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| Chapel Road, Summer - Roger Smith 2011 |
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Thursday, 27 January 2011
No Place Like Homing
I had often wondered why there were so many pigeons nesting and congregating around Queens condo and the adjacent Queenstown MRT.They were the bane of our life fouling the air-conditioning platforms and in turn encouraging a stream of ants and other nasties to their nesting sites.
Now it seems science has provided the answer. Pigeons apparently sniff their way home with their right nostril according to new research out of Italy.
The Italians are of course good at sniffing out stories themselves, as is witnessed in the ongoing Berlusconi saga - but that is another story.
The aforementioned pigeons would be severely handicapped if they were to develop an allergy and find their right nostril blocked.
According to the study a blocked right nostril means that pigeons are unable to create the "map of smells" that guides them on their journey.
The scientists plugged either the left or the right nostril of homing pigeons raised just outside Pisa.
They released the birds from Cigoli, 40km away, and followed the birds' return routes using GPS trackers. The 'right nostril disadvantaged' fared worse on the return journey.
Perhaps this same theory applies to Singapore's feathered vermin? The pollution levels around Queenstown got quite bad at times and I figure that the pigeons have this worked out.
By not going anywhere they run little risk of blocked nostrils leadings them astray. There is the added advantage of coffee shop scraps and nesting sites in the nooks and crannies of the MRT line.
Perhaps the NEA could conduct a similar experiment in the hope, that by blocking the noses of Singapore pigeons, they might fly across the Causeway to Malaysia?
Wednesday, 26 January 2011
Unwanted Publicity
To make matters worse the ill-named Goldkist Beach Resort heads the list. One poor guest was disconcerted to learn that “Taxi Drivers will laugh if you say you are staying here” and I quote "Waaa, why stay there lah! This place only for party at beach, better stay somewhere else, not good for tourist".
Aspinalls ("Sleeping on the street would have been cleaner") came in third.
There is actually no excuse for filth and lousy service and I am sure the Singapore Tourist Bureau will be paying them a visit, along with the environmental agencies.
When an Australian guest writes: "No words can describe how horrible this place is and not exaggerating when I say it is the worst hotel I have ever stayed in" then this sort of bad press travels on the web and undoes all of the excellent work the STB does to promote Singapore.
To provide a balanced review I sought out the best service for hotels in Asia thinking that at least one Singapore hotel would make the list, given the national emphasis on service training for staff - alas no.
But all is not entirely lost as The Quincy Hotel ranked #1 as the Trendist Hotel in Asia and the New Majestic made #9 in the same category.
Next year it would be nice to see a Singapore hotel top all of the best categories; now that would be a goal to aim for.
Monday, 24 January 2011
CNY Goodies and the Results
While all New Year goodies taste delicious one should remember that there is a 'cost' to everything!
Seeing it is the year of the Rabbit it might be advisable to do what the 'lapin' do and just eat carrots.
- 1 whole mandarin orange (60g) 28 calories
- 2 pieces of kueh bangkit (10g) 38 calories
- 1 piece of nian gao (20g) 46 calories
- 2 pieces of love letters (26g) 112 calories
- 1 handful of peanuts (20g) 113 calories
- 1 handful of cashew nuts (20g) 116 calories
- 2 pieces of cashew nut cookies (24g) 124 calories
- 2 pieces of pineapple tarts (50g) 164 calories
- I handful of prawn rolls (45g) 228 calories
- 1 slice of pork bak kwa (57g) 229 calories
- 1 handful of melon seeds (45g) 251 calories
source: Today Online
Seeing it is the year of the Rabbit it might be advisable to do what the 'lapin' do and just eat carrots.
- 1 whole mandarin orange (60g) 28 calories
- 2 pieces of kueh bangkit (10g) 38 calories
- 1 piece of nian gao (20g) 46 calories
- 2 pieces of love letters (26g) 112 calories
- 1 handful of peanuts (20g) 113 calories
- 1 handful of cashew nuts (20g) 116 calories- 2 pieces of cashew nut cookies (24g) 124 calories
- 2 pieces of pineapple tarts (50g) 164 calories
- I handful of prawn rolls (45g) 228 calories
- 1 slice of pork bak kwa (57g) 229 calories
- 1 handful of melon seeds (45g) 251 calories
source: Today Online
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