Cycling paths

Tampines has decided to legalise cycling on pavements. I thought we had cycling paths? Although I am all for cycling, it's dangerous to pedestrians if the cycling takes place on the pavement. Why can't we learn from our brothers abroad. They get off their bikes and walk when they are on the pavements, and cycle on the roads. I have been taunted by raging youngsters on their bicycles and scolded by old men who tell me to be careful when walking on the pavement because they have "the right of way". Doesn't the Town Council recall the man who got killed by a teen on a bicycle last week?

Copenhagen

This pretty much sums it up

If the climate was a bank they would have saved it, said Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. But it is not. And they have not.

source: bbc

Does Singapore Have a Climate Change Policy?

This article is a little controversial! Take a look at online citizen blog.

DIY Christmas Tree Part 2

Remember my Christmas tree project?

It's completed! OK, the bottom is a little wonky, but I like it! :-)

My son's nursery gave him some tiny toys which I thought would make cute Christmas bobbles.

I cut small circles of fabric and added some sparkle to them.

I used tacks too....

...and added a ribbon on the top (instead of a star)

Homemade Granola

It was my friend's birthday and I was planning to give her a granola recipe and all the ingredients as a present. Unfortunately, she said her oven was not working, so I decided to make it for her!

I followed this recipe. Just remember the 7 dry to 1 wet (oil & honey) ratio!

12 cups rolled oats
1 cup wheat germ <if you don't have this then use more rolled oats instead>
2 cups unsalted nuts <I used walnuts and sliced almonds>
2 cups sunflower seeds
1 cup sesame seeds
3 cups coconut, shredded
1 1/2 cups honey
1 1/2 cups oil (use a light oil like safflower)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract <I added cinnamon>

We love this at home. My son has had it for breakfast and teabreak today :-p

DIY Christmas Tree Part 1

Work in progress.....

With my hubby around, I managed to find the time to start on the Christmas tree. It's not the real thing and it's only 2D, but it's frugal, and there are fewer airmiles on this one compared to the ones being sold at Ikea.

With only less than 3 wks left so I had better get my act together! You need 3 sturdy old clothes hangers, tape, fabric from your stash, or any old fabric you have left from your sewing, scissors and your needle and thread (or sewing machine).

My 2 boys (big and small) helping me stick the 3 hangers together to make the frame of my tree. My hubby used masking tape, but in the end we found that the duct tape would do a much better job as mine ended up a bit wobbly.

My clothes hangers stuck together. Here's where I went wrong. I should have traced my tree onto a newspaper (like my previous project), but I wasn't thinking and traced directly onto my fabric. I ended up with a slightly out of shape tree. I chose white fabric for a white tree (It doesn't snow in Singapore :-p)

Remember to cut through 2 layers of fabric with the right sides facing each other. I then machine sewed one side of the tree, turned it inside out and slip it over the hangers. Now I'm in the process of hand sewing it shut. Will be decorating it soon!

This tutorial was featured in The Examiner. 

Bottle Caps

Turning bottle caps into....

....Christmas ornaments, or maybe gift tags, or maybe keychains?

A great idea from Jubliantwares! OK, let's go to the coffeeshop or hawker center and hover over the uncles for their beer bottle caps :-)

Copanhagen COP15

It's just around the corner (7 Dec 09), and hopefully the countries (developed and developing) will come to some consensus over emission reductions, tackling deforestation, technology transfer and aid to developing countries, and more importantly, make it legally binding.

I think what happens at COP15 is important, but what is more important is what is going to happen after COP15 ...... will it turn out to be another Kyoto? I wonder what Singapore has planned post-COP15....

Road hazard

Just the other day, I was in my friend's car and we were whizzing down the expressway to get to my hubby's football match at 7am (yes, that early!). Along the way, we noticed a family in a very sleek convertible.

You might be thinking of Grace Kelly and Cary Grant - romantic, carefree, and no frizzy hair! But the whole family was ducked down behind the seats trying to avoid the wind!

I read in the latest Acoustics Bulletin (Institute of Acoustics), that drivers (I think that includes the passengers as well) could be at risk of permanent hearing damage from wind and road noise. So, not so romantic afterall.

According to the article, at 50, 60 and 70 mph, the noise can reach between 88 - 90 dB(A), which is above the generally agreed threshold level at which permanent hearing damage becomes a risk. During rushhour along the expressway, the loudest measurement was 99dB(A)! I think that's almost as loud as a digger.

I know of 2 friends who own a convertible. I don't understand why you would need one in Singapore, cos it's so HOT and SUNNY! The article did mention the drivers wearing some form of ear protection :-)

Pic from http://homeawayhome.wordpress.com