Reflections on Year 2008

Hi,

Another eventful year is coming to an end and I have been reflecting on it for the past few days on what year 2008 has been for me.

Here are some of my reflections ...............

At the beginning of 2008, I was very concerned for my dear wife's eyes as she had a retina tear in her right eye just before Christmas in 2007. She had 2 laser treatment to 'sew' the tear back.

Luckily, by end April, it was considered fully treated but that eye will always see some wavy line and it is something that she got used to by now and not affecting her sight or movement today.

I have to do a crown on my tooth last Jan and another one is due in Jan 2009! Somewhere in the later part of 2008, I managed to fix one of the molars that have been sensitive for almost a year. What a relief now!

The family have a wonderful trip to visit my brother and sister families during the June school holiday; it was winter there. As Jason is much older now, we brought back to a few places like the Great Ocean Road to see the 7 Apostles and Philip Island, etc... He could not recalled these places that he visited when he was young so he really enjoyed it and appreciated what he saw.

It was quite an experience having the Kangaroos up clsoe to you especially the adult ones!

Scary..lah!

Australia's famous Koala and it is not a bear!

Also, catching up with his cousins now that he is much older and they can enjoy each other company; ie same wave length....

I also flew back to Penang to visit my parents 3 times this year and at the same time took my Dad for his medical follow-up on his colon cancer recovery. Glad to say that he is doing well and almost 2 years since he was operated to remove the cancerous cells. I told my elder sister that I would do it as she has been looking after my parents most of the time. I am glad that I kept my promise to her.

Jas and his grandfather in Penang home; on the way out for dinner at a nearby open air coffee shop; ie 'choo char'

I started to be more serious in my Internet Marketing business in March and April, and the traffic soared but still income was very small and trickling in. After my return from my Melbourne holidays, I picked up momentum again and the small income was a bit more regular. I am still continuing with it and I believe the opportunity and with a bit of luck, I will see better income in 2009.

I started to have lower back pain in Oct and sought medical advice. Did MRI on both my back and left knee ( you may have read my postings on this ) and taking the appropriate actions to alleviate the pain but no pain killers for me. I am using the Inversion Table for my back and a special OA Knee brace. So far, so good .....

This school holidays in Nov and Dec, Jason went to New Zealand ( Overseas Study trip ), Kuala Lumpur ( soccer friendly matches ) and Ipoh ( Leadership Seminar ) through his school programme. He has travelled enough so no family holiday trip but my wife & I went to Kuala Lumpur for a few days instead.

Lai Meng at the base of the Petronas Twin Towers in KL.

Well, time flies..............

So what are your New Year resolutions or wishes..?

I only have a few wishes in mind..... and there are .......

Good Health to all of us especially the older ones ( my wife and I included...ha..ha.... ).

Jason does well in his 'O' level exam. and get to the institution that he wants.

Taking my Internet Marketing business to the next level.

No resolutions that comes to my mind.

With that, I wish you all the best in 2009 and may your wishes come true....!

David

Merry Christmas & A Happy New Year !

Hi,

Check out this amazing video on doggies putting up a Christmas Tree!

I should think of getting my Jack and Ruby to do it next year.....? Ha..ha...

Anyway, my family & I + our doggies wishing you all a
Merry Christmans and a Fabulous New Year in 2009.....!



If the video does not show,
please go to this address at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUtPKbMwnRo

Holiday in Kuala Lumpur - Berjaya Times Square & KLCC

Hi,

We stayed at Berjaya Times Square Hotel where there are 2 towers and the first 10 storey is the shopping mall with a theme park inside ( with a roller coaster running a few floors! ). There is also a conference centre between the 2 towers.

The suite given to us is more like a service apartment with a small kitchen area and a separate lounge area; separate shower and WC areas.

Berjaya Times Square shopping mall is quite self contained with food outlets, cinemas, theme park, retail shops etc.....

Importantly, the monorail is right in front and we took it to KLCC to visit the Petronas Twin Tower. KLCC itself is another big shopping complex.

We found this restaurant offering Penang food like Prawn and Curry Mee and have lunch there. I used to frequent their branch in Mid-Valley when I was working on the Southern Bank project a few years ago.

Berjaya Times Square is located in the Jalan Bintang shopping triangle, where we have other shopping malls within walking distance. We visited Sungei Wang Plaza , Low Yat Plaza, Imbi Plaza and dined along Jalan Bukit Bintang and Jalan Alor too.

My wife was quite successful in her shopping spree but not so much on clothes but shoes, hair accessories and even things like local coffee in their GIANT supermarket. We managed to find the underwear brand that Jason like ( the ones that we bought in Penang last Sep ),

I only shopped for IT stuff at Imbi and Low Yat Plazas where the accessories are much cheaper ( but do your homework first as they do sell fake stuff too ), much to my surprise. I bought things like ATA-USB cable to connect my external CD writer, USB extension cables to connect Jason's PC to the printer and scanner, and even Norton Internet Security 2009 ( I paid RM95 and it cost S$98 ). These plaza are equivalent to our Sim Lim Square.

Overall, we have quite an enjoyable time as I also got to meet my elder sister twice for dinner and also lunch with my cousin on our last day there.

Though it was the Malaysia Great Shopping sale period but we really did not feel the atmosphere of sale there.

My next trip to Malaysia is likely to be Penang for 'Cheng Beng' in Mar or Apr 2009.

Here is a slideshow of some photos taken of my stay in KL.

( Please click on the 'X' on the top right-hand corner of the screen if no photos are shown. )

Holiday in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - Coach Journey

Hi,

My wife and I decided to take a short break to Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia while Jason was in Ipoh himself. Since Jason has travelled up to Malaysia by coaches twice this school holidays, we decided to experience it too as we always fly up to Penang.

Honestly, I was a bit excited as I have never taken such a coach and do not quite know what to expect especially the comfort area as I am a bit spoilt since I rather fly or cruise...ha..ha.....

So we went for a package that covers the coach trip and a hotel stay of 3 nights at Berjaya Time Square. Importantly, we wanted the coach to drop us off and pick us up at the hotel for convenience since we are not familiar with KL.

I like to share with you my coach journey and I will do more postings on the other aspect of my holiday in KL.

It was our second time going to Golden Mile Complex to catch the coach early in the morning. Though we were there 2 nights ago to see Jason off to Ipoh for his school leadership conference.

We were not very comfortable as it is a popular place frequent by the Thais and if you go inside the complex ( we went in for the toilets and to look for something last minute for Jas that evening ), you may think you are in Thailand as you see so many of the Thai people, their shops and music blaring at you due to the karoake or club there.

The travel offices are all on the front ground floor but there are no proper place for the passengers waiting for their coaches. So if you are too early or the coach is delayed, you will just have to stand outside along the passageway. Jas coach was delayed by an hour that evening.

Luckily, we were on time and there was already a queue at the check-in counter and no delay by the coach. We boarded our coach immediately and it left on time.

As it was called a SVIP 26 seater coach, we thought it should be reasonably comfortable. Well, this is entry level coach I think so do not be fool by the word, SVIP!

This was a double decker coach whereas the one taken by Jason was a single decker. The coach we took for our return trip was a single decker and slightly more comfortable.

One of my concern was that there was no safety belt on the seats! Also, no toilet in the coach too!

However, if you pay more ( not sure how much more ), there are 1st class coaches and you can get sofa-like single seat with a console and headset! There was a coach with a hostess too!

But your coach will still stop at the same places like Yong Peng where the food was not great so it is more of a toilet break and if you are hungry, then eat something like Malay chicken rice or fisball noodle but mainly Malay food.

The overall time from the boarding of the coach to disembarking at the destination was 5 hours but the return trip took 6 hours instead! This include rest stop and immigration checks along the way.

I bought a travel pillow to support my back as I have a bad lower back. Listening to MP3 music also helps. The scenery was not that appealing after some time but I rather travel in the day than at night as most of the accidents happened late at night!

So here is a slideshow of my coach journey and I will write a bit more on my stay in KL later.

(Pls click on the 'X' on the top right-hand corner of the slideshow if display is blank.)

Lower Back Pain - Inversion Table

Hi,

A few months ago, I started to experience some pain on the lower back and also numbness on either the calf or buttocks, or even both.

My wife and I attended a talk on Knee and Back Pain Management organised by STP and we are now more informed of the problems.

A few weeks after that, due to the ongoing numbness and pain on the lower back and knee, I decided to visit the specialist doctors ( or Consultants as they call themselves now ).

Did MRI on the lower back and knee. Nothing so severe that I need surgery but maybe in the future if they get worse.

My dear wife came across this advertisement on this Inversion Table and we went to attend a short talk and demo. Met a friend who bought it recently and found it effective. I also searched the Internet for more info before we decided to buy it .

Glad to say that I believe it has helped as the pain and numbness are much under control and they are not as bad as before.

In short, the principle is similar to have weights pulled on your spine when you have slipped disc.
I saw my father lying in bed and having weights on him when he was in his 40s. This Inversion Table uses gravity to pull the spine and let it breath or self-heal with time by hanging you upside down at various angles.

You can see me in the photo below hanging at 30 degrees only but I can feel my body weight pulling me down and as if I am upside down. I should progress to 60 degrees when I am used to it.

We decided to buy this latest model which is safer and easy to maintain as I do not want to fall upside down....ha...ha...ha....

This cost us more than S$1000 but there are cheaper models for around S$500 but do your research on the Internet before you go into it as it is quite an investment.

My family members also use it and I do it at least twice a day for 5 to 10 minutes or whatever you are comfortable with.

As we grow old, we will have all sort of problems and I believe in arresting them early and paying for it for long term gains if I can afford it.

Eat and sleep well, my friends!

David

My Bionic Leg ?

Hi,

Some of you are aware that I have oestoarthritis (OA) on my left knee and have started to limp a bit more lately, I have a MRI done last month and the doctor has recommended an OA knee brace to help alleviate the pain and also, hopefully, may realign the the part of the joint that are rubbing against each other.

I believe this is the latest model and I could be possibly one of the first few to be wearing it here. It has to be shipped in from US or Canada.

My son thinks that it is cool and my wife called it 'bionic'...?

I just started wearing it last Thu and was walking around the Sitex PC show for at least 2 hours... No knee pain but a bit uncomfortable as I was not used to it and also still adjusting the straps accordingly.

I believe it is doing what it is meant to do and alleviating the pain in the knee but I am still getting used to have it on. Wearing shorts is ok but need to wear a baggy pants to have it on though. Tried it once, so far.

But it costs a 'bomb'...!

So here is how it looks like .....

Sitex PC Show 08

Hi,

As usual, I always look forward to such PC shows throughout the year to see what are being offerred and also time my purchases at such shows.

So what did I buy at this Sitex 08?

I helped my Philipino housekeeper buy a notebook to bring home next year.

I myself bought a Canon film scanner as I have a lot of baby photos of Jason captured on film as digital cameras were not available then.

I also bought 100 pieces of CD-R blank CDs at $22.00 . Yes, I am still using CDs besides DVDs.

Other than that, my wife and I signed for a few Credit Card accounts, etc..... as it was convenient and there were giving some free gifts too... like steam iron, bag, earpiece, etc....

One FREE account I signed up was MediaRing account so that I can call my siblings on my PC but on their land lines in Australia. No charge for these calls. I am handy with my PC and notebook but they are still using the phones for communication so good solution for us. Made a call to my brother and he commented that it was very clear.

I was there for 3 days...!

Day 1 was to collect the notebook brochures for evaluation. Came across Canon's offer on the film scanner for $179 + a free wireless mouse! It is being sold at $205 and no free gift at retail stores.
But no stock, so I was asked to go back on Day 2....!

Day 2, we went to buy the notebook after shortlisting Acer and NEC based on price and specifications. She chose NEC. But still no stock for my Canon film scanner!

Day 3 was Sat. So my dear wife went with me too. Finally, got my Canon film scanner + free wireless mouse! And we were stuck there longer than expected after getting caught in registering for FREE accounts etc for free gifts...ha..ha....

We were also looking at VAIO notebooks for a friend too!

The crowd was growing day by day......

Though it is well known that the prices would have dropped a bit more due to competition on the last day, we rather buy what we wanted than rushed with the Sun evening crowd! Also, the vendors prefer to sell the stock than having to transport them back to ther shops or warehouse.

We were at the show just after 30 minutes of it being opened on Sat and it was already a huge crowd.

I can never understand how some couples go to such shows with a baby in a pram. We already have difficulty walking without bumping into the crowd!

BTW, it is no longer really a PC show as there were Banks, Security firms, Home Entertainment equipment, cameras, etc..... Anything goes including Cash Converter too!

I look forward to the next one in Feb/Mar 09.

Happy Shopping for Christmas!

David

Jasmine Yeong-Nathan - AMF Bowling World Cup Champion

Hi,

I am so proud of Jasmine for being the first Singaporean to win the AMF World Cup in Mexico recently, by beating the defending champion Ann-Maree Putney in the final.

Jasmine finished two pins short of a perfect game in the end. It is her first major itle win after being the national champion in 2005.

She is only 20 years old and studying media and communication in Singapore Polytechnic.

Tao Li , on the right in the photo, was also winning her 100m butterfly in the last leg of the Fina/Arena World Cup series over the weekend.

ERP Song + A Tour Of Singapore City

Hi,

I find the song hillarous and the video is quite good as it covers quite a fair bit of Singapore City.

So enjoy both the song and scenery or the scenery, at least!


ERP Song from Richard Hunter on Vimeo.

David

How To Sell And Buy On eBay

Hi,

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Jason Did It - Bungee Jump in New Zealand

Hi,

Jason arrived safely home early this morning and he told us that he & 3 of his other schoolmates did the Bungee Jump in Auckland, New Zealand!

Initially, he just told us about his jump and then eventually he admitted that it was scary and he would think twice about doing it again.

But I must still take my hat off to him for having guts to do it. Same for the other 3 friends. IT is better to try it when you are young and gutsy then when you are older and start to fear or dare not try it.....?

And here is his certificate to prove that he has done it.... I like the part that he was of sound mind and body...ha..ha...

Mum & I are proud of you but please do not take unnecessary risk in future.

Cool man!

Jason's Study Trip to New Zealand

Hi,

Jason is now in Auckland, New Zealand, on a school study trip...!!!

How lucky are these kids these days... compared to our time...!

Going to the beach was a BIG thrill already then...!

Anyway, this is the first time he is overseas without the parents so he has to learned to take care of himself; like keeping his passport and managing his money + packing and unpacking his luggage. The teachers are not going to 'mother' them as told to us during the briefing.

While we miss him but we are not worrying for him as he should be in good hands and he has been travelling with us to Australia quite often, the last trip was in June this year.

Here are a few shots extracted from their blog on the trip.




Jason is 4th from your Right; standing behind.

At Changi Airport, Terminal 3, at 6:30am for a 10 hours direct flight to Auckland.

5 hours difference, so they will be arriving close to mid-night...!

10 students + 2 teachers.

Here they are at LaSalle College in Auckland for 3 days of schooling.

A friendly socer game during recess... 2-2 score!


Jason is at your extreme left, fixing his shoe laces.





On top of Mt Eden with the city skyline in the background.







You can even see the Skytower in the photo, which they will be visiting the following day.


They will be making a few field trips to see the Waitomo caves, Kiwi fruit orchard, etc.....

Will be back home this coming Sunday early morning like 6:30am........

Toilet Woes

Hi,

A few years ago, I lost my briefcase which containned my Palm Pilot, PC mouse and some personal documens in a shopping mall toilet.

When I went back to this shopping mall, I think little has been done to prevent such theft though when I reported my loss to the Customer Service Counter, the staff told me that it has happened a few times already.

I am still pissed off about it so here is how it could have happened to you, in any shopping mall or public toilet.


There is this ledge at the back of the toilet seat where you will be so happy to put your personal belongings there instead of putting them on the 'dirty' floor or hanging your bags etc at the back of the door.

And that's what I did .....!

I was seated for a few minutes only as I did not manage to 'pooh' and has to rush to catch a movie in the mall.

BUT when I turned around, my breifcase was gone...!

I quickly walked out and checked the next door cubicles but no one was present.


I suspect that there was someone hiding in the next door cubicle, waiting for his victims......


So as mentioned earlier, I reported to the Customer Service counter and eventaully to a neighbourhood police station too as there were some personal documents in the briefcase. Though I did not expect to get anything back but more to formalise the loss and protect my family and I, in case something happened ; eg my home address and some personal details could have be misused etc....























Now, there is this signage at the back of the door!

If you are to follow this instructions then you should be placing your bags etc in front of you and not lose sight of them.

Then do not have the ledge built and mis-lead the users otherwise!

So my advice to you is to be cautious and be mindful when you use the public toilets anywhere and also during your travels too...!

Take care!

Singaporeans are Gracious Lot!

Hi,

I was taking a bus from Marine Parade to Orchard Rd yesterday and was offerred a better standing position in the bus.

Yes! Not a seat but a better standing place in the bus by a matured lady.

Some of you knew that I have a bad left knee for many years. I was wearing a knee guard and in bermudas yesterday. I was almost thrown off my balance when the bus moved and I was standing sideways near the driver seat.

This lady offerred me her standing place which allowed me to lean against a padded cushion behind the driver's seat and I have a better steady stance. I supposed she noticed my bad knee since I was in shorts. I thnk her for it and she was very polite about it.

When I was taking my 80+ years old father out during his recent visit here, someone would offer him his seat whether we were taking a MRT or bus.

Recently, it was also reported that a school boy gave up his seat to an elderly woman in the bus and a foreign visitor was so impressed by his gesture.

Again, it was reported that school children are more generous when coming to donate some money to charity or people 'begging' for money along the streets.

I am also proud to say that Jason has been brought up to be generous and chivalrous about such things.

Of course, there are always some 'bad apples' that spoil the whole image or give us a bad impression.

But I do believe most Sigaporeans especially the young ones are a gracious lot, thanks to the parents and school teaching them the correct values or principles in life.

Have a good weekend!

David

Make $$$ From Blogging

Hi,

Some of you are aware that I am into making some money through blogging over the past months.

I bought this Atomic Blogging early this year and it has definitely cut down my learning curve and help me in many ways.

I have 8 blogs to-date and 6 of them are generating some income for me now.

The author of Atomic Blogging is currently giving a further discount of USD10 for a short promotion period so do take advantage of it NOW.

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Happy Blogging....!

Rgds,

David

Ruby the Corgi - Vote For ME !

Hi,

If you think I am sexy when I am sleeping..... then vote for me~!

If you want to try my stretch, please be reminded that you are doing it at your own risk....ha..ha....!





Thanks and lots of licks from me too!

Psst.. I heard that my buddy, Jack is also taking part too so vote for him, ok!

Ruby the Corgi

Jack the Beagle - Vote For ME !

Hi,

If you think that I am cute and cool, please vote for me at





Thanks and lots of licks from me......hee....heee

Jack the Beagle

Singapore - Slum Free City !

It was reported in the paper that Singapore is the only city in the world without slums, a new report by the United Nations Habitat.

Slums were defined as areas where there was overcrowding, a lack of safe drinking water, sanitation, durable housing materials and rights over tenure.

A quarter of Singapore's population lived as squatters or in slums in 1959, with as many as 200 people living in a shophouse before the Government stepped in to build public housing. Over 4,000 flats were ready in 1964.

- The Straits Times Saturday, October 25 2008, Shobana Kesava

CHOPE !

Hi,

For those who do not know what 'CHOPE' means?

We used it when we want to reserve something like a table or a seat.....

Sporeans have a habit of 'choping' the table or seat by placing a packet of tissue on the table. A very common sight in foodcourt during lunch time.

Companies also give away packet tissue to advertise their products and also for the people to 'chope' their seats too.

Here are 2 samples :

Singapore in Recession

Hi,

It is reported that Singapore is in a technical recession; ie our growth in the last 2 quarters is negative?

2 weekends ago while we were in Orchard Rd, Takashimaya in Ngee Ann City to be specific, we still saw a lot of people. Unless they were just window shopping and enjoying the free air-con, else we did not think that spore is in recession!

Last weekend, we were having lunch at one of the many Suntec City basement restaurants and we really can sense that there was no crowd and it was a bit deserted indeed. Yes, the recession is here...?

But when we passed by the food court, it was crowded as usual. So maybe, the people have gone there instead or downgraded their lifestyle a bit ....ha...ha...ha...

Whatever it is, I just feel sorry for the lower income people as they are the worst hit .....

As for us, we have always watch our expenses and have a simple but reasonable lifestyle.

BUT I think the children will never really fell it as the parents have a tendency to make sacrifices for them instead; ie cut their own expenses but maintain the children expense....

I have already told Jason that we are not buying us a Wii set for Xmas as originally intended as it would cost something like S$900. We got him a Mulit-Effects gadget for his electric guitar instead.

So Merry Xmas and hopefully, we will have a good ending to this year....

How To Get RICH Working From Home!

Hi,

I came across this report or eBook which gives you 3 business models on working from home.

The 3 business models are :

* eBay

* Affiliate Marketing

* Selling Your Own Product

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I bought it a few days ago and I have already read all the reports; a total of about 169 pages. I am so excited about what I have learned eventhough some of the topics are not new to me but it helps me fine tune my current business models and also give me alternate models to work on. So I thought I should share it with you especially since it is quite affordable.

Affiliate Marketing report covers topics like Web 2.0 resources and website strategy. The Sales Copy report is a great guide on how to write a sales copy or letter. The audios complemented the reports with additional information. I learned so much from them as there are quite a lot of details given there.

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Father & Child Feeding Pigeons

Hi,

I took these photos with my mobile camera near the Kwan Yin temple, of the man and his child feeding the pigeons.

Singapore Community Libraries

Hi,

I am quite a frequent user of our community or public libraries; from the one at Pasir Ris-White Sands to Bishan.

I borrow books for my research on Internet Marketing research, Jason and even my maid ( for her grooming course etc ). I also used the facility at Bedok library where there are specific tables near power points for my notebook and wireless access to the Internet too ( IDA Wireless ).

What is surprising to me was there is always a queue every morning!

Here is a photo taken of Bedok library recently.

I was curious so I follow the people especially the older folks.....

Guess why the queue?

The older folks are rushing in for a good spot and to read the daily newspaper... they form the bulk of the crowd.

The students are there to study for their exams.

A few with notebooks rushed in to go for the tables near the power points as there are a few of them only but sometimes occupied by people who are just sitting there to read only.

I am one of those that need power for my notebook unless it is fully charged and I am not staying longer than 1.5 hours. However, I do not bother to queue but try to turn up as early as possible else too bad..lor!

These are the power sockets for notebook users, next to a few tables. However, you will find people sitting on the carpeted floor next to any available power point to hook up their notebook, especially students.

As usual, there are always ugly users in the library. Sad to say, the uncles and aunties who answer their mobiles and speak loudly in their dialects ( maybe they are a bit deaf...?). A few will reserve their seats and disappear for quite a while .....?

This elderly man reserved his seat and deprieve one user from usig the power point! So inconsiderate and he was away for so long too!

Free air-con and comfortable sofa so it is fully used by the senior citizens... Occassionally, you may hear some snoring too...ha...ha....though you are not suppose to sleep in the library.

Some parents think it is a playground and their children are let loose....sigh!

A group of young girls occupied the whole table next to me and was talking and giggling aloud so I sheeeee... them and they quiet down a bit.

When I was in Bishan library yesterday afternoon, I even saw a woman watching a movie on her DVD player hooked to a power point. She was so comfortable in the single sofa chair. A few seats away was a man having his afternoon nap.

So there you are, our typical library users in a nutshell....

Singapore 4th Cheapest Place

Hi,

A global survey has found Singapore to be among the countries where it is cheapest for expatriates to raise theier children!

In a survey by HSBC Bank International, Singapore emerged 4th cheapest after Spain, India and China.

The mother of 2 teenagers said: "I know my children will be safe in Singapore and drugs are not a concern."

Lower Back Pain

Hi,

Early this year, I started to experience numbness in my buttocks, tighs, calf and some soreness in my lower back too. It can be all over the lower body or some of the isolated parts only; eg only the calf.

Initially, I thought it could be due to my left knee which has oestoarthritis (OA) and triggerred such numbness or sitting too long in front of the PC.

2 weekends ago, I attended a talk on Back and Knee Pains by some consultant doctors or specialists. So I went to see one of them when the numbness came last week and it was quite bad especially on the lower back.

I did a MRI scan and it was concluded that I have 2 degenerated discs on my lower back due to wear and tear...? The discs are pressing against the nerve so the numbness in the lower body.

Fortunately, it does not look too severe now as long as I can tolerate the pain so no immediate surgery required and no pain killer prescribed too. However, I am to seek treatment immediately when the pain becomes unbearable.

I am also advised to swim so as to strengthen my back muscles and this is the best form of exercise. Do not exert myself or exercise when I experience the numbness.

The surgery is of low risk as the surgeon claims that he is scrapping the bone outside the spinal cord to relive the pressure.

So my dear friends, do watch out for any back or knee pains and I strongly advise you to get it checked so that you are aware of the causes and find out how best to manage it and prevent it from getting worst.

Surprisingly, the surgeon commented I am a bit young to have such problems....sigh....

So please take good care of yourself.

David

Happy Birthday To ME !

Hi,

No prize for guessing how old I am .....!

Another year have flown by quickly and I am glad to say that all have been well so I look forward to many more good years to come.

Knee Pain - Osteoarthritis (OA)

Hi,

I did a MRI scan on my problem left knee this week to review my current condition as I have one done in Dec 2005 when my knee was locked for about an hour. I have to call for an ambulance to take me to Raffles Hospital even though I was only at Bugis Junction Foodcourt basement!

Also, after attending a talk on Back and Knee Pain 2 weekends ago, organised by Strait Times - Mind Your Body, I was keen to know more of my knee condition as I was not happy with the previous consultant orthopaedic surgeon treatment years ago.

I still experience some pain when I walked too long; eg window shopping with my dear wife or browsing in the PC Shows.....

In short, the left knee is slightly bent or bowed and I walk with a slight limp especially when it is painful. I definitely have OA and there was a spur growing on the inner right side and very slight swelling which causes the occassional pain. The swelling is like tears when your eyes get irritated, a good analogy used by the doctor.

Importantly, I do not need any surgery or even pain killer and I can continue with my current lifestyle; exercise through walking or swimming, manage my weight and no impact sports like basketball, soccer,....

The doctor recommended me a special knee brace and it is going to cost around S$1,000 to maintain the knee joint. I have yet to try it as the salesperson will have to make a house call to show it to me as it is not readily available in retail shops and sold through the hospital. I guess it is a small price to pay if it helps me maintain my knee joint and prolong its lifespan as there is a strong chance that I will need a knee replacement, as the wear and tear gets worse with time.

So my friends, do not take your knees for granted..... if it starts to make a clicking sound when you bend your knees, it is a sign of wear and tear of the cartilage already. Listen to your body and not ignore its sending some sort of signal to you... for your attention.

Take care!

David

Bad Customer Service or My Bad Luck ! ( Part 2 )

Hi,

I sent Jason's mobile phone to the Service Centre (SC) as there were a few functions not working properly. This is the second time.

After about 2 weeks, I called SC and was told that there have changed a few components but still not working so they were going to replace the motherboard but waiting for the stock to arrive.

I told him that the motherboard has been replaced during the first time it was serviced so I suggested that they replaced it with a new phone instead. He has to consult his supervisor and called me back.

I asked him if he could survive without a mobile for so long and they did not even offer me a temporary one if it took so long to fix it. He then said he could check if they have any standby mobile for me. ( But Jason was using a simple basic mobile that I got for free from subscription to weekend New Paper during the period. )

He called me and that they have agreed to replace it with a new phone and would call me when it is ready for collection.

Hurray...a new mobile phone!

A week passed by, I called SC again and complained about the time taken so long and no one revert to me. Finally, they told me that it was ready for collection.

I happily collected the new mobile phone for Jason and tested it on site first as my confidence level with them is not that high as my other mobile also has problem before and was not well repaired ( see my posting a few months ago ).

So far, the mobile phone is working fine but I am not too happy with the service and the duration taken to revert to me.

I am now considering another brand of mobile if I have to upgrade it in the near future due to my bad experiences with it.

So, is it my bad luck or bad service or this brand of mobile is not that good...?

OR was Sept a bad month for me since I have 2 bad experiences during this period..?

Bad Customer Service or My Bad Luck ! ( Part 1 )

Hi,

I bought a refurbished MP3 player online about a month ago. I have done this a few times and the experience has been good and no problem with the payment, delivery and the Mp3 players are still working today.

Unfortunately, this MP3 player has a line displayed on the screen ( ie not a scratch ) when turned on. Much to my disappointment, no quality control done before packaging it for sale..?

So I took it to the shop for repair or replacement as there is a 30 days warranty for such item.

After about 2 weeks, I called up the Customer Service Centre (CSC) to enquire on the status. I was told that there is no available unit of the same colour. I told her then I will take another colour.

She surprisingly asked me if anyone has called me earlier and I said no! She would arrange for another unit but of another colour to be sent to the shop for my collection.

Another week passed by and no one called me. So I called CSC again (Mon) and was told that they would arrange it to be despatched to the shop but as there was a holiday on 1 Oct (Wed) , the earliest I could collect it would be Thu.

On Fri, I called CSC and was told that the unit should have arrived at the shop and did anyone sms or call me? I said no and that is why I am calling them instead. I was put on hold and I hung up. CSC called me back to inform me that the shop just received it and I could collect it anytime from that shop.

So I happily went to the shop to collect the unit and the counter girl was searching for it and not getting anywhere. She even asked me if anyone from the shop smsed or called me to collect it. So I told her that I just spoke to their SCS and was told that it has arrived that afternoon. Then she found a box with a few items that just arrived but not opened yet!

Well, I finally collected the item and aksed if there is still a warranty since the 30 days warranty is almost over BUT not due to my fault. She gave me another 3 months warranty.

So is this bad service or just my bad luck....?

This is a local but popular brand, a competitor of iPod. I support our local brand as it is priced reasonably and better specifications. Value for money!

I hope this bad experience is an isolated case!

Steven Gerrard - 100th Goal

Hi,

I am so happy for Steven Gerrard for scoring his 100th goal in the recent Champions League match against PSV Eindhoven at Anfield.

Steven Gerrard is my favourite EPL player as I like the way he plays and leads Liverpool as their Captain. He is a nice man outsiide the game and he also set a good example and carry himself well.

Though I am a MU supporter but Steven Gerrard is the player that I like.

Caption LIVERPOOL, UNITED KINGDOM - OCTOBER 01: Steven Gerrard of Liverpool celebrates scoring his team's third goal, and his 100th goal for Liverpool during the UEFA Champions League Group D match between Liverpool and PSV Eindhoven at Anfield on October 1, 2008 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

Singapore - A Great City To Live In

Hi,

I am glad that we live in a great city like Singapore !

It has been reported that the US think-tank Ethisphere Institute picks Singapore as one of the top cities of the future.

Singapore F1 Night Race Video

Hi,

Here ias another video which I have compiled a few still shots of the race track, some video highlights, and finally a few still shots of the winner, Alonso.

This video should give you an overview of the world's first F1 night race held in Singapore.

Singapore F1 Grand Prix - Final Race (Part 2)

Hi,

Here is another slideshow of more photos taken during the final race.

And a video of the racing taking at the corner opposite Victoria Theatre, and the cars coming out of Anderson Bridge and turning into Esplanade Drive. Turn up the volume to enjoy the roaring of the F1 car engines.