Animals in Australia.

when you hear the word Australia, you will think of 2 animals:

the Kangaroo:


Will usually appear during dusk or dawn. they do not observe traffic rules. Mathias once witness 3 Kangaroos crossing a road while a car came. the Car nearly hit the 1st Kangaroo that cross the road by a few meters. the 2nd Kangaroo, that was following the 1st Kangaroo, was dead. the 3rd Kangaroo, that was following the 2nd Kangaroo, crossed the road after the car had passed the first 2. How did the 2nd Kangaroo died?

while crossing the road, it hit the side of the moving car.






and the Koala bear.




You would definately see these 2 animals if you visit any Australia zoo. Some zoo also offer a hug to the Koala bear.

Do not try to hug a Koala Bear when you see in the wild. those are not like the ones you see in the picture where a tourist hugging it. Koala has sharp claws and if you observe the eucalyptus tree that it had just climbed, there were many marks on the trunk. those Koala Bears in the zoo were well trained and used to human, like the Orang Utan in Singapore being train to eat breakfast like human.


frogs? toads?

there were alot of them in queensland. i saw this guy in the house sink. We followed Steve to stay at John's house for 2 nights. In the night, i tried to walk in the dark to the kitchen to wash my cups. i only had a small torch light. then i touched somethig where the texture and stiffness doesn't feel like any cutlery. I shine the torch around and saw the above picture. it was a cool one because when i push that guy into the washing sink, it just slide down and didn't struggle much or jumped off to escape the game. COOL!

We went night watch with Steve in Paul's property. hmm, i'm not sure what is the name of this animal.

Dingo:

they look like skinny dogs that had not eaten for months but farm owners in queensland would sure gun them down in their property. The would eat up their herd and even their house dogs. The Dingos are most famous to be in Frazier Island where tourist go there to enjoy the sand. Sometimes these tourist would feed these 'poor hungry dogs' because they looked skinny and couldn't tell the difference between a dog and a dingo. As a eco system is disturbed by the tourist, the dingos get lazy to hunt for their own food and rely on human feedings. When there are no human feedings, they would go to camp ground and racksack the tents for food. when they see human they would expect food from us but if we resist, they would get aggressive. there were cases were dingos had killed little kids. Right now in Frazier Island, situation are getting better as the park rangers would educate the tourist about dingos.

The above pictures are taken live from our camera through our journey and life, not from the zoo.

Expats will rule Singapore

I recived an email from a friend, which is quite true. Fellow Singaporeans, please read carefully and think about it.


For your general consumption. IT WILL HAPPEN if we don’t wake up!

This is so true.....I hope it is a wake up call to many.

Adam Khoo: The expats will rule Singapore
Posted 28 January, 2010
I have a prediction. My prediction is that in a couple of years, the expatriates (from China , India , US etc...) will rule Singapore . They will increasingly take on more leadership roles of CEOs, directors, heads of organizations, award winners etc. If you observe closely, it is already happening now.

Last year's top PSLE (Primary School Leaving Exam) student is a China National. Most of the deans list students and first class honours students in the local universities are foreigners and more and more CEOs, even that of government link corporations are expats. The top players in our National teams are expats.

As a Singaporean, I am not complaining. I think that in a meritocratic society like Singapore , it is only fair that the very best get rewarded, no matter their race, religion or nationality. Like Lee Kwan Yew said, “I rather have these talented and driven people be on our team contributing to our nation than against us from their home country.” The question I have been asking is, ‘Why are the expats beating the crap out of Singaporeans?”

What I noticed is that these expats have a very important quality that many Singaporeans (especially the new Y generation lack). It is a quality that our grandfathers and great-grandfathers (who came from distant lands) had that turned Singapore from a fishing village to the third richest country in the world (according to GDP per capita).

Unfortunately, I fear this quality is soon disappearing from the new generation of Singaporeans.This quality is the HUNGER FOR SUCCESS and the FIGHTING SPIRIT!

Expats who come here today have the same tremendous HUNGER for success that our grandfathers had. They are willing to sacrifice, work hard and pay the price to succeed. They also believe that no one owes them a living and they have to work hard for themselves. They also bring with them the humility and willingness to learn.

Take the case of Qui Biqing, the girl from Qifa Primary school who topped the whole of Singapore in last year's PSLE with a score of 290. When she came to Singapore 3 years ago from China , she could hardly speak a word of English and didn't even understand what a thermometer was. Although she was 10 years old, MOE recommended she start at Primary 2 because of her lack of English proficiency. After appealing, she managed to start in Primary 3. While most Singaporeans have a head start of learning English at pre-school at the age of 3-4 years old, she only started at age 10. Despite this handicapped, she had the drive to read continuously and practice her speaking and writing skills, eventually scoring an A-star in English!

This hunger and drive can also be seen in the workforce. I hate to say this but in a way, I sometimes think expats create more value than locals.

Expats are willing to work long hours, go the extra mile, are fiercely loyal to you and don't complain so much. They also come a lot more qualified and do not ask the moon for the remuneration. Recently, I placed an ad for a marketing executive. Out of 100+ resumes, more than 60% came from expats.

While locals fresh grads are asking for $2,500+ per month, I have expats with masters degrees from good universities willing to get less than $2,000!

They know that if they can come in and learn and work hard, they will eventually climb up and earn a lot more. They are willing to invest in themselves, pay the price for future rewards. Sometimes I wonder how some of the locals are going to compete with this.

Of course, this is just a generalization. There ARE definitely some Singaporeans who create lots of value and show fighting spirit.

Unfortunately, I have found that more and more young Singaporeans lack this hunger for success. Instead, they like to complain, blame circumstances and wait for others to push them. Some hold on to the attitude that the world owes them a living. I shake my head when I see local kids nowadays complain that they don't have the latest hand phones, branded clothes and games.

While I acknowledge that the kids of today are much smarter and well informed than I was at their age (my 4 year old daughter can use my Macbook computer and my iphone), I find that they lack the resilience and tenacity they need to survive in the new economy. Some kids nowadays tend to give up easily once they find that things get tough and demand instant gratification. When they have to work first to get rewards later, many tend to lack the patience to follow through.

So, how did this happen? Why is our nation of hardworking, hungry fighters slowly becoming a nation of complaining softies? I think the problem is that life in Singapore has been too good and comfortable. Kids today have never seen hunger, poverty, war and disasters. What makes it worse is that parents nowadays give kids everything they want and over protect them from hardship and failure.

Parents often ask me why their kids lack the motivation to study and excel. My answer to them is because they already have everything! Giving someone everything they want is the best way to kill their motivation. What reason is there for them to fight to become the best when they are already given the best from their parents without having to earn it?

It reminds me of the cartoon movie MADAGASCAR where Alex the Lion and his animal friends were born and raised in the Central Park Zoo. They were well taken care of and provided with processed food and an artificial jungle. When they escaped to Africa , they found that they could barely survive in the wild with the other animals because they had lots their instincts to fight and hunt for food. They could only dance and sing.

I see the same thing in the hundreds of seminars and training programmes I conduct. I see increasing more and more expats attending my Wealth Academy and Patterns of Excellence programme in Singapore . Not surprisingly, they are always the first to grab the microphone to answer and ask questions.

While many of the locals come in late and sit at the back, the expats (especially those from India and China ) always sit at the front, take notes ferociously and stay back way after the programme is over to ask questions. I feel ashamed sometimes when I ask for volunteers to ask questions, and the Singaporeans keep quiet, while the foreigners fight for the opportunity.

For my "I Am Gifted!' programme for students, I have the privilege to travel & conduct it in seven countries (Singapore, Indonesia, Hong Kong, China, Malaysia etc) and see students from all over. Is there a big difference in their attitude and behaviour?

You bet!

Again, I feel really sad that in Singapore , most students who come are usually forced by their parents to come and improve themselves. Some parents even bribe them with computer games and new hand phones to attend.

During the course, some adopt the 'I know everything' attitude and lack the interest to succeed until I kick their butts. It is so different when I go to Malaysia , Indonesia and once in India . The kids there ask their parents to send them to my programme. They clap and cheer enthusiastically when the teachers enter the room and participate so willingly when lessons are on. I still scratch my head and wonder what happened to my fellow Singaporeans to this day.

So mark my words, unless the new generation of Singaporeans wake up and get out of their happy over protected bubble and start fighting for their future, the expats (like our great grandfathers) will soon be the rulers of the country. At the rate at which talented and hungry expats are climbing up, our future prime minister may be an Indian or China PR or may even be an Ang Moh!

Items for sale.

Offical Singaporedream sticker has arrived. printed on UV laminated paper, weather proof! Paste it on your bike!

Each at S$8.00.

the mobile phone and the card is for scale purpose.

NASA stickers for sale. Bought in NASA station in San Jose, California, USA.

top lef, NASA iron on badge 2 pieces available at S$15.00 each.
top right, NASA big sticker 2 pieces available SS6.00 each.
bottom right, NASA small sticker 3 pieces available S$4.00 each.


the mobile phone and the card are for scale purpose only.

NASA pin
S$15.00

Prices excluded postage.
Normal postage fee at flat rate of S$4.00 (international).

4-6 working days depending on location.

All prices are quoted in Singapore dollars.

my mum's life

This short video is about my mum’s life. From a pretty young girl, a dog lover, one of Singapore youngest lady bus driver in the 1970s, to her marriage to dad, to my sister and me been introduced to the family and to mum’s last few years, fighting her life with leukemia (blood cancer). On the one of the slides, there’s one photo of grown up me wearing a red T-shirt with mum. That photo was taken in Sentosa of Singapore. I had almost finished my 2 years national service and our platoon had a gathering. During the gathering, we were allowed to bring a girl along. Most of them brought their girlfriend along but I brought mum. It was the day when I realized that mum had server headache and that was the start that she was diagnosed with cancer. After that, you could see the photos that followed. Her body and health deteriorate. Every time I watch this, my tears would wet my eyes. I always had difficulty in watching this video till end without tears wetting my eyes. In memory of Mdm Chua Siang Keng, 23 August 1950 to 19 April 2003. click on the picture to watch the video.

From kennie's umbre

Would like to thank my friend Chua Soon Dee for making this presentation.

The real news about Chile earthquake and disaster 2010

The below message is a real email from a friend of mine from Chile, who needed help in a smaller town. currently all aid recived in Chile only went to bigger cities.

Chile,
Spending 3 months there and we had fell in love with it.
Looking at the news, a few places that we had went before had turned into disaster. So far, none of my friends that i knew had been directly injured by this earthquake but Teresa, a Chilean friend that we met, had some real trouble, not released by the news and media. She was supposed to come to Asia to travel and visit us but....

I'm trying to use this blog as a media to let everyone know what was happening (the real stuff) and help Teresa.

the email is in Spanish, later i translated into English.

Hola a todos!

Como todos ustedes saben la costa centro sur de nuestro país resultó muy afectada por el terremoto. Uno de los pueblos más dañados a consecuencia del sismo y de la gran ola que arrasó con prácticamente todo, es Curanipe, a tan sólo 50 km de Cobquecura, el epicentro del terremoto.

Para los que no saben yo tengo especial cariño por Curanipe ya que mi hermano Carlos, quien es psicólogo del área, su polola y mi padre viven allá (afortunadamente ellos están bien), y las noticias que hemos tenido no han sido muy buenas, pues aún no han recibido ninguna ayuda, toda la ayuda se va a las ciudades o pueblos más grandes, sin embargo pueblos pequeños como Curanipe y aledaños como Pelluhue, Buchupureo, entre otros, la ayuda suele llegar más tarde y agrava más la situación el estar absolutamente incomunicados, sin agua y sin luz.

Sin embargo, la ayuda la necesitan ahora, por lo mismo quiero invitar a todos a ayudar a este pueblo, así que estaremos recibiendo donaciones de todo tipo, tales como ropa, agua, bencina, ropa de cama, remedios, herramientas, alimentos, pañales, etc, etc y entre nosotros iremos a dejar las cosas.

Toda donación la recibiremos en Quillay 2531 depto 401, Providencia (Carlos Antunez con Holanda)
Cualquier cosa pueden llamarme al 7 - 8715349.

Desde ya el pueblo de Curanipe les agradece la solidaridad y buenas vibras de todos ustedes,

Muchos cariños,
M. Teresa Altieri

In English:

Hello to all!

As all you know the coast South center of our country was very affected by the earthquake. One of the damaged towns more as a result of the earthquake and of the great wave that devastated with practically everything, is Curanipe, to only 50 km of Cobquecura, the epicenter of the earthquake.

For that they do not know I like special by Curanipe since my brother Carlos, who is psychologist of the area, his wife and my father lives there, and the news which we have had have been very good, because not yet they have received no aid, all the aid goes away to the cities or great towns the more, nevertheless bordering small towns like Curanipe and like Pelluhue, Buchupureo, among others, the aid usually arrive later and aggravate the more the absolutely isolated situation being, without water and light.

Nevertheless, they need it now to the aid, by the same I want to invite to all to help this town, so we will be receiving donations of all type, such as clothes, water, benzine, clothes of bed, remedies, tools, foods, diapers, etc, etc and between us we will leave the things.

All donation we will receive in Quillay 2531 depto 401, Providence (Carlos Antunez with Holland) Any thing can call me to 7 - 8715349. From already the town of Curanipe it is thankful for solidarity to them and good you vibrate of all you,

Many affections,

M. Teresa Altieri