Brain stimulating activities keep dementia at bay

Studies have shown that a board game like mahjong or scrabble games can stimulate the brain and therefore keep dementia at bay.

Mahjong (麻將) is a game for four players that originated in China. It was called (麻雀), meaning sparrow in ancient China. It is still the name most commonly used in some southern Chinese dialects such as Cantonese and Minnan, as well as in Japanese. However, most Chinese now call the game má jiàng (麻將).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahjong

Mahjong is a social game of skill, cunning strategy and to keep things interesting, a bit of luck. Some compare this as very much similar to rummy. It is an exciting game requiring four players. Some variations can be played by three. Playing the game requires strategy, skills, calculations and luck. The game is very popular in Asia as gambling game. In western countries, the game was introduced as a hobby game to while away free time. In a typical game, you get 13 or 16 tiles and you have to make four groups, also known as ‘melds’, and a pair or ‘head’ before other

players to win the game.

SINGAPORE: The People’s Association (PA) will be offering mahjong classes in English.

The PA is organising three sessions in total. The next session will begin on November 5.

Check it out if you are interested. Do drop us a line to share what you have learned. We look forward to your sharing.

Check your second-hand phone a stolen item

Police launch service to curb sales of stolen, missing cellphones. This service is an enhancement to its Handphone Imei Tracing System, or Hits, which began as a website service in 2006.

The system uses a cellphone's unique International Mobile Equipment Identity (Imei) number to identify phones that have been reported stolen.

To reveal the Imei number, key in *#06# on the cellphone.

To screen whether a mobile phone is a stolen item, SMS :

• For Singaporeans, permanent residents, employment-pass and work-permit holders, send an SMS to 74688 with the following :
• "SPFHITS(space)NRIC no./FIN no.(space)Imei no."

• For tourists or visitors, send an SMS to 74688 with these information :
• "SPFHITS(space)Identity no.(space)O(space)Imei no."

If gthe screening result says "Wanted", the public should lodge a report with the police immediately.

MM Lee - our great honour - Lifetime achievement award in Washington DC

MM Lee receives lifetime achievement award in Washington DC

Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew, 86, is the first recipient of the award, which recognises ASEAN's contribution to US economic security.

The Minister Mentor received the lifetime achievement award witnessed by US foreign policy giants like Henry Kissinger.

Mr Kissinger said: "He has become a seminal figure for all of us. As I’ve said, I’ve known him for 40 years. I would say I have learned, I’ve not learned as much from anybody as I have from Lee Kuan Yew."

An extract from : Channel NewsAsia - Wednesday, October 28, 2009

In a statement to The Straits Times, Dr Shultz said: ‘Ideas, information, clarity of mind, integrity of purpose. Mr Lee Kuan Yew has all of these characteristics and many more.

‘He is a truly great man who has been a wonderful friend over many years.’

Singapore is so fortunate to have Mr Lee Kuan Yew helming the nation. He is so well respected by Top-notch leaders from United States....

As a driving force behind the growth and evolution of ASEAN, Mr Lee also helped millions of people across South-east Asia to live in an environment of peace and economic growth.'

I like this, from Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs - the US state department's top Asia policy official, Kurt Campbell.

"Thanks for coming and spending so much time with a group of people who not only respect you but love you. I know we don't use that word in Singapore, but still, we love you."

Yes, we love you, our Minister Mentor, Mr Lee Kuan Yew.MM Lee receives lifetime achievement award in Washington DC

Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew, 86, is the first recipient of the award, which recognises ASEAN's contribution to US economic security.

The Minister Mentor received the lifetime achievement award witnessed by US foreign policy giants like Henry Kissinger.

Mr Kissinger said: "He has become a seminal figure for all of us. As I’ve said, I’ve known him for 40 years. I would say I have learned, I’ve not learned as much from anybody as I have from Lee Kuan Yew."

An extract from : Channel NewsAsia - Wednesday, October 28, 2009

In a statement to The Straits Times, Dr Shultz said: ‘Ideas, information, clarity of mind, integrity of purpose. Mr Lee Kuan Yew has all of these characteristics and many more.

‘He is a truly great man who has been a wonderful friend over many years.’

Singapore is so fortunate to have Mr Lee Kuan Yew helming the nation. He is so well respected by Top-notch leaders from United States....

As a driving force behind the growth and evolution of ASEAN, Mr Lee also helped millions of people across South-east Asia to live in an environment of peace and economic growth.'

I like this, from Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs - the US state department's top Asia policy official, Kurt Campbell.

"Thanks for coming and spending so much time with a group of people who not only respect you but love you. I know we don't use that word in Singapore, but still, we love you."

Yes, we love you, our Minister Mentor, Mr Lee Kuan Yew.

Retiring an active and fulfilling life

Singapore Minister Lim Boon Heng is the head of The Ministerial Committee on Ageing. Mr Lim said that plans to promote active living among old people includes the Council for Third Age to champion active ageing, other initiatives include ComCare, CPF Life and the 3Ms framework, which will all help the elderly finance their long-term needs.

It aims to enable Singapore elderly to remain active, independent, financially secure and productively engaged with the wider community.

To the individual active agers, able to slowing down and taking time off to smell the roses, doing things like able to help out at the community level and organising regular exercise seesions for the seniors to lead active and fulfilling life.

Free Yoga lessons

Know anything about Yoga. Like to share some information I have gathered.

What can we gain out of this yoga practice ?

Physically, it apparently has proven to be extremely effective for various disorders. Such disorders like : digestive disorders, back pain, Arthritis, anxiety and depression, etc

1) Increasing Flexibility - joga has positions that act upon the various joints of the body including those joints that rarely taken note or exercised on.

2) Increasing lubrication of the joints, ligaments and tendons.

3) Massaging of all organs of the body - this stimulation and massage of the organs in turn benefits us by keeping away disease.

4) Complete detoxification - yoga ensures the optimum blood supply to various parts of the body thereby helps in the flushing out of toxins.

5) Excellent toning of the muscles - flaccid, weak or slothy are stimulated repeated to shed excess flab and flaccidity.

Find this website interesting and informative : http://www.healthandyoga.com/

Have you seen the picture above ? I have extracted it from ST 27 Sep 2009

Yoga lessons with a twist - they're free for everyone. Isn't it interesting. A brief summary for your sharing.

Mr C .V. Jagadish - the chief executive of a chipmaker co. turns yoga instructor twice a week, leading night classes at Pasir Ris Elias Community Club. Each night classes, in the spacious, brightly lit hall, consist of about 60 adults, many of whom are in their 40s and 50s.

"Lift your toes above your head, see if your toes can touch the floor". Speaking into a microphone, he tells his student to perform the stretching exercise carefully.

Lessons are free but participants pay a one-time fee of $5 to 30, which helps to cover the cost of facilities where lessons are held.

Interested, check it out.

Do drop us a comment to share either in your interests, training etc. We welcome your sharing.

A corn pudding recipe to share

Today need to attend a potluck gathering with a group of friends. Each to cook a dish to share. Scratching my head as what to prepare for the group.

So in the end I have prepared this corn pudding.

This is my recipe:

• 100g of Hoon Kueh flour
• 500g of coconut mixed with 4 cups of water to squeeze out 5 cups of milk
• 200g of sugar
• 400g or one can of full whole corn kernels
• one small tsp of salt
• banana leaves for wrapping

1) Combine coconut milk with hoon kueh flour, sugar and salt in a heavy-based saucepan. Bring to boil over low heat, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens.

2) Stir in corn kernels and mix thoroughly.

3) Cut the banana leaves to 11 x 15 cm and wash it with hot water.

4) Spoon mixture into the centre of one banana leaf and fold the both ends by revering to the back.

5) Leave to cool and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Fills about 40 small packets.

Give it a try and do let me your what is the opinion. We welcome your sharing here.

What are you Good at ? Holding out for a hero ?

The writer, Neil Humphreys wrote this article " Holding out for a hero" on 10 Oct 09 for ST Life! He wrote these interesting article by starting phrases as below :

" I can't give first aid, change a light bulb or install a phone line but I can write about them".

Just a brief summary, I have extracted from his article, the story goes:

A young woman was taken ill suddenly in his office and he was the guy who waited for the ambulance guys to show and direct them to the patient. He had witnessed the paramedic finished treating his colleague and gently helped to her feet. Quoting from the articles:

" Thanks for everything." I gushed, opening the door. "You were great, just great. Is there anything I can do ?" The paramedic looked me up and down. "No, there 's nothing you can do."

Well, the paramedic was really wrong, and Neil is great. He took the whole incident in such positive stride and wrote the above article. Isn't it great, he is able to find his happiness and worthiness from his job as a columnist.

Bernard Haldane, a pioneer in career counseling, died at the age of 95. One of his core beliefs was that most people who don’t like their career are unhappy because they’re not using their best abilities. I think this is a good example.

Everyone in this world is good at something. All we need to do is to find out that ‘thing’.

Do you have something to share with us ? We welcome your comments here.