A Sunday cyclist along the Sydney Harbour Bridge by Berno (bernardoh3rd at gmail)
Life
Last Friday, I took part in a Team Fatbird‘s Sundown Marathon Route Familiarisation Run as part of my preparation for the May Sundown Marathon. I estimated more than 60 runners turned up for this community run, which began around 9pm. This is quite an impressive turnout for an event that was promoted mainly via Facebook and the word of mouth.
The running route (linked below) started from ECP Car Park C4 and went along the parts of the Eastern Coastal Park Connector Network. It offered runners an opportunity to experience the sights and sounds of the eastern suburbs including Siglap, Tampines, Pasir Ris and Loyang.
Good thing, there were committee members from Team Fatbird dispersed among the different running packs. One’s concentration can take a serious beating during a long distance overnight run. Anthony, David and the other Team Fatbird run pacers played an important role to lead the various running packs, chit chatting along the way and keeping motivation high among the trainees. A special mention goes out to Max for providing taking pictures of the runners along the route. The photos opportunities brought out the smiles of many.
Almost 4 hours 30mins later, drenched in perspiration and really yearning for my bed, I finally arrived at the finishing line. Ah Beng and Suan made the tiredness almost disappear with their wonderful hospitality with food and drinks donated by others.
This well attended run is a great testimony to the enthusiasm, dedication and generosity of the Singapore running community. To all who had donated resources to organise this event and participated in this run, THANK YOU!
Pictures taken by Max Ang (feetoffurry)
Related links:
Resurrection – Piero della Francesca
The Lord has indeed risen, alleluia. Glory and Kingship be his for ever and ever.
To all Christian readers out there, may the joy and blessings of the triumphant Risen Lord come and remain vividly in your life. Happy blessed and holy Easter, everyone!
Like to discover sacred music to accompany the Easter season experience? I recommend ABC Classic FM’s For the God who Sings program. This week’s selection recreated the anticipation and the joys associated with the Easter vigil mass. For the Church no longer moans for the death of her spouse - the Christ. Christ has conquered death and he now lives among the Church. May the lighted Paschal (Easter) Candle rekindle your faith and the sense of hope. Amen.
Since the economic downturn I have almost stopped buying CDs and moved onto podcasts for my aural stimulation. An audio diet laced with humour, news, business and commentary. Here is a list of my absolute must-hear feeds:
1. Hamish & Andy – My fav commute-time comedy duo from Melbourne. Give these guys a try and I reckon you will become a fan too.
2. American Public Media’s Marketplace. Great way to get an summary of Wall Street overnight performance and news.
3. NPR’s Planet Money. How to make sense of all these news from the Wall Street to the White House.
4. Robert Reich’s Commentary. Prof Robert Reich teaches public policy in Berkeley and served as Labour Secretary during the Clinton administration
5. The Story is about “people whose lives are intersecting with significant issues in the news.” The programs has previous discussed about how older people coped when their unemployment benefits ran out (foreclosures), how our past can come back and haunt us via Facebook (Facebook), and how good people can be lured and trapped in money laundering (white collar crimes).
6. BBC’s World Business Daily. An audio documentary of the world of business.
7. ABC’s 7.30 report (video). A snapshot of current issues affecting Australia.
8. London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) public lectures and events. Perfect if you enjoy a detailed discussion of the world around us.
9. Sky News Business Report. My 25mins update on the Australian economy and AUD performance.
10. The Gruen Transfer (free video vodcast) by Wil Anderson (now back for Season 2)! The Gruen Transfer is about the science of advertising served with a dead wit and humour.
Does anyone know of an informational podcast feed from Singapore? It’s really difficult to find a Singapore business or social commentary podcast. I would really listen to a Singapore Mandarin podcast after MM Lee is now reminding us the importance of speaking Mandarin.
“Singapore is like a tropical fish tank – beautiful, luxurious but expensive to maintain, and very vulnerable to balance in the water and loss of other external inputs. And even if everything works well, all the time, it is still just a fish tank, not the ocean itself, with its greater danger, challenges, opportunities and treasures”
- Dr Linda Lim (Singaporean, Professor, Ross School of Business, University of Michigan)
A Canberra man was described as a hero for wrestling a kangaroo out of his house in his Bond undies after being woken in the early hours by the marsupial smashing in.
Beat Ettlin, 42, who lives in the leafy suburb of Garran, awoke to the sound of glass splintering and saw a dark shape bounding on his bed about 2 am (AEDT) yesterday .
“My initial thought when I was half awake was: it’s a lunatic ninja coming through the window,” the 42-year-old Mr Ettlin told Associated Press.
As he struggled to comprehend what was happening he was spurred to action moments later when his 10-year-old son Leighton Beman screamed “There’s a ‘roo in my room!”
“I thought: This can be really dangerous for the whole family now,” Mr Ettlin said. Despite only being clad in Bonds undies Mr Ettlin took on the frenzied marsupial as it lashed out.
As the intruder had jumped a backyard fence and then lept up 1.5m to break through the window. Mr Ettlin was left with shredded undies and the admiration of his wife. “I think he’s a hero: a hero in Bonds undies,” Verity Beman said.
Source: ‘Undies hero’ wrestles ‘roo out of house (The Australian)
Berno: I wonder if Pacific Brands would use this story for their next Bonds ad?
The 2009 Economist Intelligence Unit’s cost of living survey reveals that Tokyo (1), Osaka (2) and Singapore (10) ranked among the Top 10 most expensive cities.
2009 EIU World’s Top 1o Most Expensive Cities Ranking
1. Tokyo, Japan
2. Osaka, Japan
3. Paris, France
4. Copenhagen, Denmark
5. Oslo, Norway
6. Zurich, Switzerland
7. Frankfurt, Germany
8. Helsinki, Finland
9. Geneva, Switzerland
10. Singapore, Singapore
…
35. Sydney, Australia
…
39. Melbourne, Australia
Little comfort for those who are out of a job or struggling with lower income.
- Survey shows Singapore is world’s 10th most expensive city (Channel News Asia)
- Aussie cities now less expensive: survey (The Age)
- London cheaper than New York for first time since 2002 (EIU Press Release)
- Strong dollar makes US cities expensive places to live (EU Press Release)
The 2009 Victorian Bushfire season’s death toll is expected to claim more 200 lives (as at 11 Feb 09), making it Australia’s worst natural diaster in 110 years.
As the firefighters continue their brave effort to contain the fires, thousands of survivals who lost their loved ones, pets and homes now faces an even tougher task ahead. Please consider a donation to the Red Cross Victorian Bushfire Appeal to assist these individuals and communities to get back on their feet.
Your kind donation will marks your solidarity with these victim and let them know that they are not suffering alone.
Click on the link to make a credit card donation to the Victorian Bushfire Appeal 2009 (Red Cross).
Related links:
- ABC News Bushfire Emergency micro-site (with the latest news, pictures and audio feeds)
- The Age’s special Bushfires coverage
The pictures are not taken by me. Please click on them to see the enlarged credits.
Support for organ harvesting, drug-enhanced sport performance, and genetically modified children are some of the serious topics discussed during a humorous interview with Julian Savulescu.
Dr Julian Savulescu is a Professor of Practical Ethics at the Oxford Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics, Oxford University and the interviewer was Andrew Denton. This interview was broadcasted on 28 Sep 2008, ABC’s “Enough Rope”
- Interview Transcript: http://www.abc.net.au/tv/enoughrope/transcripts/s2374638.htm
- Download the audio interview (mp3): http://www.abc.net.au/tv/enoughrope/audio/ep187/PROFESSORJULIANSAVULESCU.mp3
Last evening (16 Dec 2008), Australia High Court outgoing Judge Justice Michael Kirby spoke at Griffith University’s graduation ceremony and received an honorary doctorate. In his address, Justice Kirby clearly avoided “benign platitudes” instead shared on a simple but the most important thing he has discovered in life – love.
“Love, you see, transcends even scholarship, cleverness and university degrees. It is greater than pride and it’s greater than wealth. It endures when all worldly vanities fade.” said Justice Kirby in his address.
Justice Kirby was concerned about a lack of self-love with stress and depression running rife in law and business and urged the graduates to take love into their future workplaces. He also recommended doing volunteer legal work as it was uplifting, satisfying and noble. But his final message to the graduates was this.
“In life, never be predictable. It’s so uncool.”
Bravo, Justice Kirby!
Click here to listen to the full audio of his address. Alternative audio link and transcript.
Related link: All we need is love, concludes retiring judge (The Age)
