼小学生，只见妈妈们和奶奶们，手紧握孩子们的手。最为明显是一个奶奶牵着一对分别约六岁和三岁的孙子到食阁打包午餐。 等待食物的当儿，奶奶根本没放下孙子们的手，想必是有听到传闻吧，心里多多少少都会被影响。 当初选择到这里定居是因为它的安宁，也希望这份安宁可以持之以恒，不要让不法之途破坏了这片宁静的国土。

中指

在等待越过交通灯当儿，孩子突然想起学校的事，就问我，妈妈，第三只手指有什么特别的意思？ 我问为什么这么问，他说老师指责他为何比中指。。。后我解释给他听， 他才恍然大悟。其实他是不经意的用中指指东西， 而且一个小孩怎么知道比中指是那回事， 看他知悉后的表情，感受到他很无辜，被冤枉了。 尝试问他是那位老师， 确不肯说。因知道这妈妈一定会向老师解释，他会不好意思。 走着走着，他竟然对我说他不要他的中指，因怕自己会不小心又用中指指东西，他这番话， 搞得我啼笑皆非。。。他一而再，再而三的向我确认其它的四只手指有无代表任何的不雅的手势，我说无， 他才放心。

投注，算是赌博吗？？

投注，算是赌博吗？？

今天经过一个投注站，店里挤满了人潮，人龙长达店外。。。排队的人，不分男女老少，各自耐心排队的打发时间， 有的玩手机， 看报章等。。。心里想为什么他们宁愿浪费时间及花辛苦赚回来的钱来投注， 中奖的机会小之又小， 但是投注的人往往一年比一年的增加。


所谓“小赌治情”； 何谓“小赌”？ 定义因人而异。。有的人认为每次投注5元， 一个星期3次， 仅花15元，月花60元而已， 是个小数目。但依年费记算，耗费约720元。如运气好，幸运的可以把投注的钱赢回，试想真的有这么容易中奖吗？


据知邻国有高达3家的投注站, 每星期开彩3次。试问一个投注者，各家投注5元，共每次15元，每星期45至50元，月花200元，年花2400元，是个可观的数目。这可是最保守的估计。。曾经听友人投诉说， 其先生每月给父母的家用， 大部分捐给了投注站。试想想， 辛苦挣回来的钱， 每日省吃俭用，钱却去了投注站。听了，很无奈。


投注， 名副其实就是赌博。曾经问友人，他们不可以一天不投注吗？他说不行， 因怕平日买的心水字开出来， 自己会很心痛； 如果一天不买，整天心不安。我心想， 其实他们已上瘾， 难以自拔。


依我看，“小赌不治情”；不赌其实就是赢了！

Kluang: Zenxin Organic Park

在最近的学校短暂的假期里，我们选择到附近的柔佛州-居銮 Kluang走走。在网站搜查的信息显示，居銮（Kluang），旧称Keluang，为马来语蝙蝠的意思，故居銮又称之为蝙蝠城，是马来西亚柔佛州（Johor）中部城镇，居銮市市治。人口大约30多万人。半岛马来西亚干线铁路与柔佛州东西海岸横贯公路在此交会，居銮座落在南峇山（Gunung Lambak）脚下，明基摩河（Sungai Mengkibol)由北往南穿城而过，故有“南山銮水”之称。全国20％的棕油厂集中于此；周围还有大片菠萝田和橡胶园。有机械与汽车修理装配厂，橡胶和木材加工厂，砖瓦、纺织厂及工艺制作等。商业繁盛。有农业及兽医研究所，附近有国立公共行政研究所。近来购物商场林立如龙城广场（BCB广场）和地王广场，市内还有一所独立中学（居銮中华中学），是全马来西亚60所独立中学之一。

实际上居銮座落在柔佛州的一个小镇。花了约2小时的路程，到达我们的第一目地    <诚兴绿色有机公园>.

诚兴绿色有机公园(Zenxin Organic Park)是大马第一个结合教育与休闲功能，全天候开放予公众参观游玩的有机农庄。游客们可以选择骑脚踏车或是徒步自行游览整个公园。另外，我们也提供导游服务，带领游客游览田园风光(需预定，最少20人），品尝新鲜的有机作物及参与我们的特设活动. 这个占地一百英亩，景色宜人的公园主要由大片的温室菜园和龙珠果园构成，其他农作物则包括了多种热带水果，如百香果，木瓜，黄梨等等以及上百种不同药草。值得一提的是园里所有的农作物都是采有机农耕法栽种的，在这里游客能够亲眼见证农夫们在不使用化肥及农药的情况下栽种有机蔬果。公园内设有餐厅，有机零售店及花圃，游玩后在此用餐与选购有机蔬果或是花卉盆栽，不论心灵或物质上都可满载而归！

入门票:  成人 RM 10, 儿 童 RM8

最初我看到的入场券的价格时，我的第一印象是哇，这么贵......后来我意识到，孩子和成人都有小纪念品，儿童有免费的冰淇淋和喂兔子的粮食。而成人纪念品包括一盒桑椹茶叶袋和有机番石榴一杯。我看见这桑椹茶叶袋也在入口处附近的有机商店出售，值马币9.9。



兔子最开心， 因为有食物吃 : p



 

Sweet Corn farm



长丝瓜，一般用来晒干后，作为洗碗用途。





猫须草





龙珠果



龙珠果园

Mulberries

Cow farm

Mushroom

Passion Fruit

售卖龙珠果苗的盘栽

水果標籤

Source: from forwarded mail 法國經實驗證實, 吃改造基因的大豆的老鼠, 第一代長很好, 下一代有50%罹患多種疾病,  再下一代全不能生育, 美國已禁止改良大豆用在人類食物上, 只能用在飼養的動物上,  所以我們呼籲珍愛自己, 不要吃基因改造任何食物!! 閱讀在您的果實上貼的數字 ...... 「水果標籤」會有幾個數字，它除了告訴消費者水果名稱與主要產地之外，還標示出選購的水果是屬於安全或不安全水果。 請注意閱讀您手上所拿的果實上標貼的數字，可別小看它，這數字可以說是獨有的另類身分證，代表的是，只有進口的才有貼，而且數字還大有玄機。 傳統的水果標籤：四個數字  開始為 4  有機的水果標籤：五個數字 和數字開頭為 9  轉基因的水果　：數字開頭為 8 ex. 你在商店碰巧看到一個蘋果: 如果它的標籤是4922，這是一個傳統的蘋果，它是使用除草劑和有害肥料種植的。 如果它的標籤是99222，它是有機的和可以安全食用。 如果它的標籤是89222，那就不要買！！ 它是經由轉基因的（GMO）。 因此，下次您去購物，請記住這些重要的數字，可知道如何避免購買到無機的和轉基因生物水果。 購物安全須知：這些應該注意，因為商店沒有義務告訴你，如果水果已被基因改造。

清洗蔬果用鹽更糟糕!!

 

清洗蔬果用鹽更糟糕

用鹽清洗蔬果反而會讓農藥更穩定而更糟糕

               

All this while, we’ve a concept in mind to rinse our vegetable by mix with salt. Actually this is totally wrong until I read below article from a forwarded mail. So from now on, please do not use SALT to rinse your vegetable as it will harm our health.

鹽是氯化鈉，用鹽清洗蔬果反而會讓農藥更穩定而更糟糕。同時建議不論清洗蔬菜或水果可以先用清水清洗一遍後，第二次清洗時在水中加入少許低筋麵粉清洗蔬 果確實可以去除農藥。 有一位在檢驗局做檢驗的人說：鹽的成份是會穩定農藥的。把蔬菜在室溫下放半天再用清水多沖洗就可以了。 文英阿姨那個健康低鈉鹽的廣告：“精鹽是用來洗菜的”是錯誤的。 食工系的老師說：精鹽會使農藥的化學鍵更穩定，那蔬菜上殘留的農藥就會鎖在蔬 菜上。 所以要把蔬菜上的農藥去除，只要用清水多沖洗幾次就可以了， 千萬不要加鹽巴下去洗菜......。