Sesame Street @ Marina Square Sesame Street, a production of the CTW (Children’s Television Workshop), is an educational programme widely watched by children and adults alike still remains popular today. Learning the alphabets, numbers, phonics, counting, spelling, all weaved into an excited and fun-filled television song and activity programme captivates the attention of the children. Remember Big Bird, Ernie and Bert, Cookie Monster, Oscar the grouch, Grover, Elmo… ^ The street that we enjoyed growing up in by watching it on television. From 22 Nov to 7 Dec 2008, Sesame Street will be coming to town at Marina Square. Passing by the atrium, workmen were seen busy setting up the stage and props that will be the venue for the duration of the performances. ^ Putting the final touches. ^ Can you remember their names? Who was your favourite character? ^ Warning! A toy that would put much cheer and laughter on the face of a child. ^ Surely you can’t miss the address of No.123 Sesame Street. Following are two videoclips that will refresh your memory of the popular song sung by Bob describing the people in your neighbourhood while Count Dracula does what he does best…count.        Apollo 11 “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” The words uttered by Neil Armstrong when he took the first step on the surface of the Moon on 20th July 1969. As part of a 3-man team, the other two astronauts were Michael Collins and Buzz Aldrin, the spacecraft Apollo 11 landed on the Moon and made history. From this historical feat, toy manufacturers created toys of the spacecraft Apollo 11, which is a bit of history by now. ^ Apollo 11, battery powered. ^ Measuring about 50cm, powering up Apollo 11 with 4AA size batteries will see the spacecraft travel horizontally for about 2 feet before coming to a halt. A lever slowly raises the nose of the spacecraft pointing upwards adopting the take-off position. Red lights will start to flash and some whirring noises can be heard that simulate take-off. It will last for about 15 seconds before the lever retracts that brings the spacecraft back to a horizontal position. It will make an about turn, travel for about 2 feet, and the take-off process begins again. ^ Not manufactured nor designed by NASA. Rather, it is from a Japanese toy manufacturer. If you have thinking of becoming an astronaut, perhaps this link to NASA homepage will provide an insight to realising your dream of that spacewalk.        F1 races on… Spotted two F1 vehicles along Handy Road…vroom…vroom…        Singapore’s financial district ^ A view from Millenia Walk, Singapore. 28th Oct 2008.        Central Fire Station @ Hill Street As one comes to the intersection of Hill Street and Coleman Street, a red and white building comes into view. Nicknamed the “Blood and Bandage” building, it is the oldest fire station in Singapore though not the first. ^ Map location: Central Fire Station @ No.62 Hill Street, Singapore ^ A file photo of the Central Fire Station. (Photocredit: National Archives of Singapore, circa 1949) ^ Present day. Why was it nicknamed as the “Blood and Bandage”? “Blood” refers to the exposed red brick of the building and “Bandage” is brick covered with plaster and painted white. It was a popular style in the early 20th century during the Edwardian England era. Steel bricks were specially imported from Britain. The building consist of firemen’s quarters and a watchtower which acts as a lookout point for fires before fire alarms were installed in 1915. ^ Gazetted as a National Monument on 18 Dec 1998 by the Preservation of Monuments Board. ^ A bit of her history. ^ The Merryweather Steam Fire Engine was the first fully motorized fire engine in Singapore. It was imported from Britain and named “The Broadrick” after Mr Broadrick, the Govenor of Singapore at that time. ^ S.F.B. (Singapore Fire Brigade). (Photocredit: National Archives of Singapore, circa 1953) ^ Known as “The Major Pump Three”, this fire engine had the “open concept” design where firemen stood on platforms attached to both sides of the fire engine while holding on to the side rails as the vehicle travelled along. ^ An improved version of the fire engine saw the introduction of the “Dennis F12 Fire Engine” which came into service of the Singapore Fire Brigade in 1951. (Photocredit: National Archives of Singapore, circa 1951). It had a more powerful engine that allows for faster response to arrive at the locality of fire-outbreaks. Its enclosed cab at the front gave protection to the driver and firemen compared to the “Major Pump Three” design. ^ A description of the Dennis F12 Fire Engine. ^ A Dennis F12 Fire Engine on display at the Heritage Gallery. ^ The old method of rescuing trapped people from highrise units. Nowadays, large airbags are used. ^ Walking up the ladder to rescue those trapped on highrise buildings. ^ This was how it was done in the early days of fire rescue. (Photocredit: National Archives of Singapore) ^ For the older folks, they will remember the Bukit Ho Swee fire. On 25th May 1961, a huge fire razed the village of thatched huts to the ground. ^ Lesson learnt. ^ Villagers in Bukit Ho Swee gathering whatever belongings they can as the fire spread. (Photocredit: National Archives of SIngapore) ^ Huge plume of billowing smoke as the fire consumed everything in its path. (Photocredit: National Archives of Singapore) ^ The ferocity of the flames. (Photocredit: National Archives of Singapore) ^ The aftermath. ^ After the fire of Bukit Ho Swee, there was a need to develop safe public housing. ^ In the past, street telephones shown in the photo above were installed to allow the raising of the fire alarm in the event of a fire outbreak that would enable a quick response by the fire brigade. ^ Hand crank siren. A means to raise a fire alarm in the past. ^ Commendation medal. ^ The uniform of the fire bridage in the past. ^ Some of the equipments used in the past…nozzles, helmets, pressurised fire extinguishers. ^ A picture of the late President Benjamin Sheares, the second president of Singapore, inspecting the Singapore Fire Brigade contingent. ^ Developments of fire stations located throughout Singapore. ^ Today, there is a wide range of rescue operations other than just fighting conventional fire. Highrise building rescue is one of them. ^ Modern technological equipments are used in the rescue of people from collapsed buildings just like the Hotel New World disaster on 15 March 1986. ^ When called upon, sniffer dogs are used to locate trapped victims in collapsed buildings and rubble. ^ From humble and modest beginnings, the Singapore Brigade was later developed to what is known today as the SCDF (Singapore Civil Defence Force) to tackle a wide range of rescue operations - PARAMEDICS, HAZMAT (handling Hazardous Materials), DART (Disaster Assistance Rescue Team), FIRE FIGHTER. ^ Does your home have anything that could be a potential fire hazard? Are you prepared? ^ Souvenirs. ^ Spiral staircase that leads to the watch-tower. ^ The conventional way of raising a fire alarm. Modern buildings nowadays are fitted with emergency notification via the public address system and the “break glass” electronic fire alarm system. The FCC (Fire Command Centre) of buildings are linked to the respective fire stations that allows for an even faster response in the event of an emergency. ^ The unmistakable red and white bricks of Central Fire Station at Hill Street. When the shutter doors of fire station opens and when you hear the sirens…”Give Way To Fire Engine” as the sign says. ^ The Central Fire Station at Hill Street is an operational fire station where a part of it houses the Heritage Gallery. If you have the time, it would be worth a visit. Admission is free. Click on the photo above to view the opening hours of the gallery. Hope you have enjoyed this blog tour of the Central Fire Station, one of the many heritage buildings in Singapore.        TEST ABOUT 1,020 graves at Kwong Hou Sua Cemetery, off Woodlands Road, will be exhumed from March. This is the final phase of the exhumation in the cemetery which is spread over 70,000 sqm. The land will be used for industrial development, said the Singapore Land Authority on Wednesday. The Land Transport Authority (LTA) began the earlier phase of the exhumation on the portion of land that is required for the Downtown Line depot development. The next-of-kin or descendants can register their claims of their ancestor’s remains by April 17. The public exhumation is scheduled for completion by next June.        My name is Bond…James Bond Seen outside Cathay cinema. ^ Billboard advertising the movie “Quantum Solace”. Outside Cathay cinema. 1st Nov 2008. ^ Aston Martin, in front of Cathay cinema, 1st Nov 2008. You may like to browse through a previous post about “Cathay cinema and its surroundings - a walk back in time”.        Maghain Aboth Synagogue @ Waterloo Street Along Waterloo Street, there lies a building which is a place of worship for the Jewish community in Singapore. Built in 1878, it is the oldest synagogue in South-East-Asia where members of the Jewish community congregate to worship. Noticeably, you may have seen Jewish males wearing a headcovering. Known as the kippah, it is worn by Jewish males during religious services, religious study, meals, etc while some wear it all the time. View Larger Map ^ Map location: Maghain Aboth Synagogue, No.24 & 26, Waterloo Street. ^ Entrance to Maghain Aboth Synagogue at Waterloo Street. (Photocredit: National Archives of Singapore, circa 1978) ^ Maghain Aboth Synagogue, built in 1878, is the building on the right in the photo. A new annexe known as ”Jacob Ballas Centre”, on the left, was recently added. ^ Panels of stained-glass fronting Waterloo Street from the new annexe Jacob Ballas Centre. Recently the Jewish community in Singapore gathered at the synagogue to celebrate the holiest day in the Jewish calendar known as Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. Fasting, prayers, repentance were part of the process that Jews atone for their sins. Here’s some photographs taken by photojournalist Desmond Lim which was published in The Straits Times, Oct 13, 2008 when the Jewish community celebrated the “Sabbath of Sabbaths”. (I have typed out the description attached to each article printed in the newspaper in case the words are too small to be read.) ^ “Sabbath of Sabbaths”. Click on image to enlarge. ^ Jewish men gather in the Maghain Aboth Synagogue on the eve of Yom Kippur to pray and annul all personal vows and oaths made during the year that have not been fulfilled. The prayer is known as Hatarat Nedarim. ^ Jews gather on the eve of Yom Kippur and pray outside the Maghain Aboth Synagogue in Waterloo Street. It and the Chesed-El Synagogue at Oxley Rise serve as places of worship for the Singapore Jewish community. The Maghain Aboth Synagogue, built in 1878, is the oldest synagogue in South-East-Asia. ^ On the eve of Yom Kippur, Chief Rabbi Mordechai Abergel holds a chicken and prays during a ritual known as the kaparot. It entails holding a white chicken by the shoulder blades and gently swinging it over the person’s head, symbolically transferring one’s sins. The chicken will then be slaughtered and donated to the poor. It is customary that white roosters are used for men and white hens used for women. ^ A Jewish man prays in the synagogue during the morning service on the eve of Yom Kippur. Strapped to his forehead is a small leather box containing scrolls inscribed with biblical verses. The box, which is known as tefilin, is also strapped to the person’s left arm. The tefilin’s proximity to the head and heart is a reminder to Jews to focus on thoughts and emotions. It is interesting to note that the tradition of strapping the tefilin to the forehead and to the left arm dates back to biblical times. Below are four passages from the bible that describe this tradition which the Jews still practice today. Deuteronomy 6:8 Bind them at your wrist as a sign and let them be as a pendent on your forehead. Deuteronomy 11:18 Therefore, take these words of mine into your heart and soul. Bind them at your wrist as a sign, and let them be a pendant on your forehead. Exodus 13:9 It shall be as a sign on your hand and as a reminder on your forehead, thus the law of the Lord will ever be on your lips, because with a strong hand of the Lord brought you out of Egypt. Exodus 13:16 Let this, then, be as a sign on your hand and as a pendant on your forehead: with a strong hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt. The practice of strapping the tefilin on the forehead and on the left arm serves as a constant reminder to Jews of their Covenant with God and to dedicate themselves to God in whatever they think, feel and do. ^ Worshippers ask one another for forgiveness on the eve of the festival. Since Yom Kippur atones only for sins committed towards God, they have to ask forgiveness from one another. It is necessary that, after forgiving, one must not bear grudges. ^ A congregant is whipped on the back with a leather strap. This is a symbolic punishment for one’s sins. The ritual is traditionally performed a few hours before the start of Yom Kippur. ^ Holy Scrolls. (Photocredit: National Archives of Singapore, circa 1978) ^ The interior of Maghain Aboth Synagogue. (Photocredit: National Archives of Singapore, circa 1978) For the older folks, you may remember that there exist a Jewish cemetery sited along Thomson Road. Here’s a post from blogger ygblog4 who wrote about the old Jewish cemetery. A notable political figure from the Jewish community was David Marshall who was Singapore’s first Chief Minister in 1955. Read about “Why do Jewish males wear the kippah?”. Alternatively, you may like to browse at About.com to know more about Judaism, the religion of the Jews, their practices, culture, festivals and traditions. Lastly, a bit of history about the Maghain Aboth Synagogue from Infopedia.        Drama serials For those are into watching drama serials from Korea, Japan, Taiwan and Hongkong, the drama serial consist of many parts from the first to the last episode. Sometimes, you may miss watching an episode and there is no inkling of what happened to the storyline as you tune in to watch the subsequent ones. Fret no more if you don’t mind watching drama serials over the internet at your own convenience without missing an episode from www.mysoju.com.        Snapshots Sharing some quirky, cute and sometimes those things that “never caught your attention” photos. Here’s some pictures snapped this afternoon. Pedestrial gate? ^ Waterloo Street, Singapore. 25th Oct 2008. Catnapping. ^ Middle Road, Singapore. 25th Oct 2008. Colourful windows. ^ Prinsep Link, Singapore. 25th Oct 2008.        Sg Runners There are numerous running clubs that have sprouted over time in Singapore. All for the simple purpose of gathering like-minded people who share an interest of simply putting one foot forward followed by the other and the other…running. In the recent North Face 100 race and the New Balance Real Run, some runners have uploaded some photos of these events to share with the running community and the public. SGRunners.COM is an online running portal which aims to bring together runners based in Singapore. Its objective is to link all Singapore running enthusiasts in one website and provide them with information as well as a platform to exchange tips and pointers on running, give updates on forthcoming local and overseas running events, motivate one another to attain their running goals, as well as build up friendships among those who enjoy the simple pleasures and healthy rewards of running. You may browse the photos that were taken in some recent runnig events or perhaps join their forum for some running tips which you have been searching for an answer Here’s the site of the photo gallery of SgRunners. Are you prepared for the coming Standard Chartered Marathon which will be held on Sunday 7th Dec 2008? Slightly more than a month before race day. It is expected to draw an even larger pool of foreign marathoners to this annual event. Read the article from The Straits Times Interactive on “Marathon draw foreigners”. Hydrate well and have a good rest for that eventful day. See you at the start line.        Old St Anthony’s Convent Ask anyone and most people will be able to tell you that present-day CHIJMES, sited at Victoria Street, was formerly a convent known as CHIJ (Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus). Unlike CHIJ at Victoria Street which has been preserved and transformed into a place for high-end shopping and fine dining within the shopping belt, there is another convent located nearby where the school building did not share much popularity and fanfare today but still held a rich history. Located at No.111 Middle Road, the school building known as St Anthony’s Convent, still stands today but to much emptiness. Map location: Old St Anthony’s Convent at No.111 Middle Road. ^ Opposite the old St Anthony’s Convent, three shop units selling party stuff formerly from the Concourse have relocated to Middle Road. All the kiddy party needs can be found here. From party hats to gift bags, a place your kids will love to browse for his/her next birthday party. ^ A group of girls from St Anthony’s Convent (L-R: Joyce Ho, Betty Chin, Catherine Leow, Agnes Low, Janice Wong) which was the first women’s team that participated in the Free Press Big Walk. (Photocredit: National Archives of Singapore, circa 1961) ^ A present-day photo of the exterior of old St Anthony’s Convent. The embedded Cross still remains with the flagpoles. ^ The stretch of the exterior of the school building along Middle Road. ^ A passageway on the exterior of the school. In Aug 1879, the priest of St Joseph’s Church (the Church still exist today and is located just next to the old school building), Father Jose Pedro Santo Anna de Cunha, decided to set up a school for the poor children of the parish. The school started with an enrolment of just 6 students, and was known as St Anna’s School. ^ An old undated photo of St Anthony’s Convent. (Photocredit: SACSS) ^ Present day. ^ The courtyard where school assembly took place. The Cross symbolising Christianity with two flag-poles. One flew the National flag while the other flew the school flag. ^ A view of the courtyard which is about the size of two badminton courts laid out lengthwise. ^ Christmas celebration with the handicapped at St Anthony’s Convent. (Photocredit: National Archives of Singapore, circa 1975). Did you notice the old film camera and the aerated bottled drinks from F&N (Fraser & Neave) in the photo? Take note of the design of the floor tiles. ^ An empty corridor with a staircase at the end leading to the upper floors. The floor tiles have remained the same since then. ^ Once bustling with the chatter of the pupils, the building today remain quiet except for the sound of traffic outside. As the years passed, enrolment increased. In 1894, the girls came under St Anthony’s Girls School while the boys formed the population of St Anthony’s Boys School. The Canossian nuns managed St Anthony’s Girl’s School where the girls were given basic education and technical skills. Apart from the academics, technical skills such as sewing and embroidery were also taught to equip them with skills to land a job when they grow up. In 1906, the school was known as St Anthony’s Convent. During World War II, the Japanese Occupation of Singapore (1942-1945), the school became a refuge for the sick and the homeless. On 4th Aug 1979, Dr Toh Chin Chye (Minister for Health) made a speech during the centenary celebrations of St Anthony’s Boys School and St Anthony’s Convent. Here’s an excerpt of his speech. Read the rest of the history of St Anthony’s Convent. ^ The statue of St Anthony which can be seen along Middle Road. ^ The old school building of St Anthony’s Convent still stands today and is presently occupied by… ^ …the Chinese Opera Institute. ^ Side-entrance from Queen Street leading into the school compound. Gone are the sounds of excited chatter that onced passed this way. ^ A map showing the location where the old St Anthony’s Convent and St Anthony’s Boys School once stood. If you happen to be passing that area, perhaps you like to find out what is the name of the building that presently sits on the site of old St Anthony’s Boys School. What happened to St Anthony’s Boys School? The girls of St Anthony’s Convent, in their light blue pinafore and white blouse, no longer commute to their school at Middle Road. In 1995, the school was relocated to a bigger site at Bedok North Avenue 4 with better amenities to accomodate the large student population. The primary and secondary level each has their own respective school wings all within the same compound. I’m sure the school’s motto in Latin “VIA, VERITAS, VITA” in English that means the “Way, Truth, Life” carried in the hearts of these convent girls have guided them well in their life’s journey. Were you a convent girl from SAC who studied at the old school premises at Middle Road? What unforgettable memories hold for you during your time there?        High School Musical 3 - Screening Oct 24, 2008 A favourite movie for some teens. ^ Bus-stop along Hill Street, Singapore. 18th Oct 2008.        Tree pruning Will you do this job? ^ Tree pruning by foreign workers along Hill Street, Singapore. 18th Oct 2008.        Nikon AF Nikkor Lens (24mm-120mm) Putting up my used Nikon AF Nikkor Lens (24mm-120mm) for sale with the aim of saving up for an upgrade. Though it has been used, it was well maintained. Suitable for beginners in DSLR photography who are looking for such lens without having to burn a hole in your pocket for a brand new lens. You may like to browse this and other items at My Karang-Guni Corner @ eBay SG. Item is available at the time of this post. ^ Retracted. ^ Extended.        SBS Student’s Concession Pass in the 70s Before the advent of MRT (Mass Rapid Transit) and the use of EZ-Link stored value cards that one uses nowadays to tap on the electronic fare reader, full-time students during the 70s were issued with the SBS Student’s Concession Pass shown in the picture. A passport-size photo of the student need to be pasted on it for identification. The concession pass also contained details such as the the student’s name, NRIC number, name of school and class, and the principal’s signature and stamp. For the student to enjoy a concession fare and an unlimited number of bus rides in a particular calendar month, a monthly bus stamp need to be purchased from any SBS ticketing counter at the bus-interchange located islandwide. The bus stamp contain the number “1” which denotes the month of January, “2” for February etc. the bus stamp issued for each calendar month will have a different background colour with the corresponding number denoting the month it was valid for. All the student need to do was to flash the concession pass during boarding. Did you happen to share the same bus stamps among your school-going siblings or friends to save costs instead of purchasing more bus stamps?        Karang-guni your stuff in the face of recession Headline news in today’s newspapers “Singapore slips into recession” speaks volumes. With the recent collapse of Lehman brothers, the common man will face another round of more belt-tightening measures to tide over this gloomy period. A bowl of noodles now no longer costs as cheap as before. Transport fares, electricity charges, fuel prices etc are on the rise. A shadow of uncertainty is felt in businesses as companies strive to further enforce cost-cutting measure in the face of gloom to maintain survivalibilty. Perhaps, the present situation could be an opportunity for some entrepreunial spirit - karang-guni the stuff you have that could have been collecting dust in your storeroom without any further use. Unless you have the time to set up a stall at the flea market at some HDB void decks or along Sungei Road, online flea market could just be the next viable option. Instead of junking them down the rubbish chute, displaying your usable wares online could help to recover that extra dollar. What kind of stuffs for your garage sale? It can be a variety of items which are no longer needed such as used handphones, picture frames, encyclopedias, tea-cups and tray set, digital cameras, kitchen utensils, an old computer screen, motherboard, mouse, educational VCDs which your child has outgrown, toys no longer in use, a baby pram/stroller where your child no longer fits into etc. If you are into craftwork such as making beaded slippers or costume jewellery, put that talent to good use. There could be a host of items in your store-room that you have thought of clearing but never had the time to do so. Perhaps, spend a little time taking stock of of items you no longer need. Take a photo of it and post it on your blogsite or perhaps advertise it like what I did on Ebay. I had the opportunity to sell an extra LCD screen last year. Recently, a buyer confirmed her purchase of a penguin-shaped water dispenser for a mere $8 which I had bought from Action City but seldom use when the novelity wore off. Yes, it was a mere $8. But every dollar counts rather than discarding it without a single dollar earned. You may like to browse a few other items I have put up for sale by scrolling down the right panel under the title header “My Karang-Guni Corner @ Ebay SG”. Do you have to shout your throat hoarse like the karang-guni man who goes on his rounds blaring - :po chua (newspapers), ku sar kor (old clothes), tian si kee (tv sets)”. You can be the new breed of techie karang-guni who surfs the internet to advertise your wares. Nevertheless, be genuine in stating the condition of your item and your selling price. Who knows, someone may just need that item you thought of throwing away. If you have nothing to do on a Sunday and thought of visiting a flea market, here’s the link to Flea markets in Singapore. If you share the same interest in looking at old stuffs to be unpolished jewels, do drop me a note if you like to share your link in my blogsite…Karang-guni…        Stamford House is moving house Along Stamford Road at the intersection with Hill Street, you will not miss a huge historic building known as Stamford House. It was originally known as Oranje Building built by Regent Alfred John Bidwell (1869-1918) of Swan and Maclaren in 1904. He was also the architect for Raffles Hotel and Goodwood Park Hotel. The architectural design of Stamford House is a variation of the Venetian Renaissance architectural style that was popular in commercial buildings in the Victorian period at that time. Similar buildings were Capitol Building & Theatre, MPH Bookstore (Malayan Publishing House) located along Stamford Road. View Larger Map ^ Map location: Stamford House, No.39 Stamford Road, Singapore. ^ Picture of Stamford House today. Not much changes since 1904. ^ The year ”1904″ which it was built can be seen on the inscription at the top of the building. A bit more about Stamford House from Infopedia. Very soon, Stamford House will undergo a revamp. Perhaps you may like to have a last browse at the shops located within before the renovations take place. Read the story about Stamford House Moving House, TODAY, Oct 4, 2008        4 things you probably never knew your mobile phone could do You may have come across this email circulating in the internet about the things your mobile phone could do. Here’s the content of the email. There are a few things that can be done in times of grave emergencies. Your mobile phone can actually be a life saver or an emergency tool for survival. Check out the things that you can do with it: 1. Emergency The Emergency Number worldwide for Mobile is 112. If you find yourself out of the coverage area of your mobile network and there is an emergency, dial 112 and the mobile will search any existing network to establish the emergency number for you, and interestingly this number 112 can be dialed even if the keypad is locked. 2. Have you locked your keys in the car? Does your car have remote keyless entry? This may come in handy someday. Good reason to own a cell phone. If you lock your keys in the car and the spare keys are at home, call someone at home on their mobile phone from your cell phone. Hold your cell phone about a foot from your car door and have the person at your home press the unlock button, holding it near the mobile phone on their end. Your car will unlock. Saves someone from having to drive your keys to you. Distance is no object. You could be hundreds of miles away, and if you can reach someone who has the other ‘remote’ for your car, you can unlock the doors (or the trunk). Editor’s Note: It works fine! We tried it out and it unlocked our car over a mobile phone!’ 3. Hidden Battery Power Imagine your mobile battery is very low. To activate, press the keys *3370# and your mobile phone will restart with this reserve and the instrument will show a 50% increase in battery. This reserve will get charged when you charge your mobile next time. 4. How to disable your mobile phone when it is stolen? To check your mobile phone’s serial number, key in the following digits on your phone!: *#06#. A 15 digit code will appear on the screen. This number is unique to your handset. Write it down and keep it somewhere safe. When your phone get stolen, you can phone your service provider and give them this code. They will then be able to block your handset so even if the thief changes the SIM card. Your phone will be totally useless. You probably won’t get your phone back, but at least you know that whoever stole it can’t use/sell it either. If everybody does this, there would be no point in people stealing mobile phones. If you happen to be in one of the above situations and have tried these, did it work? Share your comments.        David Elias building 1928 Situated at the junction of Middle Road and Short Street, an old building known as David Elias building still stands today. Built in 1928 by a Jewish merchant, the design of this building was commissioned to Swan & Maclaren where the neo-classical style of architecture, popular in the 1920s, can be seen today. View Larger Map ^ Map location: No.270 Middle Road ^ An old photograph of David Elias building taken in 1986 overlooking Middle Road and Selegie Road (Photocredit: National Archives of Singapore). The building was also a hotel known as “Sun Sun Hotel”. At the main entrance on the ground floor, you will notice the signboard “Sun Sun Restaurant & Bar”. Just across Selegie Road on the left of the photograph was the restaurant known as “Prince Room Restaurant” located at Selegie Complex. ^ David Elias buiding which still stands today though much of her grandeur have faded away. ^ At the top of the building carried the inscription “David Elias Building 1928″ with the prominent Jewish symbol of the Star of David as well as the name of her previous tenant “Sun Sun Hotel”. ^ Much of the ground floor area of the building is presently occupied by eateries and trading companies. ^ On the other side of the building facing Short Street - Rochor Original Beancurd since 1960. ^ Just a few steps from David Elias building facing Short Street is a little church for worshippers - Tamil Methodist Church. ^ Remember Selegie Complex with “Prince Room Restaurant” seen in the first photo above? It has been demolished making way for another brand new establishment. ^ Peace Centre…still very much around. When you have the opportunity to pass by David Elias building, you may like to give the eateries located on the ground floor a try, knowing that it was built in 1928.        Log table Before the permitted use of scientific calculators for students sitting for their Cambridge GCE `O’ Level exams, the only mathematical instruments allowed into examination hall were the compass, protractor, divider, set-squares, writing instruments and the Cambridge Elementary Mathematical Tables. Before students enter into the examination hall, invigilators would be stationed at the doorway to check the pencil case of each student looking out for any non-permitted items except those mentioned above. The pages of the Logarithms Table booklet would be thoroughly flipped by the invigilators to ensure it does not contain any formulas nor any other forms of scribbled notes embedded within. Sometimes, an invigilator may randomly asked a student to remove the cap of the ball-point pen to check for any pieces of paper hidden inside. ^ The Cambridge Elementary Mathematical Tables which is about the size of half an A4 paper. ^ A page from the Log Table where you compute Common Logarithms, Logarithms of Sines, Cosines, Tangents, Hyperbolic Equations, Binomials. You can see that some of the numbers have been underlined. These were numbers which were frequently computed for logarithms sums. Penalty for cheating? It can range from getting a big fat zero for that paper to being barred for the entire exam. Now, everything is just at the press of a button from the scientific calculator. Can you remember how to use the Log Table?        Middle Road Church Not in the sense of a church being sited in the middle of the road. If you happen to travel along Middle Road which intersects with Waterloo Street, an orange coloured building may have caught your attention. With banners adorned in front of the building and a few sculptures near its entrance, you could have guessed that this building is home to the arts of some sort. An old building with a history was given a new splash of bright orange paint which was once commonly known as…Middle Road Church. View Larger Map ^ Map location: No.155, Middle Road. ^ Walking along Waterloo Street towards the intersection with Middle Road, the bright orange building comes into view. ^ You definitely can’t miss it. This small building was built between 1870-1875. It was first known as The Christian Institute where young men gathered for recreational activities and daily worship. Under her trustee Charles Phillip, the Methodist community were invited to use the premises. Its occupants included MGS (Methodist Girls School) as well as the Straits Chinese who formed the Methodist Missionaries in 1890. The building was officially inaugurated as the Malay Church in 1894 and became the first Straits Chinese Methodist Church in Singapore. The building remained so, serving as a church until 1929, when the congregation moved to Kampong Kapor (now known as Kampong Kapor Methodist Church) due to a need for a larger place to accommodate the growing community. During the period of World War II, it was understood that the building was converted to a Chinese restaurant called May Blossom Restaurant. After the war, it became a motor-workshop and parking area. I remembered this well because during my school days at SJI in the ‘70s, I had to commute via bus service 150 which ply the route that passed by this building. The sound from hammering tools, power-drills, mechanics at work with black greasy hands, and various vehicle parts strewn around the premises was a sight I have not forgotten. ^ The main entrance. ^ An arts housing project of the National Arts Council. ^ A bit of her history. Today, this small building had been given a new lease of life to showcase the arts. Officially opened in 1999, its aim is not just to become an arts hub showcasing the works of local and international artists. But striving to be a regional arts hub for contemporary 3-dimensional artworks. If you have the time, perhaps you may like to head on down to Sculpture Square at No.155 Middle Road. ^ Once known as Middle Road Church…now known as Sculpture Square. Enjoy a quiet and cozy rest and refreshments at My Secret Garden located just behind the building. Wishing you pleasant visit to this little building of history.        School days at SJI (now SAM) from 1977-1980 When I came across a post in Yesterday.sg inviting bloggers to write about their visits to any of the heritage museums, I thought it would be an opportunity to share my experience about SAM (Singapore Art Museum). Not just another historical building that was turned into a heritage museum. Rather, it would be my experience during the ‘70s where I studied there. A building once known as SJI (St Joseph’s Institution) founded in 1852 by the De La Salle Brothers…now known as SAM. View Larger Map ^ Map location: Formerly SJI, now SAM. Like many other students from the primary level belonging to the CBS (Christian Brothers Schools), namely St Michael’s School (now known as SJI Junior), St Gabriel’s Primary School, St Stephen’s School, St Anthony’s Boys School, De La Salle Primary School, we took the feeder route to one of the CBS schools for our secondary education after passing our PSLE. SJI was my choice. ^ A Report Book during my primary education at St Michael’s School. ^ Report Cards and Report Book while at SJI. The first thing that a student had to brace himself was the incessant noise from the traffic during lessons. SJI was bordered by busy Bras Basah Road, Waterloo Street and Queen Street shown in the map location above. It was a challenge to both teachers and Josephians to rise above the roar of engines and honks from impatient motorists especially during peak hours, to steer our concentration during lessons. ^ A photo I took of SJI in 1986 before she was transformed to SAM. For the upper secondary level (Sec 3 & 4), lessons were conducted in the mornings while the lower secondary (Sec 1 & 2) had theirs in the afternoon. There were two courtyards in the school premises. The main courtyard, on the side of Queen Street, was where the morning and noon assembly took place. Singing the National Anthem, school song, recitation of the pledge, saying a prayer led by the Principal (the late Brother Joseph Kiely who was the principal then who was later succeeded by Brother Kevin Bryne) or Vice-Principle would complete the assembly process before we make our way to our respective classrooms to begin lessons for the day. Speaking about the courtyards in SJI, it was “the happening” place where activities of all sorts took place. The courtyard, flanked by the school tuckshop as well as a row of rooms belonging to the uniformed groups and societies, was a place where Josephians congregate. A place to chat away the time before assembly, played badminton, sepak-takraw, an area where uniform groups such as the NCC, NPCC, Military Band, St John’s practiced their foot-drills for national drill competitions. It was also a place where school athletes carry out their circuit training where various parts of the courtyard were marked for different sets of exercises – push-ups, sit-ups, stretches, star-jumps etc. One notable feature was the frequent scattering of kachang (peanuts) onto the courtyard bought from the Indian kachang seller at the tuckshop, to feed the endless brood of pigeons that took to our hospitality. On a less memorable note, the courtyard was also a place were corporal punishment (public caning) was meted out to ill-discipline students who had repeatedly flouted the school rules despite numerous warnings. ^ The main courtyard showing the rostrum. The closed-doors on the right of the photo was the tuckshop area. Above the tuckshop were the Brothers Quarters. The rooms at the far end belongs to the uniformed-groups and societies. ^ Another view of the main courtyard. ^ A present-day photo of the main courtyard. School days at SJI was not just all work and no play. In fact, Josephians had to walk across Bras Basah Road for our PE lessons given that the school field was located opposite the school. Sports Day, inter-class soccer tournaments, and even friendly soccer matches with a good hint of rivalry from participating schools such as RI and ACS were held there too. An unforgettable event held at the school field was the celebration of SJI’s 125th Anniversary (Founder’s Day) in 1977. Various uniformed-groups comprising of the NCC, NPCC, Scouts and Military Band formed the parade and march-past. It was followed by the Speech & Prize-Giving Ceremony. ^ The late Brother Joseph Kiely (then Principal of SJI) addressing the school in 1977 which was the celebration of her 125th Anniversary (1852-1977) Founder’s Day at the school field. ^ The parade was formed by the various uniformed-groups; NCC, NPCC, Scouts, Military Band, St John’s Ambulance Brigade. Seen in this photo was the SJI NCC Haddon Cup Drill Competition squad. ^ March-past with her flag flying high. ^ Marching to the beat from the SJI Military Band. ^ A souvenir (pocket-sized address book) given to all Josephians commemorating her 125th Anniversary (Founder’s Day) in 1977. ^ Present-day photo of the school field on the left which now sits the campus of SMU (Singapore Management University). Former SJI, now SAM is located at the far end in the photo. When there is a time to study, there is also a time for prayer. A chapel was located on the second floor in SJI that offered a peaceful sanctuary to Josephians who need a quiet time for prayer shown in the photo below. Much said about prayer, there were Josephians who responded to God’s call and became ordained priests and religious serving as shepherds to the flock. ^ Entrance of the Chapel. A quiet time for prayer. The school hall was another central feature in SJI. When it rained, the school hall became an alternative area to conduct the school assembly. On Saturdays, the school hall would be turned into an arena. An arena where judo mats would be laid out. Josephians from the Judo Club would practice their judo moves to much shouting and yelling. On a gentler note, the school hall also serves as place where drama and performances from the LDDS (Literary Drama & Debating Society) were held. ^ The school hall. An unmistakable icon of SAM is a bronze statue situated at the foyer and the dome where the school bell is located shown in the photo below. The statue was sculpted to represent the school’s founder, St John The Baptist De La Salle. The expression portrayed of St John The Baptist shown by his hands, was one of guidance and encouragement to the two children…Go forth into the world and make the best out of your life. As for the dome where the school bell is located, much has been rumoured that it was haunted, presumably to deter unauthorised access into that area. ^ Foyer. ^ A marble plaque inscribed with the names of the benefactors of the school located at each of the four columns at the drive-in. ^ Preserving history all these years. “Teacher..teacher!!…urgent. Need to go toilet!!”. There was but only one toilet facility in SJI shared by Josephians with the exception of the staff toilet. One will not forget the aroma of ammonia as it permeates the classrooms situated next to it, namely classrooms from the Anderson wing. While doing our “business” in any one of the cubicles, one can admire the artistic graffiti on the walls and inner surface of the cubicle door presumably drawn by would-be Rembrandts. It does help to ease the pungent smell of your “business” from your mind. ^ A view from Waterloo Street showing the location of the school toilet where it formerly existed. It has long since been demolished. After school hours, home may not be the next destination. For some, the former YMCA basketball court and sarabat stalls at Waterloo Street beckons. With the basketball-posts acting as goal-posts at the opposite ends of the court, a plastic ball and some friends was all it takes to have an exciting match that will result in sweat-drenched school uniforms after a few minutes of play under the searing sun. Then, it will be off to any one of the sarabat stalls to have our stomachs filled with an array of food: mee siam, mee goreng , mutarbak, roti john, prata, char kway teow…and to top it off with a cool glass of icy bandung (rose syrup drink with a splash of evaporated milk) or bird-nest drink. ^ Present-day photo showing the former stretch of sarabat stalls and YMCA where they once existed. Need to shop for sports shoes, bags, rackets, jerseys, sports accessories, THE place, besides Queensway Shopping Centre, was actually a stretch of shops along Bras Basah Road spanning from Rendevous Hotel (still existing today) to the junction at Waterloo Street. There was even a barber-shop known as “Lark Barber” where Josephians in the NCC and NPCC drill competition squads would go to have their 4 by 2 haircuts in preparation for the competition. While tired and thirsty visitors may drop in at Olio Dome located at the Queen Street wing of SJI to have a cuppa, many may not know that the rooms actually were the rooms that once was… ^ The section of Olio Dome fronting Bras Basah Road was the room occupied by the school jaga (caretaker) while the inner section of the room was the sound-proof music room in the ’70s. Being a Catholic school, holy days of obligations in the Catholic Church calendar require Catholic students to attend Mass. Generally, there is no excuse for not doing so given the close proximity of two churches which is less than a minute walk away. Church of Sts Peter and Paul which is just behind SJI and The Cathedral of the Good Shepherd situated diagonally across the school. Both Churches were gazetted as National Monuments by the Preservation of Monuments Board. ^ The Cathedral of the Good Shepherd. ^ Church of Saints Peter and Paul. When I had the occasional opportunity to pass by SAM, or take a stroll within her premises, the fond memories of school days at SJI comes to mind. For visitors to SAM, it would probably be an old building preserved for its history that has been transformed to showcase the arts. SAM is more than just a historical building…SAM was SJI and she was part of many a Josephians’ life history…mine too as her motto continues to echo in our hearts “Ora et Labora”. Do you like the new Facebook layout? There has been quite a lot of buzz regarding the new web design layout offered on Facebook. However, many users found the new layout pretty difficult to navigate among other reasons preferring the old layout. There was even a petition in Facebook garnering users to petition to keep the old Facebook layout. Presently, Facebook users have a choice to choose between the old and the new layout. However, this option will not remain for long. His theory will face a major test on Wednesday when Facebook will begin forcing its 100 million users to adapt to a redesigned website, whether they like the new look or not. Read the full story on The Straits Times Interactive “Facelift for Facebook” “Thieves” market in Singapore? Ask any older folks and they will probably tell you that Sungei Road is known as “thieves” market. Setting out from the junction of Bras Basah Road and Bencoolen Street, it’s a good 15 minutes walk along Bencoolen Street right up to the junction of Rochor Road and Ophir Road. A few step ahead, you will reach Sungei Road. “Sungei” means “river” in Malay. Literally, Sungei Road lies alongside the Rochor river which is now known as Rochor Canal. Sungei Road is synonymous with the “Thieves’ Market”. Rumours has it that stolen goods were often on display for sale at this flea market in Singapore. You can hunt for old bric-a-brac or second-hand goods such as used clothing, mobile phones, motor parts, bicycles, electrical appliances, counterfeit watches and pirated VCDs, as a cheap replacement for one’s faulty or lost item. Let’s take a walk down Sungei Road. Who knows, you may find something interesting. Sungei Road. A walk to a place where used and second-hand goods, bric-a-brac items can be found. Along Sungei Road, the Rochor canal is at the foreground. The buildings are Golden Landmark Hotel, the Church of Our Lady of Lourdes with her steeple, Raffles Hospital, and the brown-greyish building popularly called “Gotham Building”. The snaking Rochor river which is now Rochor canal. The row of yellow taxis ply between Singapore and Johor Bahru ferrying passengers across the Causeway. An old photograph of Sungei Road in the 1950s. (Photocredit: National Archives of Singapore) A row of old shophouses along the junction of Weld Road and Sungei Road. (Photocredit: National Archives of Singapore) Sungei Road back then. You may remember the yellow-top taxis seen in the background against the backdrop of old dilapidated shophouses. (Photocredit: National Archives of Singapore) Pitt Street. One of the series of small streets where peddlars ply their trade along Sungei Road. A man examining a toy - Tigger, a friend of Pooh Bear. “Is this binoculars working?” the other man wondered. Old telephones that require you to dial the number. Without any redial feature, your finger will get pretty sore after a few rounds of dialling. An array of push-button telephones. Someone may have signed 1206 for a missing full-pack that ended up at the flea market. Just a verbal quote of the price for an item, a brief haggle, and the exchange is completed. Cassette tapes. You need a cassette player from yesteryear to play these tapes. The karang guni van. Unloading his wares for display. Both sides of the street are occupied by flea traders in makeshift stalls, some with tentage and some with large canopy unbrellas seen in this photo. SAS (Special Air Service) manual. This may help you through your BMT. Before the advent of electronic calculators, the abacus was pretty much the only mathematical instrument besides using your fingers and toes. Found anything interesting? This flea trader was teased by his friends when I took this photograph. Thinking that his face will show up in some heritage photos, he jokingly stretches out his hand showing a big “five”. Hoping that he’ll get $5 from me for shooting his image. Waste disposal in the past consists of the nighsoil truck that made their rounds clearing wastes during the night. With the SAF lately introducing the new pixelated No.4 uniform and the special vests that the soldier wears on his body containing all sorts of high tech gadgets, the SBO (Skeletal Battle Order) may one day end up here. Squash, a sport with very minimal followers. This Dunlop squash racket has probably seen better days. Anyone need a mahjong set, a pair of sports shoes, or perhaps a kettle? The children’s television show “Teletubbies”, a UK production, was a hit with kids in the ’90s. Here’s La-La, the yellow teletubby. I wonder where the rest of his friends are? Dixi, Tinky Winky and Po? Was this golf set from Tiger Woods? Laser discs was popular back then. You’ll need an equally huge laser disc player as well as an equally large storage rack for these discs. The lady of the stall told me that these Heineken bottles would become antique in ten years time. Drink up…YAM SENG!!! A flea trader examining a laser disc before putting it on display. Can you remember the actor Tom Cruise from the movie “Top Gun”? Saturday shopping at Sungei Road. As I end my journey, a man plough his heavily laden cart, zipping across a two-way traffic road, making his way to his plot. Another day…another sale. If you like to take a trip to Sungei Road, here’s the map. View Larger Map If you are looking for some fabulous places to stay while touring our little sunny island of Singapore, you may like to check out Singapore Hotels that offers a variety of hotels and accomodations for you to choose from. Have a pleasant stay in Singapore. Best Singapore Blog Awards (Photocredit: The Straits Times Interactive) Miss Loi, the full-time maths tutor whose “temple” is the place where students seek redemption to survive present day academic challenges. Don’t succumb to “LMBFHS” - Last Minute Buddha Foot Hugging Syndrome, to get the better of you. Prepare oneself for the exams cannot be done at the last minute by burning joss sticks to pray for a miracle nor can burning midnight oil really help you improve your grades the night before. Miss Loi won the “Best Blog Shop” award while the “Best Design Blog” goes to Shaun Chng, an engineering student cum marathoner. Read the story on 1st Singapore Blog Awards. Man gets nut stuck around penis Some things people will go through for enlargements or elongations. Read the story at The Straits Times Interactive on the article “Man gets nut stuck around penis”. Ouch!! Li Jiawei to play for and study at Peking University next year? Another bombshell news. Will Li Jiawei play for and study at Peking University next year? Read the story at Redsports.sg. The decision was actually made before the Beijing Olympics began If readers have been following the “Gao Ning” incident and the latest news where the president of STTA (Singapore Table Tennis Association), Ms Lee Bee Wah made a decision that team manager Antony Lee services were no longer required and headcoach Liu Guodong’s future now hangs in the balance despite Singapore winning a silver medal in the women’s table tennis team event in the recent Beijing Olympics, most readers were aghast by the untimely manner the decision was made. Given those involved were tight-lipped about the matter, one can only garner the proceedings of the case from the news. Today in the news, it described that the decision was actually made even before the team went for the Beijing Olympics. Yesterday, media reports quoted Ms Lee as saying that the decision to let Mr Lee go had been made before the Olympics. When asked by The Straits Times to shed more light on this, she declined to comment. ~ The Straits Times Interactive. Read the full story. What a damper. Most felt that the STTA could have convene a committee of inquiry to investigate into the matter before a decision is reached. Let’s see what further developments will come of this incident. New World Record by Usain Bolt in 200m finals In the line-up of the top 8 athletes for the finals of the Olympic Men’s 200m held a while ago, Usain Bolt of Jamaica practically blitzed through the race track like a bolt of lightning setting a new world record of 19.30secs for the 200m finals. What phenomenal speed a human can achieve. More news on this race will be out in the newspapers and media on the lightning bolt from Jamaica.