Search the Community

Public toilets are getting convenient and hygienic in many public areas like shopping malls, schools, community centers, and even parks. Everytime after washing our hands in the public toilets, there will be choices of how to dry your wet hands fitted in the toilets, either paper towels or hand dryers or both. http://theconversation.com/the-great-bathroom-debate-paper-towel-or-hand-dryer-51197 Which one would you normally prefer to use? PAPER TOWELS OR HOT AIR DRYERS - WHICH IS BETTER & WHY? http://info.debgroup.com/blog/bid/297155/Paper-Towels-or-Hot-Air-Dryers-Which-is-Better-Why We all know 80% of common infectious diseases are spread by our hands and effective hand washingremains our best defense - but what about hand drying? Are all methods created equal? A recent hygienic efficacy study of different hand drying methods, led by researches at Queensland University in Brisbane, Australia put this question to the test. Hand drying after all is an essential part of the hand washing process, as the spread of bacteria is more likely to occur with wet skin than from dry skin. Scientists reviewed twelve independent studies comparing paper towels, cloth towels, and hot air dryers. Hand drying effectiveness included, "the speed of drying, degree of dryness, effective removal of bacteria, and prevention of cross-contamination." Before you read the results of this latest study, please cast your vote on which drying method is more effective. Please also use the comments section below to share your feedback and insight about other studies and best practice recommendations. The study revealed, "from a hygiene viewpoint, paper towels are superior to electronic air dryers" and "drying hands thoroughly with single-use, disposable paper towels is the preferred method of hand drying." It concluded by recommending, "The provision of paper towels should be considered as a means of improving hand hygiene adherence." When it came to drying efficiency for example, the results indicated that, "residual water was more efficiently removed from the hands by cloth or paper towels." In fact, with just 10 seconds of drying with a single serve towel, the residual water on the hands was reduced to just 4% and dropped to just 1% with 15 seconds of drying. Air dryers were much slower and required 45 seconds to reduce the residual water to 3%. The bottom line, paper towels can generally achieve 90% or more dryness with normal use. The effectiveness in the removal of bacteria was measured by assessing the, "changes in the number of bacteria on the hands before and after the use of paper towels, hot air dryer, or jet air dryer. Finger pads were sampled by contact plates, and the palms were sampled by swabbing and inoculation of agar plates." They found that paper towels, "reduced the numbers of all types of bacteria on the hands" and hot air dryers were the least effective method of removing bacteria from washed hands. Many studies have found that friction is the key component in hand drying as it helps to remove contamination. Micobiological testing of the paper towels after use, demonstrates that many bacteria are transferred from the hands to the paper towels." Even more terrifying for all of us is the fact that every time a toilet is flushed, "a fine aerosol mist can be sprayed into the air. This mist may contain may types of fecal bacteria that can cause diseases. Air movement can encourage the dispersal and transmission of bacteria and increase the chance of cross-contamination. Used air dryers in washrooms are often contaminated and can emit bacteria in their air flow. So there is a potential risk of persons standing in front of air dryers acquiring the bacteria being dispersed into the air current towards them. The bacteria can then be inhaled or can be deposited on the person's body or clothes, thus making him/her a potential mobile source of infection." No such spread was seen with either paper or cloth towels. The review suggests that ultimately paper towels are the best option for settings where infection prevention is critical. However you may have no choice, which is often the case in public or workplace washrooms in which only hot air dryers are provided. The study did reveal that users have a strong preference for using paper towels and that "hand hygiene adherence would possibly decrease if paper towels are not available in washrooms." Also, air dryers that are used in many washrooms allow for only one user at a time and each person could take up to one minute to dry their hands. This is not convenient and often leads to avoidance or incomplete drying. In several studies, on average people spent just 22.5 seconds drying hands, and 41% wiped their hands unhygienically on clothes. In instances where paper towels are not available remember to always follow recommended hand washing technique, take extra time to dry your hands with an air dryers and consider carrying a personal size bottle of alcohol hand sanitizer as an added level of defense.

SPH??? "Mr Alan Chan Heng Loon, Chief Executive Officer of Singapore Press Holdings (SPH), will be appointed as the Chairman of the Land Transport Authority of Singapore (LTA) with effect from 1 April 2016. Mr Chan succeeds Mr Michael Lim Choo San, who steps down as Chairman of LTA after 14 years, on 31 March 2016. Under the guidance and support of Mr Lim, LTA has implemented several key rail and bus projects such as the Circle Line (CCL), Jurong East Modification Programme (JEMP), North-South Line Extension (NSLe) and Downtown Line (DTL), and the Bus Service Enhancement Programme (BSEP). These have significantly increased our rail network as well as bus capacity and service levels. The Land Transport Authority would like to extend our appreciation to Mr Lim for his many years of dedicated and distinguished service to the LTA"

Well this must be the ultimate...so funny... http://youtu.be/ZwfLgXJpQd0

Hi anyone had experience buying furniture from helping hands along upper serangoon Rd? How's the service like? How's the workmanship? Imptly, the tag states 50% off, anyone tried >50% for big items? Seen their outdoor dining table, design suits the theme Tks

Hi, was involved in an accident with bmw 523(his fault) on before christmas eve and brought vehicle down to Ch*ng Hoe workshop located at yishun industrial park A to get the repairs down. Managed to get it panel beat and respray on the same day which is on Christmas eve. Upon happily driving back vehicle home to put back all the stuff, found out that my rayban sunglasses was missing from the passenger compartment. Panel beating for the left/accident side a bit looks uneven with the right also. Luckily I took everything from the coins to cashcard out but due to carelessness, forgot about the sunglasses in the compartment. Just to forewarn future MCF bros, please dont forget to remove anything. You nv know how gian peng they are. Hope 2013 will be a better year!!!

any tiko from mcf in the photo? [laugh]

....now the not-so-good news: Only 918 produced and only one available for our little red dot From STOMP: http://singaporeseen.stomp.com.sg/stomp/sg..._available.html Posted on 09 Oct 2012 Only one of this rare Porsche 918 Spyder will be available in Singapore SOURCE: ASIAONE PHOTOS: PORSCHE To get yourself a Porsche 918 Spyder, you would probably have to be as fast as this sports car. This is because production of this car is limited to 918, only one of which will make its way to Singapore. Delivery of the limited edition vehicle begins in 2014. The 918 Spyder is set to be Porsche's first plug-in hybrid. If you prefer to appear eco-friendly, the 918 can be driven in pure electric mode up to an amazing 150 kmh. Its fuel consumption under the combined cycle is estimated at 3.0 litres per 100 km, or an unbelievable 33 km per litre. But perhaps the most incredible aspect about this supercar is that it is a plug-in hybrid. Using a conventional household socket, the Spyder can be charged in four hours in Europe, and about 11 hours in the US and Japan. It is faster with a Porsche universal charging device - two hours - while an optional quick-charging station is also available. So, how do you think this mean machine will fare against Singapore edition of the McLaren MP4-12C or Ferrari F12?

Hi I only need these key function and of course radio and Ipod. Which one would be reasonably priced? Thanks!

Wah say! VW intro their Hands free park assist cars in today's papers. Anyone going to their show room to try? Safe bo? If car bang into other while parking will VW pay for damages?

These two are forming an alliance, who will gain more in this "marriage/affair"? Mazda has the technologies, Fiat has Maserati etc..... Samurai + Latino HOT babe

I have a degree but have worked my way up from a junior staff to a senior one over many years. Listened and learned from my seniors when I was a noob and was humble when I was junior. Many young executives or managers I come across these days are pretty impatient, want BIG titles and fat salary but refuse to get their hands dirty. I don't think just talking is going to get things done. The other porblem is if those young fellows come in and don't start from the bottom, just give instructions without even knowing the real situation on the ground, how is that going to work out? I seriously think something is very wrong with today's education. That's my own experience (of course not all are like that), what do you folks think?

Billionaire commit suicide...worth it or not? AsiaOne Thursday, Mar 01, 2012 Chinese actress Bai Jing was killed by her husband in an alleged domestic dispute on Tuesday at their home in Beijing's Chaoyang district. Her husband, Zhou Chenghai, 44, stabbed her before committing suicide, reported the Chinese media. The 29-year-old actress has starred in "Kung Fu Wing Chun", "Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon", and a dozen other movies, TV series such as "Legend of Xiangxi," as well as children's drama and musicals. She was praised as a possible successor to Michelle Yeoh and is till now, China's best-known female kung-fu star. The news of her death first broke around 3pm on Sina Weibo - a Chinese version of Twitter - by her entertainment agency's general manager Ju Chunlei. Ju said the alleged murder-suicide was due to a long time dispute between the couple, and the death of Zhou's mother on Jan 31 was apparently the last straw for the severely strained relationship. Ju refused to give further details but according to a Chinese newspaper, Legal Evening News, Zhou confronted Bai after receiving a divorce summons on Tuesday morning. The divorce petition allegedly stated that she was unaware of his previous marriage and a son, and accused him of infidelity. Zhou is said to be a billionaire who made his fortunes from the stock market and property. He also has a son from a previous marriage to his first wife, whom he divorced to be with Bai. News reports state that he had invested huge amounts of money in Bai's acting career and they eventually married in October 2010. Earlier this year, insiders claimed Bai conspired with her boyfriend in the triad to steal 20 million yuan (S$4 million) from Zhou and hire a prostitute to seduce him in order to get a divorce, from which she would get more money. The rumours alleged that Zhou's mother "died of anger" earlier this year upon discovering this. Director Zhang Tongzhu, who once worked with Bai, said the rumours could not be true. "In my mind, Bai is an innocent girl and worked hard," said Zhang. Bai was born in Diaobingshan, Liaoning Province on June 4, 1983. The case is still under investigation. [email protected] Click on thumbnail to view (Photos: Internet)

As one who use to DIY my own cars back in the 80's , washing greas/oily hand takes lot of time and detergent. No wonder in large workshops managements are very strict on mechanics check out time before lunch and when the day ends.

Totally agree here. http://www.limsimi.com/leisure-entertainme...ia-rtm-network/ I will not pay a single cent to Singtel!

as above.... or if u have other driving styles do share...

Chelsea have staged their own cabinet reshuffle - clearing the way for Roman Abramovich to take a more hands-on role at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea have appointed Ron Gourlay as the departing Peter Kenyon

This crazy mother chopped off both her son

[laugh]

LOL...Cannot help laughing when I read this... Why is his hands in his pants?? Report on STOMP: STOMPer Ronald saw this man ogling at a girl in the MRT, while putting his hand inside his pants. The man apparently works at a Subway sandwich outlet, as he was wearing its uniform. The STOMPer said: "This picture just says it all. "This man was on the MRT from Yishun all the way to town area. "And he works at Subway. "I don't think I want my food THAT fresh." I feel like throwing up. Poor girl. =================================== I wonder which outlet he works in. Yucks! Even if he's having an itch, it's kinda disgusting.

I was using Jabra handsfree set until i lost it i don think i will go back for the same type of bluetooth handsfree is there any handsfree set that uses the car's audio system as a speaker (maybe the handsfree set can transmit FM frequency to the car's radio) thank you

Bike carbs and throttle bodies? preferably scrap ones...dunno of any motorbike scrapyard or any lobangs....thinking of getting my hands on a set of honda CBR 900 throttle bodies for a special project

Hi Guys, Long time no see!! Am about to go for biz trip to Liverpool... was wondering if anyone would be able to direct me to somewhere where I can get skoda parts/ accessories e.g. overhead sunglass holder and other stuffs locally... the prices by XZ and CA a bit cut-throat leh..

July 9, 2008 S'pore should free courts from govt influence: lawyers group SINGAPORE should free its courts from any government influence and elevate human rights standards to international levels, the world's largest legal association said. The International Bar Association's (IBA) human rights arm expressed concern over the limitations of freedom of expression and the independence of Singapore courts in a 72-page report released late in London on Tuesday. 'In particular, democratic debate and media comment are extremely restricted and government officials have initiated numerous successful defamation suits against both political and media critics,' said the association's executive director Mr Mark Ellis. The global legal association noted that while the city-state had a good reputation when adjudicating commercial cases that did not involve members of the ruling People's Action Party (PAP), when it came to matters regarding PAP litigants 'there are concerns about an actual or apparent lack of impartiality'. The London-based body of more than 30,000 member lawyers globally also said that while Singapore fared well in commercial and economic rankings, it fared poorly in press freedom rankings, which it said was a concern given that a free press can generate important dialogue on issues. 'Singapore cannot continue to claim that civil and political rights must take a back seat to economic rights, as its economic development is now of the highest order,' the report said. 'The International Bar Association Human Rights Institute strongly encourages Singapore to engage with the international community in a more constructive manner, and to take steps to implement international standards of human rights,' it said. The Singapore government did not immediately comment. Defamation suits Singapore, where the IBA held its annual conference last year, is among the most developed nations in Asia, with the second highest GDP per capita after Japan. However, media and human rights groups such as Amnesty International have criticised the government for restricting freedom of expression and using defamation lawsuits to financially cripple political opponents. In a list of 18 recommendations, the IBA urged the Singapore government to ratify the United Nations International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, ease restrictions on the media and ensure that its courts are free from government influence. IBA executive director said in a statement Singapore should be a leader in human-rights, and its advancement would be complementary to the city-state's future prosperity. The IBA also noted that some publications, including The Economist and the Financial Times, have paid out-of-court settlements to avoid defamation lawsuits. The government says these lawsuits are needed to protect its reputation. The legal body suggested the government set limits on defamation payouts in cases initiated by government officials. At the convention last October, Singapore's Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew said the city-state's citizens were free to read whatever they wanted. He said Singapore was built on the rule of law and did not tolerate corruption, in contrast to the surrounding region, where 'money politics' was a way of life. That meant defamation action may be taken against those who impute dishonesty among government officials, in order to clear any doubts, he said. -- REUTERS, AFP. http://www.straitstimes.com/Latest%2BNews/...ory_256122.html

http://www.mercurynews.com/celebriti...nclick_check=1 Legendary designer Yves Saint Laurent dies at 71 By ELAINE GANLEY Associated Press Writer Article Launched: 06/01/2008 03:40:23 PM PDT PARIS (AP)

March 30, 2008 Lightning strikes parked car - while owner is still in it By Alex Liam NOT everyone has had a close brush with lightning, but Yishun resident Manimaran Natarajan has. On March 22, the 37-year-old manager parked his Nissan Sunny in an open carpark behind Block 259 in Yishun during a rainstorm. The car's windscreen was hit by a lightning bolt as he was about to open the door, said Mr Manimaran. 'My eyes were blinded for a few seconds before I noticed small glass pieces on my dashboard and cracks on my windscreen.' His maid, who was some distance away in the void deck, saw what happened. His car's insurer, AXA Insurance, agreed to pay the $400 in repairs and towing charges. Spokesman Christina Wee said that in her company's experience, such 'freak' cases occur once every two to three years. The Automobile Association of Singapore (AA) noted that insurance companies may not always pay for any damage since lightning strikes are deemed to be 'acts of God'. These include flooding and hailstone showers. The latter actually occurred in Singapore last Thursday. AA's spokesman added that staying in a car during a thunderstorm was still safer than being out in the open since cars are well insulated. When asked to comment on why the windscreen cracked, Professor Sanjib Panda from the National University of Singapore's department of electrical and computer engineering, sketched two possible scenarios. One, when the bolt hit the windscreen, it left cracks as it tried to move downwards. Two, the intense heat generated on impact caused the windscreen to crack. Mr Manimaran is more wary now. 'I don't feel so safe any more in an open carpark.' http://www.straitstimes.com/Free/Story/STIStory_221886.html