15-Jul-1969

Jun 22 - Jul 23: CANCER is person with a split personality, one way at home [insecure and in need of constant attention] and another to the outside world [smooth and confident]. Some Cancers are very violent; O.J. Simpson and Mike Tyson are Cancers.
Pamela Anderson, Dan Aykroyd, Liv Tyler, Tom Cruise, George Michael, Bill Cosby, Harrison Ford, Ross Perot and Carly Simon are all Cancer. Cancer President have been John Quincy Adams, Calvin Coolidge and Gerald R. Ford. The very beautiful Princess Diana was a Cancer.

Image: Black Lamborghini unwrapped...
Camera: Sony Ericsson W900i camera phone

Bulan

Bulan yang beredar mengelilingi bumi hanya bersaiz satu per empat daripada bumi dan beredar mengelilingi bumi setiap 27.3 hari, pada jarak purata 384,400 kilometer di bawah tarikan graviti bumi. Bulan tidak mempunyai sumber cahaya dan cahaya bulan sebenarnya berasal daripada pantulan cahaya matahari. Bulan mempunyai 1/4 garispusat bumi bersamaan 3,476 kilometer dengan kekuatan graviti hanya 0.16 = (1/6) graviti bumi. Bulan dipercayai berasal daripada asteroid bersaiz Marikh yang menghentam bumi lalu berkecai. Teras asteroid itu terus menghentam bumi, tetapi lapisan luar asteroid terpelanting dan terperangkap dalam orbit mengelilingi bumi lalu membentuk bulan.
Ini berdasarkan isipadu bulan yang terlalu ringan berbanding isipadu bumi, iaitu hanya 0.012 berbanding jisim bumi. Di bulan tidak terdapat udara ataupun air, hanya banyak kawah yang terhasil di permukaan bulan disebabkan oleh hentaman komet. Ketiadaan udara dan air di bulan menyebabkan hakisan tidak berlaku dan ada di antara kawah di bulan yang berusia berjuta tahun dahulu dan masih utuh. Di antara kawah terbesar di bulan adalah Clavius bergaris pusat 230 kilometer dan sedalam 3.6 kilometer. Ketiadaan udara juga menyebabkan tiada bunyi kedengaran di bulan. (Source: http://ms.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulan_%28satelit%29 )

Image: The Moon, 9 Jul 2006, 8.35pm
Camera: Nikon D70s

Pay Your Water Bill Mister

Day 2 (29 June): An ongoing dispute with nearest neighbour... Singapore has been dependent on Malaysia for nearly forty percent of its water supply, and water has been a source of dispute between the two countries. The water agreements were signed back in 1961 and 1962. The dispute is on pricing, the right to price revision, and the guarantee of supplies (after 2061). Johor (the Malaysian state where the supplies come from) is making losses by selling raw water to Singapore and buying back treated water from the republic.

Singapore is diversifying its water supplies, e.g. supplies from Indonesia and Newater (recycled water). Newater can be produced in sufficient quantities to replace water that Singapore is currently purchasing from Malaysia... Until then, do pay the water bill would ya!

Image: Singapore River
Camera: Sony Ericsson W900i Camera Phone

No one is there not to make money, it is Singapore!

Day 1 (28 June): Arrived at Changi Airport in the afternoon, I took a taxi to Grand Copthorne Hotel (off Havelock Rd). The taxi driver wasn't so sure himself of the hotel. I showed him the location as signified in the free map (I grabbed one at the I-Counter in Changi), the driver then told me that it's a new hotel at riverfront. Whatever... delayed flight, temperature above 32deg C, as if I care tho! In our intermittent conversations, he again, again and again notified me of the Great Singapore Sales... he was pretty annoying, but on the other hand he's an effective promoter of the event!!

After checked-in at the hotel, I went to Orchard Rd and started my hunting for the new back-slung Loewe camera bag. Hopping from one mall to another, I later managed to purchase one at a good price from a decent looking camera shop at Lucky Plaza. Believe me, no matter how nice the salesman turns to be, the price is margined at more than 100%...

So what is this Great Singapore Sales all about? Takashimaya, Isetans, Tangs and such offer staggering discounts on outdated or stock clearance items. Same goes with some branded designer outlets. In other retail outlets, be a prudent shopper... check the price tag carefully, and bargain reasonably!! No one is there not to make money, it is Singapore ma!!

Camera: Sony Ericsson W900i Camera Phone

Image: Singapore Visitors Center at Orchard Road