Great minds...

Great minds discuss ideas;

Average minds discuss events;

Small minds discuss people.


-- Eleanor Roosevelt

Teochew Song ~ 出花园 ～

It is a nice song and a good a documentary of Teochew culture.

This is a very old Teochew custom when a teenages turn fifteen years old, 出花园 ～ (Out of the Garden or stepping out of the garden) is prepared for them.

This video brings back sweet memories. I went through this Teochew customs when I was 15.

As a history graduate, I think it is important for us Teochews to understand our culture. When I view this video, it is very interesting to see how it was done in China as I remembered only the red clog that I had to wear on that day.

If you family still practises Teochew traditional customs, I think your parents or grand parents will do it for you when you turn 15, no matter if you are a boy or girl!

I think all my siblings gone through this when they turn 15. Unfortunately, most of my nephews and nieces do not have such an experience as my mum do not like to force it upon the parents.

That make me think of my grandmum who gave me this fond and sweet memory as she thought it is a must for all her grandchildren.

Grandmum, thanks and you are always in my memory even you live beyond this world since June 2005.

Why many places in 潮州 (Teochew or Chaozhou) like to name after "Han"? 潮州山水喜姓韩

潮州山水喜姓韩 Why many places in 潮州 (Teochew or Chaozhou) like to name after "Han"韩?

Many places in 潮州 (Teochew or Chaozhou)are named after "Han" 韩 and if your are curious to know more about the anecdotes, just view the video on this page. You will understand the reasons behind.

http://www.czbtv.com/czwh/cfcq/t20050203_50858.htm

Teochew songs

Teochew song: Happiness 《欢喜》

If you like to learn some Teochew phrases for congratulating newly wedded couple, this is the song you should not miss.

欢喜: 潮州话 祝贺新郎新娘的话



Teochew song: 红屐桃 Ang Giah To （潮州话童歌谣）Chaozhou Children Song

歌曲：红屐桃 Ang Giah To （潮州话童歌谣）
Chaozhou (Teochew) Children Song inspired by LIM Daikim story.



Teochew song: 无影迹古（潮州话） Bho ia'n Ziah （Teochew children song)
Embedding disabled by request
view it via the url:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uia5qXXL-C4&NR=1

Is there a Digital Age?

I was informed by the Centre for Senior about the workshop and took a morning off to attend the training workshop specially designed for the seniors from various associations and organisations.

If you miss it this morning, here is some information I recalled and you may like to use them for further exploration:


National Library Board's electronic information sources - training for seniors

Is there a Digital Age?


National Library Building, Level 5, Possibility room.

Program of the day:

09.00am Registration

09.15am Opening by Ms Tay Ai Cheng, Senior Director, Public Libraries Singapore

09.30am Services for Seniors by Public Libraries

10.00am Tea break

10.10am Demo on eResources (http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/index.aspx)

10.40am Hands-on for eResources

12.00nn Close

===


I found the Mr Robin Dresel's briefing and hands-on session given at the workshop very useful and informative. It was an update for me on National Library Databases and E-Resources as I have not use them for a while.

(Mr Robin Dresel: Robin_DRESEL@nlb.gov.sg Associate II, Customer Relations Public Libraries Singapore Tel: 6842 8087 )

Most of the eResources are accessible via:

http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/

If you do not have sign up for an account, you can browse the first level and see what it available within each category. For example:

Search eResources
-->
Browse eJournals
Search Databases

Browse
By A-Z
By Type
By Subject

If you choose Browse > A-Z > All, you are able to browse all the eResources by tapping on the alphabet, like the one under "H" shown below:

===
By A - Z
All A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z Other Languages

-->

1.
Health and wellness resource center and alternative health module

Provides access to medical reference materials, including nearly 400 health/medical journals, hundreds of pamphlets, over 700 health-related videos from Healthology, Inc., and articles from 2,200 general interest publications in addition to a broad collection of Gale reference titles.

Available at all libraries and from home.


2.
Health reference center

This is a comprehensive encyclopedic database containing thousands of hyperlinked entries organized into four major categories: conditions and diseases, mental health, health and wellness, and body systems.

Available at all libraries and from home.


3.
History database center

Access Facts on File's history databases, Modern World History Online and Ancient and Medieval History Online, from a single search interface. Modern World History Online covers the people, places and events in the broad expanse of world history--from mid 15th century to the present. Ancient History and Culture explores the pre-modern world with in-depth focus on Egypt, Mesopotamia, Greece, Rome, Africa, Europe, the Americas and Asia. Suitable for students aged 12 and above.

Available at all libraries and from home.


4.
Humanities full text

The most comprehensive resource available in its field, Humanities Full Text brings you full text plus abstracts and bibliographic indexing of the most noted scholarly sources in the humanities, as well as numerous lesser-known but important specialized magazines. The database indexes, abstracts and delivers the full text of feature articles, interviews, obituaries, bibliographies, original works of fiction, drama, and poetry, book reviews, and reviews of ballets, dance programs, motion pictures, musicals, operas, plays, radio and television programs, and more.

Limited to 4 concurrent accesses only. Available at all libraries and from home.

===


Important points to note:

1. Not all eResources are available from home, you need to take note that only those items marked with a Globe logo is :

Available at All Libraries and from Home


2. If the items are marked with "A" in blue, it is only accessible from National Library Central and all other branches:

Available at All Libraries


3. If the items are marked with "S" in red, it is limited in terms of access, ie.,

Available at Selected Libraries: Access this database at selected library locations

===

I think for those who like to read newspaper, the browsing "By Type" that offers comprehensive listing of newspapers from all over the world is the most attractive section:

===

By Type
eBooks eDatabases eJournals eMagazines eNewspapers

All A-J K-T U-Z Other Languages


1.
Bloomberg professional service

This is a financial information network service that integrates data, news, analytics, multimedia reports, and electronic trading. The service is used by market professionals around the world, and is accessible via onsite Bloomberg terminals.

Available at Lee Kong Chian Reference Library only. Bloomberg is a stand alone station at LKCRL.


2.
China infobank

中国资讯行有限公司(China Infobank Limited)是香港一家专门收集、处理及传播中国商业信息的高科技企业，为世界各地各行各业的公司和研究机构提供经济新闻、商业报告、统计数据、科研资料等信息，资讯储存于16 个数据库中，目前拥有三百多万篇商业资料，为现存中文商业数据库之冠。数据库每日更新。 China Infobank comprises 15 databases that provide business information and other news about China. Types of information pertain to industry, economic, legal, health, government, company and biographical data. Contents are mainly in Chinese with some available in English.

Limited to 8 concurrent access only. Available at all libraries. 仅限于八个使用者同时上网。国家图书馆及属下分馆均提供此上网服务。


3.
Factiva.com

Use Factiva's research products to gain single click access to a deep archive of news and business information that provides a historical, global, and local perspective, which can help you uncover essential information on your prospects, partners or customers easily. 道琼斯和路透社共同拥有的商业新闻信息库 Factiva.com 提供世界级的全球新闻和商业信息。其中文内容来源于中国大陆，香港，台湾，马来西亚，新加坡等地的100多种中文报纸杂志以及行业必读公司报告。在功能上，Factiva.com提供了搜索、跟踪、公司快速查询、股市汇市查询、行业查询，并能根据自己的需要跟踪感兴趣的信息来源、公司、行业和新闻主题。

Available at all libraries. With unlimited archive access.


4.
Factiva.com

Use Factiva's research products to gain single click access to a deep archive of news and business information that provides a historical, global, and local perspective, which can help you uncover essential information on your prospects, partners or customers easily. 道琼斯和路透社共同拥有的商业新闻信息库 Factiva.com 提供世界级的全球新闻和商业信息。其中文内容来源于中国大陆，香港，台湾，马来西亚，新加坡等地的100多种中文报纸杂志以及行业必读公司报告。在功能上，Factiva.com提供了搜索、跟踪、公司快速查询、股市汇市查询、行业查询，并能根据自己的需要跟踪感兴趣的信息来源、公司、行业和新闻主题。

Available from home. With 30 days archive access.


5.
ISI emerging markets express

Provides comprehensive company information, news and country indicators from Asia, Europe, Africa, Middle East and Latin America.

Available at all libraries and from home.


6.
Library PressDisplay

Library PressDisplay provides full-colour digital replications of hundreds of newspapers from around the globe. It offers full content and interactive access to newspapers from over 60 countries in over 30 languages.

Available at all libraries and from home.


7.
Newsbank

Full-text content of local and regional newspapers, including the Straits Times and the Business Times. Each newspaper has its own distinctive focus offering a variety of viewpoints on local and world issues. Paid advertisements are excluded.

The Straits Times, Business Times & Sunday Times are available at libraries only. International newspapers are available at libraries and from home.


8.
Nexis

Database provides authoritative news and business information. Publications include: Business monitor news, The Business Times(Singapore) and The Straits Times.

Available at all libraries and from home. The Straits Times and Business Times have 90 days of archive access.


9.
OnAsia

Consisting of tens of thousands of high-quality copyrighted images created by some of Asia's finest photojournalists and photographers, the OnAsia digital archive features a range of photographic essays, stock photographs and conceptual images that represent a unique visual description of Asia, offering online access to a comprehensive collection of historical, political, social, and cultural images.

Available at all libraries and from home.


10.
ProQuest newspapers complete

Contains six databases - ProQuest Newspapers, ProQuest Newsstand, Wall Street Journal, Canadian Newstand, Canadian Newstand Core and CBCA Current Events where one can search full text articles published in national, regional and international newspapers as well as newswires and magazines.

Available at all libraries and from home.

===

I tried the "Library PressDisplay" and access some full-colour digital replications from other countries as well as Singapore, I can read Asian Wall Street Journal and New Paper online, the only drawback it the downloading time as full text with picture take some time to appear on screen.

If you like the eResources, just remember to register first as a member at http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/ and login anytime to learn more on your own.


Dexterine Ho

漫话潮州歌册

漫话潮州歌册

http://www.czbtv.com/czwh/cfcq/t20050318_50857.htm

Library Services: Digital Resources & New Technologies

I just attended one of the Guest Speaker Series organized by NLB:

Date : 25 March 2009 (Wednesday)

Time : 3.00pm - 5.00pm

Venue : Visitor Briefing Room, Level 1, National Library Building


Library Services: Digital Resources & New Technologies

Talk conducted in Mandarin by 2 speakers from National Library of China

Part 1: Application of New Technology in Basic Library Services
by Mr Sun Boyang 孙伯阳, Assistant Director, Stack Management & Reading Services Department

Part 2: Digital Resources Services in National Library of China
by Mr Li Chenguang 李晨光, Librarian, Digital Resources & Services Department

About the speakers:

Sun Boyang is Director of Chinese Books Reading Section, and Assistant Director of Stack Management and Reading Services Department. At the same time, he leads the RFID project in NLC. In his career, he has dealt with reader service, closed stack management, circulating book management, and reading room management. He is experienced in reader service, literature resource management, RFID technology, etc. In 2007, he was appointed a key member of Innovation Talents Plan in NLC.

孙伯阳，馆员，现任中国国家图书馆典藏阅览部主任助理兼中文图书阅览组组长，曾先后从事读者服务、闭架书库管理、图书流通管理和开架阅览室管理工作，并担任国家图书馆RFID项目组组长，完成了国家图书馆RFID系统的实施工作，具有比较丰富的图书馆读者服务、文献资源管理和RFID等图书馆新技术应用的经验。2007年被聘为国家图书馆“创新人才”计划的业务骨干。


Li Chenguang is Librarian at the National Library of China. He is in charge of the digital resource service section in the Digital Resource Department of NLC and has served in positions involving acquisition of Western language periodicals, distribution and management of ISSN, and digital resource services. He is experienced in serial publications management and digital resource services.

李晨光，馆员，现任国家图书馆数字资源部数字资源服务组副组长，曾先后从事西文期刊采访acquisition、ISSN（国际标准刊号）分配与管理、数字资源服务等工作，在连续出版物管理、数字资源服务等方面有比较丰富的经验。

LAS Professional Development Scheme points: 46

(Only applicable to librarians who are participants of the scheme)

Teochew Song ~ 潮州竹板歌 ～ 夸潮汕

Teochew Song~潮州竹板歌～夸潮汕

演唱：王敏

Listing most of the famous products of Chaozhou-Shantou region.

It would be really great if Chinese subtitles were available.

Teochew songs

Here are three Teochew songs with different styles:

Teochew Song: It's Time For Coming Home 这个时节好回家

This a modern song




Teochew Song: The Moon Light Melody 月光歌

This is a nursery rhyme




Teochew Song: The dream of Fairy Xiang's Bridge 梦湘桥

Keep our fickle nature under control

We could have a chance to realize our ambitions at work if we can maintain commitment and determination. Just keep our fickle nature under control and work on something we value and we will harvest what we sow.

If we are inattentive in dealing with financial or day to day issues, such as insurance policies or family budget, it may be costly in the long run.

If there is a problem we think it will arise, try to be open and resolve the problem before it escalates.

Dexterine Ho

Better and worst

When things are bad, we take comfort in the thought that they could always be worse.

And when they are, we find hope in the thought that things are so bad they have to get better.


-- Malcolm S. Forbes

蔡志忠的六祖論經短片

Dao De Jing 道德经 in English

Information from Youtube:

http://ekbtv.blogspot.com/

1

The tao that can be told
is not the eternal Tao
The name that can be named
is not the eternal Name.

The unnamable is the eternally real.
Naming is the origin
of all particular things.

Free from desire, you realize the mystery.
Caught in desire, you see only the manifestations.

Yet mystery and manifestations
arise from the same source.
This source is called darkness.

Darkness within darkness.
The gateway to all understanding.

2

When people see some things as beautiful,
other things become ugly.
When people see some things as good,
other things become bad.

Being and non-being create each other.
Difficult and easy support each other.
Long and short define each other.
High and low depend on each other.
Before and after follow each other.

Therefore the Master
acts without doing anything
and teaches without saying anything.
Things arise and she lets them come;
things disappear and she lets them go.
She has but doesn't possess,
acts but doesn't expect.
When her work is done, she forgets it.
That is why it lasts forever.

3

If you overesteem great men,
people become powerless.
If you overvalue possessions,
people begin to steal.

The Master leads
by emptying people's minds
and filling their cores,
by weakening their ambition
and toughening their resolve.
He helps people lose everything
they know, everything they desire,
and creates confusion
in those who think that they know.

Practice not-doing,
and everything will fall into place.

4

The Tao is like a well:
used but never used up.
It is like the eternal void:
filled with infinite possibilities.

It is hidden but always present.
I don't know who gave birth to it.
It is older than God.

5

The Tao doesn't take sides;
it gives birth to both good and evil.
The Master doesn't take sides;
she welcomes both saints and sinners.

The Tao is like a bellows:
it is empty yet infinitely capable.
The more you use it, the more it produces;
the more you talk of it, the less you understand.

Hold on to the center.

6

The Tao is called the Great Mother:
empty yet inexhaustible,
it gives birth to infinite worlds.

It is always present within you.
You can use it any way you want.

7

The Tao is infinite, eternal.
Why is it eternal?
It was never born;
thus it can never die.
Why is it infinite?
It has no desires for itself;
thus it is present for all beings.

The Master stays behind;
that is why she is ahead.
She is detached from all things;
that is why she is one with them.
Because she has let go of herself,
she is perfectly fulfilled.

8

The supreme good is like water,
which nourishes all things without trying to.
It is content with the low places that people disdain.
Thus it is like the Tao.

In dwelling, live close to the ground.
In thinking, keep to the simple.
In conflict, be fair and generous.
In governing, don't try to control.
In work, do what you enjoy.
In family life, be completely present.

When you are content to be simply yourself
and don't compare or compete,
everybody will respect you.

9

Fill your bowl to the brim
and it will spill.
Keep sharpening your knife
and it will blunt.
Chase after money and security
and your heart will never unclench.
Care about people's approval
and you will be their prisoner.

Do your work, then step back.
The only path to serenity.

10

Can you coax your mind from its wandering
and keep to the original oneness?
Can you let your body become
supple as a newborn child's?
Can you cleanse your inner vision
until you see nothing but the light?
Can you love people and lead them
without imposing your will?
Can you deal with the most vital matters
by letting events take their course?
Can you step back from you own mind
and thus understand all things?

Giving birth and nourishing,
having without possessing,
acting with no expectations,
leading and not trying to control:
this is the supreme virtue.

蔡志忠《老子》- 上善若水

Reinventing Libraries

Reinventing Libraries: Sharing by 3 Speakers from the Library Services Network (for Europe)

Part 1 : Partnership as an Aggregator in Reinventing the Libraries
by Heddi Mortesen, Director, Danish Bibliographic Centre

Part 2 : Five Steps to Better Services for Better Libraries
by Dr Jorg Meyer, CEO, ekz.bibliotheksservice GmbH Reutlingen

Part 3 : Trends and Development in the Netherlands Library
by Henk Das, CEO, NBD/Biblion

Date : 17 March 2009 (Tuesday)

Time : 4.00pm - 6.00pm

Venue : National Library Building Multi Purpose Room, Basement 1, Central Public Library, National Library Building


It is interesting to hear from Librarians and Library Vendors sharing their experience in running library services or providing library services in three European countries (Danmark, Germany and The Netherlands) with a different scales.

With more and more basic library tasks/functions being run or provided by external commercial bodies, librarians in the library will be the buyer or purchaser of the external services. I think librarians now need a different set of skills as they are not required to do the jobs, but need to know how to assess and evaluate jobs done by commercial bodies or vendors.

The professional librarians who are managing the library now will need more management skills in addition to professional knowledge.

The indepth understanding of basic library operations (Acquisition, Cataloguing, Reference Service and Indexing etc) may not the core of Librarianship. Librarians nowadays do not need to know how to catalogue a book themselves, nevertheless, they need to know how to evaluate the digital catalogue and MARC record created by the vendors.

Would that means that professional librarian will be less in demands?

The positive answer is if you have professional qualification, you need not work in Library, you can work for Library Vendors/Suppliers. I see the trend in Singapore library world as some of the librarians are already moving toward that ends.

So for those who like to catalogue books, for example, you need not be a cataloguer in the library, you can be a cataloguer in a Library supply company!


LAS Professional Development Scheme points: 46

(Only applicable to librarians who are participants of the scheme)

Bilingual Quotation

The following are some quotations I received from friends:

===

通常愿意留下来跟你争吵的人　　　　

才是真正爱你的人

Usually the person who is willing to stay behind and fight with you, is the one that truly love/like you. 　　


===

有时候　不是对方不在乎你　　　　

而是你把对方看得太重

Sometimes, you think that the other party does not seems to care about you,

but it might be you who is overly concern. 　　　　


===

朋友就是把你看透了　

还能喜欢你的人

Friends are people who can see through you, and still be able to like you. 　　　　


===

Believe 中间也藏了一个 lie

In the word “BELIEVE”, it has a hidden “LIE”. 　　　　


===

真正的好朋友　　　　

并不是在一起就有聊不完的话题　　　　

而是在一起　就算不说话　　　　

也不会感到尴尬

True friends are not people whom you get together and have unlimited things to talk about,

but they are people who, when not talking, you won’t feel awkward to be around with.

===

Dream vs awaken

Who looks outside, dreams.

Who looks inside, awakens.


-- Carl Jung

Giver vs Taker

What is the difference between "Givers" and "Takers"?

Everyone of us gives or takes for different reasons. Giving or taking behaviors are characterized by the use of power plays or other controlling behaviors.

There are four basic combinations of "giver" and "taker":

Givers Who Give;

Givers Who Take;

Takers Who Give; and

Takers Who Take.


In the process of giving and taking, there are four types of manipulators:


the "Poor Me";

the "Aloof";

the "interrogator" and

the "Intimidator"


Source of information: Email on courses offered by bodhifellowship.org

Without you...

Love yourself

— accept yourself
— forgive yourself
— and be good to yourself,

because without you the rest of us are without a source of many wonderful things.


-- Dr. Leonardo Buscaglia (1924-1998)

Being engaged in the moment

People who are “being” are fully present.

They are totally engaged in the moment.

This engagement includes an easy appreciation and sense of connection with whomever or whatever they are relating to at the time.

These people are aware of a job well done or a difficulty surmounted and will respect and often acknowledge the person who has accomplished it.

Being” is a state of heart and mind that is receptive and able to listen carefully.


-- Sallirae Henderson

What constitutes true happiness.

Many persons have a wrong idea of what constitutes true happiness.

It is not attained through self-gratification but through fidelity to a worthy purpose.


-- Helen Keller (1880-1968)

What is good and lasting

Not the maker of plans and promises, but rather the one who offers faithful service in small matters.

This is the person who is most likely to achieve what is good and lasting.


-- Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe (1749-1832)

Ultimate measure of a man

The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience,

but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.


-- Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929-1968)

Love, forgive, faith and hope

To love means loving the unlovable.

To forgive means pardoning the unpardonable.

Faith means believing the unbelievable.

Hope means hoping when everything seems hopeless.


-- G.K. Chesterton (1874-1936)

Optical Illusions

Try running a search on Google Image at

http://images.google.com.sg/

type "Optical Illusions" in the search box. (Please include the quotation marks " ", as you will limit the search to a phrase and it will return with more accurate hits that match that phrase and not free text searching.

The results is over 281,000 photos related to the phrase, you will be able to pick and choose from the pictures and learn how images turn itself into optical illustions in different way.

I like to look at those images that change my thinking!

If you are a visual person, you will find it fun to look at some pictures in different way!

Enjoy your exploration!


Dexterine Ho

New way to cook eggs

Try running a search on Google Image at

http://images.google.com.sg/

type "New way to cook eggs" in the search box. (Do not include the quotation marks " ", as you will limit the search to a phrase.

The results is over hundreds thousand photos related to these words in different combinations, you will be able to pick and choose from the pictures and learn how to cook eggs in many different way.

I do not like to eat eggs and just find it fun to know how to turn eggs in different form.

Enjoy your exploration!


Dexterine Ho

聖嚴法師108自在語 (97-108) 幸福人間

97、 若希望人際關係相處得好，就要把心量放大，多接納人，多包容人。

98、 只要自己的心態改變，環境也會跟著改變，世界上沒有絕對的好與壞。

99、 人與人之間的相處之道，需要溝通，溝通不成則妥協，妥協不成時，你就原諒和容忍他吧。

100、 大的要包容小的，小的要諒解大的。

101、 以全心全力關懷家庭，用關懷生命投入事業。

102、 戒貪最好的方法，就是多佈施、多奉獻；多與人分享。

103、 包容別人時，雙方的問題就解決了。

104、 學佛的人，有兩大任務：莊嚴國土，成熟眾生。

105、 要做無底的垃圾桶，要學無塵的反射鏡。

106、 煩惱消歸自心就有智慧，利益分享他人便是慈悲。

107、 用慚愧心看自己，用感恩心看世界。

108、 淨化人心，少欲知足，淨化社會，關懷他人。

聖嚴法師108自在語 (85-96) 幸福人間

85、 现在所得的，是过去所造的，未来所得的，是现在所做的。

86、 大家說好話，大家做好事，每人每天多說一句好語，多做一件好事，所有小小的好，就會成為一個大大的好。

88、 急需要做，正要人做的事，我來吧！

89、 我和人和，心和口和，歡歡喜喜有幸福。

90、 內和外和，因和緣和，平平安安真自在。

91、 自求心安就有平安，關懷他人就有幸福。

92、 人品等於財富，奉獻等於積蓄。

93、 奉獻即是修行，安心即是成就。

94、 擁有的多，不一定讓人滿足；擁有的少，不一定讓人貧乏。

95、 現在所得的，是過去所造的，未來所得的，是現在所做的。

96、 好人不寂寞，善人最快樂，時時處處助人助己，時時處處你最幸福。

聖嚴法師108自在語 (75-84) 平安人生

75、 愛你的孩子，與其擔心，不如祝福吧！

76、 夫妻是倫理的關係，不是「論理」的關係。

77、 能不亂丟垃圾，隨時清撿垃圾，都是做的功德。

78、 眼光，是你的智慧；喜愛的就想佔有，討厭的就會排斥，患得患失，煩惱就來了。

80、 經常少欲知足的人，才是無虞匱乏的富人。

81、 心不平安是真正的苦，身體的病痛不一定是苦。

82、 明知心不平安是苦事，就趕快以持念「南無觀世音菩薩」來安心吧！

83、 現在擁有的，就是最好的。擁有再多也無法滿足，就等於是窮人。

84、 超越生老病苦三原则 : 活得快乐、病得健康、老得有希望。

聖嚴法師108自在語 (65-74) 平安人生

65、 擔心，是多餘的折磨；用心，是安全的動力。

66、 財富如流水，佈施如挖井。井愈深，水愈多；佈施的愈多，財富則愈大。

67、 面對生活，要有「最好的準備，最壞的打算」。

68、 只要還有一口呼吸在，就有無限的希望，就是最大的財富。

69、 救苦救難的是菩薩，受苦受難的是大菩薩。

70、 超越生老病苦三原則 : 活得快樂、病得健康、老得有希望。

71、 超越死亡三原則 : 不要尋死、不要怕死、不要等死。

72、 死亡不是喜事，也不是喪事，而是一件莊嚴的佛事。

73、 每一個小孩，都是幫助父母成長的小菩薩。

74、 對青少年，要關心不要擔心，要誘導不要控制，用商量不用權威。

聖嚴法師108自在語 (55-64) 平安人生

55、 生命的意義是為了服務，生活的價值是為了奉獻。

56、 人生的目標，是來受報、還願、發願的。

57、 人的價值，不在壽命的長短，而在貢獻的大小。

58、 過去已成虛幻，未來尚是夢想，把握現在最重要。

59、 不用牽掛過去，不必擔心未來，踏實於現在，就與過去和未來同在。

60、 智慧，不是知識、不是經驗、不是思辯，而是超越自我中心的態度。

61、 積極人生，謙虛滿分；自我愈大，不安愈多。

62、 上等人安心於道，中等人安心於事，下等人安心於名利物欲。

63、 你是有那些身分的人，就應該做那些身分的事。

64、 在安定和諧中、把握精采的今天，走出新鮮的明天。

聖嚴法師108自在語 (43-54) 享受工作

43、 慈悲心愈重，智慧愈高，煩惱也就愈少。

44、 面對許多的情況，只管用智慧處理事，以慈悲對待人，而不擔心自己的利害得失，就不會有麻煩了。

45、 心隨境轉是凡夫，境隨心轉是聖賢。

46、 大鴨游出大路，小鴨游出小路，不游就沒有路。

47、 山不轉路轉，路不轉人轉，人不轉心轉。

48、 「精進」不等於拼命，而是努力不懈。

49、 船過水無痕，鳥飛不留影，成敗得失都不會引起心情的波動，那就是自在解脫的大智慧。

50、 給人方便等於給自己方便。

51、 甘願吃明虧，是仁者；受辱吃暗虧，是愚蠢。

52、 壓力通常來自對身外事務過於在意，同時也過於在意他人的評斷。

53、 用感恩的心、用報恩的心，來做服務的工作，便不會感到倦怠與疲累。

54、 隨時隨地心存感激，以財力、體力、智慧、心力、來做一切的奉獻。

聖嚴法師108自在語 (30-42) 享受工作

30、 忙而不亂，累而不疲。

31、 忙得快樂，累得歡喜。

32、 「忙」沒關係，不「煩」就好。

33、 工作要趕不要急，身心要鬆不要緊。

34、 應該忙中有序的趕工作，不要緊張兮兮的搶時間。

35、 不要以富貴貧賤論成敗得失，只要能盡心盡力來自利利人。

36、 任勞者必堪任怨，任事者必遭批評。怨言之下有慈忍，批評之中藏金玉。

37、 隨遇而安，隨緣奉獻。

38、 成功的三部曲是 : 隨順因緣、把握因緣、創造因緣。

39、 見有機緣宜把握，沒有機緣要營造，機緣未熟不強求。

40、 人生的起起落落，都是成長的經驗。

41、 用智慧處理事，以慈悲關懷人。

42、 以智慧時時修正偏差，以慈悲處處給人方便。

聖嚴法師108自在語 (21-29) 提昇人品

21、 感謝給我們機會的人，順境、逆境，皆是恩人。

22、 遇到好事，要隨喜、讚嘆、鼓勵，並且虛心學習。

23、 少批評、多讚美，是避免造口業的好方法。

24、 平常心就是最自在、最愉快的心。

25、 踏實地走一歩路，勝過說一百句空洞的漂亮語。

26、 知道自己的缺點愈多，成長的速度越快，對自己的信心也就愈堅定。

27、 多聽多看少說話，快手快腳慢用錢。

28、 唯有體驗了艱苦的境遇，才會有精進奮發的心。

29、 踏踏實實做人，心胸要廣大；穩穩當當做事，著眼宜深遠。

Libraries Driving Access to Knowledge

As a life member of LAS (Library Association of Singapore), I received the invitation from NLB and registered for the following talk:

"Libraries Driving Access to Knowledge"

Speaker: Ms Ellen Remona Tise,
President-Elect of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) & Senior Director, Library and Information Services at University of Stellenbosch, South Africa
Date : 23 February 2009 (Monday)
Time : 3.00 pm - 4.30 pm
Venue : Visitor Briefing Room, Level 1, National Library Building


It is always good to hear other's view about library world and library trends. Here are some points I like:

Dictionary definition: access means availability or support.

Access to libraries = mean that “ the library is available, with some limitations, to anyone who wants to use it”.

Access to information is a more complex concept.
As the term is used in our profession, we usually mean making information available.

The concept of freedom of access to information is perhaps most clearly outlined in Article 19 of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights. According to this, all human beings have the fundamental right to have access to all expressions of knowledge, creativity and intellectual activity, and to express their thoughts in public.

Access to knowledge is critical for the development and growth of society.

Implicit role in theme is that of social inclusion and librarians becoming active change agents in society.

Libraries: gateways to knowledge.

Access alone: not enough.
Extending our services, methods, practices

Some Barriers to Access to Knowledge
*Lack of significant usage access
*Non availability of content
*Costs
*Copyright legislation
*Librarians

How can libraries drive access to knowledge?
*Libraries fundamental role to play in building knowledge societies
*Librarians expertise to transform ‘digital divide into digital opportunities’
*Librarians value in researching, assessing, organising, describing, managing information
*Remain at forefront, library buildings and services to be redesigned to reach the user
*Innovative approaches to quarantee free and universal access to relevant knowledge

Summary
*Ensure that the world’s citizenry have access to the world’s knowledge
*Dismantle barriers to access
*Urgency for libraries to drive access to knowledge
*Active librarianship to support development
*Ensure that libraries stay on the agenda
*Libraries continue to travel beyond borders

Libraries Driving Access to Knowledge
Encompasses IFLA’s three major advocacy themes:
*Freedom: Freedom of access to information and freedom of expression
*Equity:Fair and sustainable legal and economic relationships between the creators, intermediaries and users of information
*Inclusion: the role of the library in the Information Society and the role of the library as an agency of social inclusion


Source of information:

PPT from the talk and PPT from
http://72.14.235.132/search?q=cache:QyHfDZ1a1aAJ:www.liasa.org.za/conferences/conference2008/presentations/conference2008_session_17_Tise.pps+Libraries+Driving+Access+to+Knowledge&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=2&gl=sg

Libraries Driving Access to Knowledge: a discussion paper
IFLA Journal, Vol. 34, No. 4, 341-346 (2008)
http://ifl.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/34/4/341


Professional Development Scheme (PDS) Points

LAS Professional Development Scheme points: 46

(Only applicable to librarians who are participants of the scheme)


Notes: Eligible for PDS Points

Each of these activities attract 46 points under the Industry Knowledge Development (ID) category."Participate in library related talks, forums, discussion sessions and business meetings (e.g. AGM, Council & Committee meetings) organized by LAS or other libraries (provided they are open to LAS members or other librarians)"

聖嚴法師108自在語 (11-20) 提昇人品

11、 身心常放鬆，逢人面微笑；放鬆能使我們身心健康，帶笑容易增進彼此友誼。

12、 話到口邊想一想，講話之前慢半拍。不是不說，而是要惜言慎語。

13、 在生活中，不妨養成：『能有，很好；沒有，也沒關係』的想法，便能轉苦為樂，便會比較自在了。

14、 四安 : 安心、安身、安家、安業。

15、 四要 : 需要、想要、能要、該要。

16、 四感 : 感恩、感謝、感化、感動。

17、 四它 : 面對它、接受它、處理它、放下它。

18、 四福 ; 知福、惜福、培福、種福。

19、 能要、該要的才要；不能要、不該要的絕對不要。

20、 感恩能使我們成長，報恩能助我們成就。

聖嚴法師108自在語 (1-10) 提昇人品

1、 需要的不多，想要的太多。

2、 知恩報恩為先，利人便是利己。

3、 盡心盡力第一，不爭你我多少。

4、 慈悲沒有敵人，智慧不起煩惱。

5、 忙人時間最多，勤勞健康最好。

6、 布施的人有福，行善的人快樂。

7、 心量要大，自我要小。

8、 要能放下，才能提起。提放自如，是自在人。

9、 識人識己識進退，時時身心平安；知福惜福多陪福，處處廣結善緣。

10、 提得起放得下，年年吉祥如意；用智慧種福田，日日都是好日。

中华舒氏网论坛

今天我看舒氏的网站, 我心里很兴奋!

作为舒氏一员, 其实我早就想找找舒氏的历史文献!

Maybe, it is time to let those who addressed me as Dexterine Ho Soo Miang know that my father's original surname is Soo, or 舒, he adopted "Ho" as his surname during World War II. In his and our NRIC, our Surname is Ho, yet, in our heart, we identify 舒 as our surname!

As my father cannot changed his surname back to 舒, (the story is rather long and I will share it later) to make us remember our original surname, all his six children were given 舒 as the middle name.

舒 is Soo in Teo Chew and Shu in Hanyu Pinyi.

Well, for the story of my father's original surname, I will share it later. Now just let me guide you to learn more about 舒 as a surname via:

中华舒氏网论坛
http://www.chinashu.org

中华舒氏博客

http://www.chinashu.org/blog/index.html

Warren Buffett's MBA talk at the University of Florida

A talk given by Warren Buffett at the University of Florida, School of Business, October 15, 1998.

Watch the free video at

http://www.intelligentinvestorclub.com/seminars/warren-buffett-mba-talk-at-university-of-florida-video

For those who like to watch the video and read the transcript at the same time, you can download the transcripts from:

Warren Buffett MBA Talk at University of Florida (Transcripts) at
http://www.intelligentinvestorclub.com/downloads/Warren-Buffett-Florida-Speech.pdf

For those who like to access the video via Youtube, just start with part one here and click your way till you reach part 10.

巴菲特（Warren E. Buffett）名言语录

巴菲特（Warren E. Buffett）名言语录


我之所以成为世界首富是因为我花得少.

吸引我从事工作的原因之一是，它可以让你过你自己想过的生活。你没有必要为成功而打扮。

要赢得好的声誉需要20年，而要毁掉它，5分钟就够。如果明白了这一点，你做起事来就会不同了。

如果你能从根本上把问题所在弄清楚并思考它，你永远也不会把事情搞得一团遭!

在生活中，我不是最受欢迎的，但也不是最令人讨厌的人。我哪一种人都不属于。

任何一位，卷入复杂工作的人都需要同事。

如果你是池塘里的一只鸭子，由于暴雨的缘故水面上升，你开始在水的世界之中上浮。但此时你却以为上浮的是你自己，而不是池塘。

哲学家们告诉我们，做我们所喜欢的，然后成功就会随之而来。

每天早上去办公室，我感觉我正要去教堂，去画壁画！

正直，勤奋，活力。而且，如果他们不拥有第一品质，其余两个将毁灭你。对此你要深思，这一点千真万确。

生活的关键是，要弄清谁为谁工作。

哈佛的一些大学生问我，我该去为谁工作？我回答，去为哪个你最仰慕的人工作。两周后，我接到一个来自该校教务长的电话。他说，你对孩子们说了些什么？他们都成了自我雇佣者。

头脑中的东西在未整理分类之前全叫“垃圾”！

要学会以40分钱买1元的东西。

人性中总是有喜欢把简单的事情复杂化的不良成分。

风险来自你不知道自己正做些什么？

只有在退潮的时候，你才知道谁在裸泳！

你不得不自己动脑。我总是吃惊于那么多高智商的人也会没有头脑的模仿。在别人的交谈中，没有得到任何好的想法。

任何不能永远前进的事物都将停滞。

我喜欢简单的东西。

别人赞成也罢，反对也罢，都不应该成为你做对事或做错事的理由。

我们不因大人物，或大多数人的赞同而心安理得，也不因他们的反对而担心。

当我发现自己处在一个洞穴之中时，最重要的事情就是停止挖掘。

有两种信息：你可以知道的信息和重要的信息。而你可以知道且又重要的信息在整个已知的信息中只占极小的百分比！

如果你在错误的路上，奔跑也没有用。

我们也会有恐惧和贪婪，只不过在别人贪婪的时候我们恐惧，在别人恐惧的时候我们贪婪。

价格是你所付出去的，价值是你所得到的，评估一家企业的价值部分是艺术部分是科学。
　　
抛开其他因素，如果你单纯缘于高兴而做一项工作，那么这就是你应该做的工作，你会学到很多东西。

如果你想知道我为什么能超过比尔·盖茨，我可以告诉你，是因为我花得少，这是对我节俭的一种奖赏。



巴菲特（Warren E. Buffett）名言语录

Extracted from:

沃伦·巴菲特 百度百科

http://baike.baidu.com/view/442342.htm

Warren Buffett: some of his quotations

A public opinion poll is no substitute for thought.

If past history was all there was to the game, the richest people would be librarians.

Risk comes from not knowing what you’re doing.

Chains of habit are too light to be felt until they are too heavy to be broken.

I don’t look to jump over 7-foot bars: I look around for 1-foot bars that I can step over.

If a business does well, the stock eventually follows.

In the business world, the rear-view mirror is always clearer than the windshield.

It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently.

It’s better to hang out with people better than you. Pick out associates whose behavior is better than yours and you’ll drift in that direction.

It’s far better to buy a wonderful company at a fair price than a fair company at a wonderful price.

Of the billionaires I have known, money just brings out the basic traits in them. If they were jerks before they had money, they are simply jerks with a billion dollars.

Warren Buffet's advice for 2009

Warren Buffet's advice for 2009

We begin this New Year with dampened enthusiasm and dented optimism.

Our happiness is diluted and our peace is threatened by the financial illness that has infected our families, organizations and nations.

Everyone is desperate to find a remedy that will cure their financial illness and help them recover their financial health.

They expect the financial experts to provide them with remedies, forgetting the fact that it is these experts who created this financial mess.

Every new year, I adopt a couple of old maxims as my beacons to guide my future.

This self-prescribed therapy has ensured that with each passing year, I grow wiser and not older.

This year, I invite you to tap into the financial wisdom of our elders along with me, and become financially wiser.

* Hard work: All hard work bring a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.

* Laziness: A sleeping lobster is carried away by the water current.

* Earnings: Never depend on a single source of income. [At least make your Investments get you second earning]

* Spending: If you buy things you don't need, you'll soon sell things you need.

* Savings: Don't save what is left after spending; spend what is left after saving.

* Borrowings: The borrower becomes the lender's slave.

* Accounting: It's no use carrying an umbrella, if your shoes are leaking.

* Auditing: Beware of little expenses; A small leak can sink a large ship.

* Risk-taking: Never test the depth of the river with both feet. [Have an alternate plan ready]

* Investment: Don't put all your eggs in one basket.

I'm certain that those who have already been practicing these principles remain financially healthy.

I'm equally confident that those who resolve to start practicing these principles will quickly regain their financial health.

Let us become wiser and lead a happy, healthy, prosperous and peaceful life.

Against all odds

When you get in a tight place and everything goes against you,

till it seems as though you could not hold on a minute longer,

never give up then, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn.


-- Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811-1896)

Character, commitment and discipline

It was character that got us out of bed,

commitment that moved us into action,

and discipline that enabled us to follow through.


-- Zig Ziglar

Respect your fellow human being

Respect your fellow human being,

treat them fairly,

disagree with them honestly,

enjoy their friendship,

explore your thoughts about one another candidly,

work together for a common goal and help one another achieve it.
-- Bill Bradley (b. 1943)

We are just a drop in the ocean ...

We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean.

But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop.

-- Mother Teresa

You are here for a purpose

You are here for a purpose.

There is no duplicate of you in the whole wide world.

There never has been, there never will be.

You were brought here now to fill a certain need.

Take time to think that over.


-- Lou Austin

We are creators of circumstance

We are not creatures of circumstance;

we are creators of circumstance.


-- Benjamin Disraeli

To be without

To be without some of the things you want is an indispensable part of happiness.


-- Bertrand Russell

Attitude

We cannot choose the things that will happen to us.

But we can choose the attitude we will take toward anything that happens.

Success or failure depends on your attitude.


-- Alfred A. Montapert

To help them help themselves

The highest service we can perform for others is

to help them help themselves.


-- Horace Mann

Folksonomies in Library Catalogues

NLB Academy extended invitation to LAS members to "Folksonomies in Library Catalogues : A Workshop", jointly organised by Goethe Institute and NLB Academy, I was curious about the the term, hence sign up for the workshop.

"Folksonomies in Library Catalogues : A Workshop"

Speakers:

i) Isabella Peters, Researcher, Department of Information Science of the Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Germany

ii) Professor Dr. Wolfgang G. Stock, Professor & Head of Department of Information Science at the Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Germany

Date : 9 February 2009 (Monday)
Time : 9am - 12 noon
Venue : Possibility Room, Level 5, National Library Building


Speakers Profile

Isabella Peters

M.A. A researcher at the Department of Information Science of the Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf.

Her main research focuses the topic Web 2.0, especially the use and characteristics of folksonomies in terms of indexing and searching, and the application of blogs, podcasts, wikis and social networking services in corporate knowledge management and blended learning.

She gave speeches on folksonomies in Frankfurt, Germany (Book Fair), London, GB (Online Information), Milwaukee, WI, USA (ASIS&T Annual Meeting), Graz, Austria (Triple-I Conference) and Amherst, MA, USA (Center for Intelligent Information Retrieval).

Contact:
Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Dept. of Information Science – Universitätsstr. 1, (Bldg. 23.21/ 04.68) – D-40225 Düsseldorf, Germany.
E-Mail: isabella.peters@uni-duesseldorf.de
Homepage: http://www.phil-fak.uni-duesseldorf.de/infowiss/content/mitarbeiter/peters.php



Professor Dr. Wolfgang G. Stock

Professor for information science and the head of the Department of Information Science at the Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf.

He teaches in the degree program "Information Science and Language Technology" (Bachelor, Master and PhD-Studies).

Wolf has written more than 200 articles and books on knowledge representation, information retrieval, information market (especially on online information suppliers) and informetrics.

Recent books on Information Retrieval (2007) and Knowledge Representation (2008) appeared at the publishing house Oldenbourg (Munich).

He is editor of the new book series "Knowledge and Information – Studies in Information Science", which is published by Saur (an imprint of DeGruyter, Berlin and New York). At the time, he is engaged in two research projects, namely Emotional Informational Retrieval (EmIR) and the role of folksonomies in information science.

Contact:
Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Dept. of Information Science – Universitätsstr. 1, (Bld. 23.21 / 04.63) – D-40225 Düsseldorf, G ermany.
E-Mail: stock@phil-fak.uni-duesseldorf.de or stocknmw@aol.com
Homepage: http://www.phil-fak.uni-duesseldorf.de/infowiss/content/mitarbeiter/stock.php

Workshop Outline

Lesson 1
1. Folksonomies – Indexing without rules (with practical work of the participants).
2. Folksonomies in information services and library catalogues.

Lesson 2
3. Folksonomies and knowledge representation.
4. Folksonomies and information retrieval.

Lesson 3
5. Tag Gardening for folksonomy enrichment and maintenance.
6. Find "more like me"! The social function of a folksonomy.

What I had learned:

After attending the workshop, I understand the term "Folksonomy" is "Folk + taxonomy".
Recalling what we learned in library school, it is like free text indexing by common folk.


To understand it better, you may like to read what I clip from wikipedia:

"Folksonomy (also known as collaborative tagging, social classification, social indexing, and social tagging) is the practice and method of collaboratively creating and managing tags to annotate and categorize content. Folksonomy describes the bottom-up classification systems that emerge from social tagging. In contrast to traditional subject indexing, metadata is generated not only by experts but also by creators and consumers of the content. Usually, freely chosen keywords are used instead of a controlled vocabulary.[2] Folksonomy (from folk + taxonomy) is a user-generated taxonomy."

Source of information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Folksonomy

As someone who searches databases for decades. I can see the popularity of folksonomy will generate a lot of work for Librarians or Information Professional in record cleaning and record management.

If these type of work can be translated to "Jobs" for Librarian or Information Professional , I am optimitic that Librarian or Information Professional will be in great demands in future.

Here are some criticism on Folksonomy I read from wikipedia:

"Folksonomy is criticized because its lack of terminological control causes it to be more likely to produce unreliable and inconsistent results. If tags are freely chosen (instead of taken from a given vocabulary), synonyms (multiple tags for the same concept), homonymy (same tag used with different meaning), and polysemy (same tag with multiple related meanings) are likely to arise, lowering the efficiency of content indexing and searching.[4] Other reasons for meta noise are the lack of stemming (normalization of word inflections) and the heterogeneity of users and contexts.

Classification systems have several problems: they can be slow to change, they reflect (and reinforce) a particular worldview, they are rooted in the culture and era that created them, and they can be absurd at times. Idiosyncratic folksonomic classification within a clique can especially reinforce pre-existing viewpoints. Folksonomies are routinely generated by people who have spent a great deal of time interacting with the content they tag, and may not properly identify the content's relationship to external items."

Source of information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Folksonomy


Professional Development Scheme (PDS) Points

LAS Professional Development Scheme points: 46

(Only applicable to librarians who are participants of the scheme)

Notes: Eligible for PDS Points

Each of these activities attract 46 points under the Industry Knowledge Development (ID) category."Participate in library related talks, forums, discussion sessions and business meetings (e.g. AGM, Council & Committee meetings) organized by LAS or other libraries (provided they are open to LAS members or other librarians)"

Unity and individuality are not mutually exclusive

Oneness does not mean sameness.

Unity and individuality are not mutually exclusive.

Differences do not have to mean divisions, and contrast does not have to lead to conflict.


-- Neale Donald Walsch (The New Revelations)

Courage

Most of our obstacles would melt away if,

instead of cowering before them,

we should make up our minds to walk boldly through them.


-- Orison Swett Marden (1850-1924)

Fear

You can conquer almost any fear if you will make up your mind to do so.

For remember, fear doesn't exist anywhere except in the mind.


-- Dale Carnegie (1888-1955)

Visit to "Reflections at Bukit Chandu"

Reflections at Bukit Chandu is the name of the Museum, as it sounds very much like a title of a book, it takes me some time before I can link it to a site, and unlink it with an image of a book!

I was a Librarian for too long and the habit is hard to change!

Well, it is the visit to "Reflections at Bukit Chanduon" that made the link sealed in my mind.

How the visit take place:

NLB offered 10 slots for LAS members (non-NLB staff) to join the group for this visit, I was fortunate to be one of the 10.

Transportation was provided from the National Library Building to Reflections at Bukit Chandu and return.

Some of the members go on their own, I find it easier to meet the group at 2.15pm and take the Bus from NLB.

Reflections at Bukit Chandu is located at 31-K Pepys Road, Singapore 118458. It is a WWII Interpretative Centre that presents the local perspective of the war in the Far East, and is located close to where the Battle of Pasir Panjang, one of the last significant battles fought in Singapore, took place.

It emphasis on the battles fought in Singapore, and the Malay Regiment who defended the Pasir Panjang area, it is an excellent prelude to the stories displayed in the exhibition gallery at Memories at Old Ford Factory.

If you enjoyed the tour organised by LAS to Memories at Old Ford Factory like me, you may like to visit Reflections at Bukit Chandu to find out more about the Malayan Campaign and the bravery of the Malay Regiment soldiers.

If it is hard to take a day off to visit the site and see the real things, the web site at:

http://www.s1942.org.sg/s1942/bukit_chandu/homepage.htm

will be a good alternative.

Here is our Programme of the day:

2.15 pm Meet at the VIP drop-off area, The Plaza, National Library (facingVictoria Street)

2.20 pm Bus leaves NL Building

2.50 pm Arrival at Reflections at Bukit Chandu

3.00-5.00 pm Tour5.05 pm Bus leaves Reflections at Bukit Chandu

5.30 pm Bus arrives at NL Building


If you liket to visit the Centre at 31K Pepys Road S(118458), here is the Driving directions I found from the web page:

For a quick 30-minute drive from the city, take AYE and exit at South Buona Vista Road towards Pasir Panjang Road. At the end of South Buona Vista Road, turn left into Pasir Panjang Road and turn left again at the 5th junction to enter Pepys Road. Free parking is available at Carparks C and D.

The place is hard to find, and this location map will be very useful.
Print a copy and followng the map, you will less likely to have the problem locating it!

http://www.s1942.org.sg/s1942/bukit_chandu/location.htm


Just note that like many museums in Singapore, Reflections at Bukit Chandu is closed on Monday.

Opening Hours: Tuesdays - Sundays, 9am - 5pm

Outstanding success

People of mediocre ability sometimes achieve outstanding success

because they don't know when to quit.

Most people succeed because they are determined to.


-- George E. Allen (1832-1907)

Never know too much to learn something new

Take the attitude of a student,

never be too big to ask questions,

never know too much to learn something new.


-- Og Mandino

Look at what you have

If you look at what you have in life,

you'll always have more.

If you look at what you don't have in life, you'll never have enough.


-- Oprah Winfrey

Refuse to be changed by the world

People of character do the right thing,

not because they think it will change the world

but because they refuse to be changed by the world.


-- Michael Josephson

Love the one you are with

Love the one you are with.

That will always include you.


-- John Morton

Courage and tolerance

The test of courage comes when we are in the minority.

The test of tolerance comes when we are in the majority.


-- Ralph W. Sockman (1889-1970)

Let them have their way

One way to cooperate with people who are expressing negative attitudes is to let them win,

to let them have their way.

It's easy.

When they have won,

you can continue going in your own positive direction without becoming involved in their point of view at all.


-- John-Roger

As it is

As within, so without.

You cannot think one thing and produce another.


-- Emmet Fox

Plunkett's Top Global Business Trends

"Plunkett's Top Global Business Trends" by Jack Plunkett


Presented by the Asian Chapter of the Special Libraries Association(SLA); Special Libraries Section, Library Association of Singapore; and the Li Ka Shing Library of the Singapore Management University

Venue: Reading Room, 5th Floor Li Ka Shing Library, SMU

Date & Time: 23 Jan, 4pm to 5.30pm

Evolving technologies and globalization are rapidly changing most sectors, in this session, Jack Plunkett, CEO of PlunkettResearch, Ltd., analyses the following top 10 global business trends:

1. LOHAS (Lifestyles Of Health And Sustainability) create opportunities for new products & services

2. Aging populations approach retirement, need services

3. Growth of ethnic markets in North America, Europe, Mid East

4. Health care costs soar, demand increases

5. Energy costs move to the forefront, conservation/renewables

6. Offshoring and globalization create challenges and opportunities

7. The "Third screen" surges -- 3 billion cell phones

8. The convergence age is now -- an affluent mass market uses broadband

9. Massive financial restructing -- shifting of risks

10. What's next? Clound computing, nanotech, miniaturization.

Source of information:

2009 Plunkett's Top 10 Trends, Presentation at Singapore Management University
at:
http://www.plunkettresearch.com/News/tabid/316/language/en-US/Default.aspx

He also shares his view on how to prepare for these top emerging trends that are changing the worlds of business, finance, health care, education and investment.

By understanding their impact on business and consumer markets, you will see the synergies among these trends and may gather and understand market research, business information and competitive intelligence in a different light.

I find the dynamic session allows me to gain some insights into vital trends in information world and put some insights into use right away.

About Plunkett Research, Ltd. and Jack W. Plunkett

Jack W. Plunkett is CEO & Publisher of Plunkett Research, Ltd., a Houston-based provider of award-winning market research and industry information in printed and electronic formats since 1985.

The Plunkett Research team focuses on industry trends and statistics analysis, and produces over 18,000 pages of proprietary market research each year.

Jack Plunkett is the author or editor of more than 30 books, including Plunkett’s Retail Industry Almanac, Plunkett’s Entertainment & Media Industry Almanac, Plunkett’s Advertising & Branding Industry Almanac, and Plunkett’s E-Commerce & Internet Business Almanac.

A life-long entrepreneur, he has been recognized as a finalist in the "Entrepreneur of the Year" competition sponsored by Ernst & Young.


Plunkett Research, Ltd., established in 1985, is a provider of business and industry information to the corporate, library, academic and government markets.

Plunkett Research provides market research and competitive intelligence on a custom project basis, in online and reference book formats, and on CD-ROM.

For more informationon about Jack Plunkett and Plunkett Research, Ltd., please visit

http://www.plunkettresearch.com/


If you miss the session, just read the following ppt to pick up some important points:

2009 Plunkett's Top 10 Trends, Presentation at Singapore Management University
at:
http://www.plunkettresearch.com/News/tabid/316/language/en-US/Default.aspx


Professional Development Scheme (PDS) Points

LAS Professional Development Scheme points: 46

(Only applicable to librarians who are participants of the scheme)

Notes: Eligible for PDS PointsEach of these activities attract 46 points under the Industry Knowledge Development (ID) category."Participate in library related talks, forums, discussion sessions and business meetings (e.g. AGM, Council & Committee meetings) organized by LAS or other libraries (provided they are open to LAS members or other librarians)"

(Only applicable to librarians who are participants of the scheme)

Help others to help themselves

The highest service we can perform for others is to help them to help themselves.

-- Horace Mann

That may explain why I take the path of being a trainer, lecturer, and librarian in my life journey.

Dexterine Ho Soo Miang

Submitting Your Work and Getting a Literary Agent

Submitting Your Work and Getting a Literary Agent
Organized by the National Book Development Council of Singapore

Speaker: Ms Kelly Sonnack

Date: 13 January 2009
Time: 3.30pm to 5.30pm
Venue: Possibility Room, Level 5, National Library Building

I attended the session and find out what one can do to make oneself “irresistible” to the literary agents (or publishers) and what literary agents look for in query letters and book proposals, and what are the clues that attract their interest.

Thanks Ms Kelly Sonnack for giving such a good and informative talk and NBDCS for organizing the talk and open it to public free of charge!

證嚴法師的靜思語 001-010

證嚴法師的靜思語

001 心美.看什麼都順眼

002 福.來自一顆懂得布施的心

003 講話要溫和輕柔..態度要謙誠親切

004 孝順要及時.行善也要及時

005 站在半路.比走到目標.更辛苦

006 多原諒別人.多得福.把量放大.福氣大

007 心中有愛.才會人見人愛

008 幸福不在得到多.而在計較少

009 把握當下.就是用心

010 待人退一步.愛人寬一步.在人生道中就會活得很快樂

I invite

every minister, every priest,

every rabbi, every teacher, every guru,

every Master, every president, every prime minister,

every king, every queen, every leader, every nation,

every political party

to issue one statement that would heal the world:

OURS IS NOT A BETTER WAY, OURS IS MERELY ANOTHER WAY.


-- Neale Donald Walsch

Yours is a culture that has long used physical pain as a punishment for unwanted behavior not only in children, but in adults.

You actually kill people to get people to stop killing people.

It is insanity to use the energy that created a problem to seek to solve the problem.

It is insanity to repeat the behaviors you want to stop in order to stop them.

It is insanity to model behaviors all over your society that you say you do not want your offspring to copy.

And the highest insanity is pretending that none of this is happening, then wondering why your children are acting insane.


-- Neale Donald Walsch

The cure for boredom

The cure for boredom is curiosity.

There is no cure for curiosity.


-- Dorothy Parker

Commitment to excellence

The quality of a person's life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavor.


-- Vince Lombardi, 1913-1970

No 'self-made' man.

There is no such thing as a 'self-made' man.

We are made up of thousands of others.

Everyone who has ever done a kind deed for us, or spoken one word of encouragement to us, has entered into the make-up of our character and of our thoughts, as well as our success.


-- George Burton Adams (1851 - 1925)

Contentment comes as the infallible result of great acceptances,

great humilities—of not trying to make ourselves this or that

(to conform to some dramatized version of ourselves),

but of surrendering ourselves to the fullness of life—of letting life flow through us.


-- David Grayson


It is like what Lao Zhi said in Dao Te Jing,

Nature flows and grows if human being do not block and destroy it!

Let go!

Let life flow through us!


Dexterine Ho

Enlightenment is inside of daily life

There is no enlightenment outside of daily life.

-- Thich Nhat Hanh

Christmas and New Year Gift

Christmas and New Year gift suggestions:

To your enemy, forgiveness.

To an opponent, tolerance.

To a friend, your heart.

To a customer, service.

To all, charity.

To every child, a good example.

To yourself, respect.


-- Oren Arnold


To prepare the gift, you need time to calm your mind, open your heart, refine your thought and be mindful about your behaviour. When you are ready to give, learn to wrap it up nicely and present it to those who are readly or glad to receive.

Some time, a gift given at the wrong time, to a wrong person, with a wrong thought, or in a wrong way may make the gift unwanted.

Precise gift not accepted or unwanted, is wasted.

Today is Christmas, and to start giving, just do the last thing first:

Give yourself a great gift today: Respect

and the rest will fall in nicely!

Cheers!


Dexterine Ho

Flexibility vs rigid

Flexible person do not fear changes, and rigid people are just the reverse.

Learn to be flexible with your choice and the day stays positive when something happen do not match your first choice.

If you are rigid, when you can not get your best choice in anything, the day will goes sour.

The day stays positive or goes sour is more to do with your fears to change than with reality.


Dexterine Ho

Save plans for the New Year

It is about two weeks before 2009 knocks at our door!

I think I it is not a good time to start any new plans, instead, save them for the New Year.

It is good to wrap up old projects I started this year and spend some quality time tidying up my office and put all the essential things/tools in place where they belong.

I learn now that if I try to make everything happen at once, I may miss out on opportunities that come along the way.

It our nature to push and work through very busy schedule sometime, nevertheless, when we have too many projects at hand, we may not be able to cope, and frustration will be the end results!

As most of the time, ideas need time before that can evolve, we should be patience and allow things to develop and then make our move along the way.

All big achievements can only come if we have the patience to wait, to shape and to let it develop and bloom slowly.


Dexterine Ho

Minus-ing and plus-ing

By your thinking, you are either adding to your good or you are taking away from it.

The law is inexorable.

Failure or lack in your life is simply the result of continuously minus-ing yourself.

Conversely, success and prosperity are the results of constantly plus-ing yourself.


-- Eric Butterworth, Spiritual Economics

Rely on someone else to make you happy?

It is when you rely on someone else to make you happy and to bring you fulfillment that you fall flat on your face.

That is when you have given up your responsibility to yourself.

-- John-Roger

Devote our life to worthwhile actions

Often we allow ourselves to be upset by small things we should despise and forget.

We lose many irreplaceable hours brooding over grievances that, in a year's time, will be forgotten by us and by everybody.

No, let us devote our life to worthwhile actions and feelings, to great thoughts, real affections and enduring undertakings.

-- Andre Maurois (1885-1967)

Become a person of value

Try not to become a man of success

but rather to become a man of value.


-- Albert Einstein

Basic nature of human beings

It is not the basic nature of human beings to be horrible.

It is the basic nature of human beings to be loving.

When humans are being horrible, it is because of something they believe.

Ask them, therefore --

even in the midst of the horror --

ask them:

What hurts you so much that you feel you have to hurt me to heal it?


-- Neale Donald Walsch

Destiny

Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice;

it is not a thing to be waited for,

it is a thing to be achieved.


-- William Jennings Bryant

Patience and persistence

Knowing trees, I understand the meaning of patience.

Knowing grass, I can appreciate persistence.


-- Hal Borland (1900-1978)

Release the fear

Even though you may want to move forward in your life, you may have one foot on the brakes.

In order to be free, we must learn how to let go.

Release the hurt. Release the fear. Refuse to entertain your old pain.

The energy it takes to hang onto the past is holding you back from a new life.


-- Mary Manin Morrissey

To be humble, to care, to be fair

When a man is humble, he can grow.

When a man cares, he is unafraid.

When a man is fair, he has enough for others.

Living a simple life means keeping our priorities in order.


-- Lao Tze

Opportunities disguised as impossible situtations

We are all faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as impossible situations.

-- Charles R. Swindoll

Which game do you want to play

Which game do you want to play:

Who’s Right

or

Let’s Make Life More Wonderful?


-- Marshall Rosenberg

You are the light of the world

You are the light of the world. Do you not know this?

Everyone is, when they choose to be.

A city on a hill cannot be hidden.

Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bushel.

Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.

-- Neale Donald Walsch

Positive thinking

Positive thinking is not the destination; it is the journey.

An optimistic person will be constantly challenged – by external circumstances as well as inner fears and doubts.

Always remember that these tests are like a ladder you must climb.

As you move past each rung, your optimism strengthens and your confidence begins to flex newly found muscle that you might never have developed otherwise.


-- Montague Ewards

Free will

Free will is not the liberty to do what one likes, but the power of doing whatever one sees ought to be done, even in the very face of otherwise overwhelming impulses.

There lies freedom indeed.


-- George MacDonald

Simply do nothing

When I feel drained from the long week full of activities (talks, workshops, seminars, visiting exhibition, attend social functions/performance and running errands), I find it good to relax and take a break and simply do nothing.

Instead of going out and running at a busy pace, I just like to stay at home to read newspaper or catch up on some good books to calm the nerves.

Some time, if the eyes are too tired and reading become a task that is hard to accomplish, listening to music or news is a great release!

Instead of creating a busy schedule with lot of self-imposed enrichment activities, I just like to be lazy and simply do nothing!

If you think doing nothing is easy, my experience tell me that it is not.

To calm the mind is hard as we are so used to keep my mind updated with social trends, current news and knowledge acquisitions.

We need activities to make us feel that we are living!

Some joys in life do come from fruitful and meaningful activities.

Nevertheless, it's important to simply do nothing and use this space to regroup our mind.

If I utilize all the energy I can for a while, I will soon find things get hectic and beyond my control. Whenever I used to enjoy will become a task/chore that I find it hard to accompanied!

Learn to enjoy every minute of your life.

Learn to enjoy every minute of your life.

Be happy now.

Don't wait for something outside of yourself to make you happy in the future.

Think how really precious is the time you have to spend, whether it's at work or with your family.

Every minute should be enjoyed and savored.


-- Earl Nightingale (1921-1989)



It may look simple and sound easy to do so.

Nevertheless, I am trying very hard to follow the words and translating them to real life.

Some how, I can only do it once a while, now and then.

It is easy to forget about it for a long while and pick it up again here and there.

Is it not true that most of us are like that?

We are a bit absence-minded when our life is concerned. We know what we should do, yet pursuing something else and distant ourselves from it.

After going astray for a while (sometimes a long while), we would then re-look at what is our inner calling.

Even then, we take time to weight the pros and con of letting go of what we are pursuing.

It is hard to come to a decision of dropping every and learn to enjoy every minutes of our life!

So, "Learn to enjoy every minute of your life. Be happy now!"

If you are waiting for something outside of yourself to make you happy in the future. It will happen only your are the one who created or planted the seed of your own happiness now!

Cheers!


Dexterine Ho

We become what we think about: Resentment, forgiveness and friendship

When you hold resentment toward another, you are bound to that person or condition by an emotional link that is stronger than steel.

Forgiveness is the only way to dissolve that link and get free.

-- Catherine Ponder


Throughout all history, the great wise men and teachers, philosophers, and prophets have disagreed with one another on many different things.

It is only on this one point that they are in complete and unanimous agreement. -

We become what we think about.

-- Earl Nightingale (1921-1989)
===========================


We become what we think about:

The only one who suffers from the resentment you have is you yourself.

The longer you hold the resentment toward that person whom you dislike, the longer you bear the feeling.

Why makes your life so miserable and bitter with bad memory or emotion that you do not like to hold nor keep?

Delete it, remove it or migrant your thought to something more positive or more joyful!

Fill your emotion/thought with things that make you feel good.

Be graceful to people who makes your life meaningful, comfortable or convenient, and pass it on...

Enjoy the company of good friends whom you make along your life journey.

In the absence of good company, have good thought that fill your empty mind.

If you find your circle of friends are not good enough, change the way you treat your friends.

As friends mirror your thought and behavior, and like-minded attracted like-minded, one can only get friends one choose to make and keep!

Instead of looking for new friends and turn good and old friends to enemies or strangers, enhance your relationship with old friends while you make new one.

Adding new friends to your life should not be at the expense of old and bona fide friends.

Old friends are like old wine, they are better with the increase in age and time!


Dexterine Ho

Balance your workdays

Some time, I felt that my workdays were relatively uneventful.

For some days/weeks, I may have lot of heavy tasks to complete within short notice, a few workshops to attend in a row, and on top of that, family obligations to fulfil.

If what I feel loaded is self imposed, I will revise my schedule and re-alocate time for less urgent tasks.

If it is imposed by others, I will speak up when I feel that others aren't treating me fairly. If providing others some convenient drain me too much, I will just take a break.

Establish proper boundaries with my friends is not an issue as I have friends who are like-minded. Multi-respect for one's time and boundaries makes us good friends and that is what I treasure most!

Voyage of discovery

The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes
but in having new eyes.

-- Marcel Proust (1871 - 1922)

Be grateful to people who make us happy

"Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom."

--Marcel Proust (1871 – 1922)

Courage vs Fear

Courage is not the lack of fear but the ability to face it."

-- Lt. John B. Putnam Jr. (1921-1944)


Fear is a darkroom where negatives develop.

-- Usman B. Asif


Worry gives a small thing a big shadow.

-- Swedish proverb


Keep your fears to yourself, but share your courage with others.
or

Keep your fears to yourself, but share your inspiration with others.

-- Robert Louis Stevenson


A cheerful frame of mind, reinforced by relaxation...
is the medicine that puts all ghosts of fear on the run.

-- George Matthew Adams


Every time we choose safety, we reinforce fear.

-- Cheri Huber


Too many people are thinking of security instead of opportunity.

-- James F. Bymes


Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood.

-- Marie Curie

About fears

Most fears cannot withstand the test of careful scrutiny and analysis.

When we expose our fears to the light of thoughtful examination they usually just evaporate.

-- Jack Canfield

I think when one is full of fear, it is natural that one will withdraw from any new ventures or existing tasks as fear weakens one's ability to scrutinise and analyse.

It is hard to find your way out when your world is darkened by your own fears. You need some light to shine on your dark screen. With the light on the screen, you will be able to see images in your mind more clearly and fear will slowly evaporate.

What kind of light you do you need? Some look for it in books or search the net, some just need a conversation with a close friend, others find it through religion. No fixed rules, as long as it works for you at that moment.


Dexterine Ho

If it sounds familiar...

It may sound familiar to a lot of officer worker nowadays:

There is just not enough time in the workdays, from Monday to Friday.

A lot can be achieved if you stay after hours and come back on Saturday or Sunday.

The office may feel like an unusual dinner spot at first, but you will get used to it.

Off day and holiday in the office, may sound a bit odd, yet, you will get used to it.

Taking leave and going back to work for a few hours, may look funny at first. After a while, it become a norm.

Even you are on leave at home, you are clearing all the office mail and get things done before the dead line.

Working on non working days at office make you feel productive and look meaningful at the beginning.

So you have it for a year, then another year, and it never seems to be an end to it.

You know, it is not healthy for your body, your family life and your soul.

When you have experienced something like that in your work place, you will understand why some body just put a stop to it.

I have part-time teaching work/library work for over 10 years now and find life regaining its vitality and meaning.

Reflecting upon my work life in the mid and late 1990's, I know I have traded my life and time in exchange of a dream. I still have that dream, nevertheless, I am now pursuing it, in a different way!

Stop feeding adverse inner-thoughts

"Stinking thinking" is simply choosing to spend time with thoughts that cause you pain.

To feed adverse inner-thoughts with your attention is to increase your inner pain.

To keep feeding a thought after it has savagely attacked you is insane.

Yet, some of us seem to be addicted to inner-pain until the pain becomes so great we wake up.

Adverse thoughts are like magnets attracting more adverse thoughts in the same way lions are attracted to the kill.

Only in this case the "kill" is you. Thought management is such a critical skill to develop.

How can you stop thinking adverse thoughts?

It's not the thought that comes into your mind that cause the problem.

It's the thought you choose to believe. To stop feeding adverse thoughts is to stop giving them the food they need to survive and thrive - your attention.

When your attention is no longer available to them, they will move on to a weaker victim to attack.

-- Dr T. Aaron Lim


I attended a few Seminars conducted by Dr T. Aaron Lim held in TTSH, Singapore and find his advice makes me more aware of many self imposed misery cause by our own thought.

Being aware of these self imposed thought, we can eliminate them slowly and move on to something more beneficial for ourself and others!

Dexterine Ho

Notes:

Dr. T. Aaron Lim, a native of Malaysia, is a graduate of St. Francis' Institution, Malaysia; College of Agriculture, Malaysia (now Universiti Putra Malaysia); Louisiana State University, USA; University of Hawaii, USA and Chaminade University of Honolulu, USA. He is a former professor at Brigham Young University-Hawaii, USA.

Born and raised in the ancient philosophies of the Orient and trained in the modern sciences of the West, Dr. Aaron has a unique talent of bridging the traditions of East and West.

He has been serving and teaching health, personal development and spiritual growth for over 30 years. As a dynamic speaker and educator, he uses his multiple talents to help others reach their fullest potential.

Along with his wife, Dehyana Lee Lim , he co - founded and co-directs "Bodhi Fellowship / Center For Inner Peace" (www.bodhifellowship.org) a nonprofit, spiritual organization dedicated to teaching unconditional, universal love and selfless service based in San Diego, California, USA and Malacca, Malaysia.