La Catedral

La Catedral is one of the most colorful and difficult works in the guitar repertoire. It originally had two movements, and is often performed in that form.

The original opening movement, Andante Religioso, represents the reverent mood that struck the composer when he entered the cathedral and heard music of Bach being played on its organ. The writing for the guitar is remarkable in imitating the sound of that music.

The original second movement is marked Allegro Solemne. It represents the impression of leaving the Cathedral and returning to the bustle of the street outside the building.

La Catedral's composer, Pio Agustín Barrios, was the first South American guitar performer of international stature and, although largely self-trained as composer, the author of guitar music of outstanding worth. He is credited as the first guitarist to record music by Johann Sebastian Bach.

In 1938, Barrios added an opening movement, "Prelude (Saudade)." The Portuguese word in the subtitle means something like "nostalgic recollection" and this movement touchingly views the 1914 version of the work as a souvenir in a musical memory book. ~ Joseph Stevenson, Rovi

Downsizing with Grace

From The Straits Times - Sat Feb 20 2010

Downsizing with Grace
(If layoffs are your organization's only solution, do it with compassion)
Extracts:

Both 'survivors' and displaced workers also experience tremendous emotional and psychological trauma.
Companies therefore have to ensure that they develop appropriate and well thought out plans, before implementing the downsizing process and even more importantly, after the downsizing process is complete, to meet these challenges.
How you treat the people who leave and the people who remain is crucial. How downsized employees are treated directly affects the morale and retention of valued, high performing employees who remain.

Critical decisions
Downsizing is often executed with a brisk, callous efficiency that leaves laid-off employees angry and surviving employees feeling helpless and demotivated.
They produce a work environment of withdrawal, risk averse decision making, severely impaired morale, and excessive finger pointing.

Be Respectful
Many poorly executed lay-offs treat employees like children. Information is withheld and doled out unwillingly. How laid-off employees are treated is how surviving employees assume they may be treated.
When they see the company treating laid-off employees poorly, they will start looking for a better place to work, fearing their heads will be next to roll.

-Article by Chris Fenney, co-founder and director of Training Edge International.
www.trainingedgeasia.com

Parking Rates in Town

http://motoring.asiaone.com/Motoring/News/Story/A1Story20080528-67378.html
LOWEST TO HIGHEST RATES FOR PARKING LOTS IN GSS ZONE:

Centrepoint
Everyday (including public holidays): $1 first hour; $1.20 per subsequent 1/2 hour

Far East Plaza
Weekdays and Saturdays before 5pm: $1.94 first hour; $0.97 per subsequent 1/2 hour.
Weekdays and Saturdays after 5pm: $3 per entry
Sundays and public holidays: $3 per entry

Lucky Plaza
Weekdays before 5pm: $1.61 first hour; $1.28 per subsequent 1/2 hour
Weekdays after 5pm: $3.21 per entry
Weekend charges same as weekdays
Public holidays: $3.75 per entry

Ngee Ann City
Weekdays before 6pm: $1.56 per hour
Weekdays after 6pm: $4.28 per entry
Weekends and public holidays 8am?6pm: $2.57 per entry; $1.61 per subsequent 1/2 hour
Weekends and public holidays after 6pm: $4.28 per entry

The Heeren
Weekdays and Saturdays before 5pm: $2 first hour; $1.30 per subsequent 1/2 hour
Weekdays and Saturdays 5-11pm: $3 per entry
Sundays and public holidays: $3 per first three hours; $1.30 per subsequent 1/2 hour

Orchard Towers
Every day 8am-6pm: $3.50 per First two hours; $6.80 maximum charge
Every day 6pm-2am: $3.80 per entry
Every day 2-7am: $2.20 per entry

Shaw Centre
Weekdays and Saturdays before 5pm: $1.07 per 1/2 hour
Weekdays and Saturdays after 5pm: $2.14 per entry
Sundays and public holidays: $2.14 per entry

International Building (next to Shaw House)
Weekdays and Saturdays before 5pm: $2.14 first hour; $1.07 per subsequent 1/2 hour
Weekdays and Saturdays after 5pm: $2.14 per entry
Sundays and public holidays: $2.14 per entry

Tanglin Shopping Centre
Weekdays and Saturdays before 6pm: $2.14 first hour; $1.23 per subsequent 1/2 hour
Weekdays and Saturdays after 6pm: $2.45 per entry
Sundays and public holidays: $2.45 per entry

Far East Shopping Centre
Weekdays and Saturdays before 5pm: $2.14 first hour; $1.07 per subsequent 1/2 hour
Weekdays and Saturdays after 5pm: $3.21 per entry
Sundays and public holidays: $3.21 per entry

Paragon Shopping Centre
Weekdays and Saturdays before 5pm: $2.25 first hour; $1.34 per subsequent 1/2 hour (additional $1 between 12-2.30pm)
Weekdays and Saturdays after 5pm: $3.37 per entry
Sundays and public holidays: $3.37 per first two hours; $0.70 per subsequent 15 minutes (additional $1 between 12-2.30pm)

Wisma Atria
Weekdays and Saturdays before 5pm: $2.30 first hour; $1.10 per subsequent 1/2 hour
Weekdays and Saturdays after 5pm: $3.50 per entry
Sundays and public holidays: $3.50 per first two hours; $0.80 per subsequent 1/2 hour

Forum The Shopping Mall
Weekdays 6am-5pm: $2.40 per first hour; $1.20 per subsequent 1/2 hour
Weekdays 5pm-6am: $3.20 per entry
Saturdays: $2.60 per first hour; $1.40 per subsequent 1/2 hour; after 5pm $3.20 per entry
Sundays and public holidays between 6am to 6am the next day: $3.20 per entry

Pacific Plaza
Weekdays before 5pm: $1.50 per 1/2 hour
Weekdays after 5pm: $3.50 per entry
Saturdays before 6pm: $1.50 per 1/2 hour; after 6pm $3.50 per entry
Sundays and public holidays: $3.50 per entry

Grand Hyatt Singapore
Weekdays and Saturdays before 5pm: $3 first hour; $1.00 per subsequent 1/2 hour
Weekdays and Saturdays after 5pm: $5 per entry
Sundays and public holidays: $5 per entry

Royal Plaza on Scotts
Weekdays and Saturdays before 5pm: $3 first hour; $1 per subsequent 1/2 hour
Weekdays and Saturdays after 5pm: $4 per entry
Sundays and public holidays: $4 per entry

Wheelock Place
Weekdays and Saturdays before 6pm: $3 first hour; $1.50 per subsequent 1/2 hour
Weekdays and Saturdays after 6pm: $4 per entry
Sundays and public holidays: $4 per entry

Tangs Plaza
Weekdays and Saturdays before 5pm: $0.05 per minute
Weekdays and Saturdays after 6pm: $4.50 per entry
Sundays and public holidays: $4.50 per entry

Meritus Mandarin Singapore
Weekdays before 6pm: $4.50 first hour; $1.30 per subsequent 1/2 hour
Weekdays after 6pm: $6 per entry
Weekends and public holidays: $6 per entry

Hilton Singapore
Weekdays and Saturdays before 6pm: $7 first hour; $3.50 per subsequent 1/2 hour
Weekdays and Saturdays after 6pm: $7 per entry
Sundays and public holidays: $7 per entry

URA CARPARKS

Grange Road
Weekdays and Saturdays 8.30am-5pm: $1 per 1/2 hour
Weekdays and Saturdays between 5-10pm: $0.50 per 1/2 hour

Angullia Park
Everyday 8.30am-10pm: $0.50 per 1/2 hour

Vertical Farms

http://www.verticalfarm.com/Default.aspx

Zero Energy Buildings

http://www.wildsingapore.com/news/20071112/071107-9.htm

Floating dormitories

http://www.todayonline.com/articles/282471.asp

Singapore News // Monday, October 20, 2008
Floating dormitories
Offshore housing for foreign workers is one alternative:


WITH rising construction costs and a space crunch in Singapore, local researchers are exploring cheaper alternatives to land reclamation. One option is to have very large floating structures that can literally support cities on water. One company is even exploring the idea of floating dormitories for foreign workers.
.
Professor Wang Chien Ming, director of the engineering science programme at the National University of Singapore, said: “People have been talking about ultra-large floating platforms being situated near the equatorial belt where there are no typhoons and no hurricanes. The floating structures could be placed in a very calm sea environment and then you can tap on the energy from the sun ... It can be self-contained.”
.
Such structures would come with a mooring system, a breakwater and an access bridge or a berth. And although the structures could be made of steel and concrete, they can still float.
.
The advantages of using floating structures include a relatively short construction period of four to five months. Such expandable structures are immune to the effects of rising sea levels and, compared to land reclamation, mega floating structures could cost about a third less.
.
The concept of using floating structures is not new. In Singapore, there is already the Marina Bay Floating Platform. And one company that develops and manages foreign worker accommodation is thinking of floating dormitories for, say, 4,000 to 5,000 people.
.
Mr A Mohamed Ali, director of business development at Mini Environment Service, said: “Theoretically speaking, there’s no limit to how many people you can hold. You can have a country built on a sea.
.
“And because it’s modular, you can literally add on (facilities) ... We’re looking at facilities such as malls, post offices, remittance centres, anything that’ll serve the foreign-worker community.”
.
He does not see offshore housing as segregation between foreign workers and Singaporeans. “If the design and the facilities are good, it won’t be stigmatised that way, and the motivation is not really to ship anyone out; it’s to find an alternative.”
.
If the idea takes off, the dormitory would be the first of its kind in the world to house such a huge community on water.
.
Another company that is exploring the use of mega floating structures is JTC Corporation. It is thinking of using such structures to store petrochemical and oil products. Prof Wang said the cost of building such a structure could be about$200 million. CHANNEL NEWSASIA

Tips - Nice & Simple

SOURCE: Taken from a forwarded email. Looks useful

Take 2 minutes and read through this; you will be amazed at what you can learn!

Bed Sheets
After drying sheets, put both sheets and one pillowcase in the other pillow case. Fold neatly in a square. Next time you change sheets, you just take the one pillow case and all the sheets and pillow case are inside. No need to look for matches.

Reheat Pizza
Heat up leftover pizza in a non-stick skillet on top of the stove, set heat to med-low and heat till warm. This keeps the crust crispy. No soggy micro pizza. I saw this on the cooking channel and it really works.

Reheating refrigerated bread
To warm biscuits, pancakes, or muffins that were refrigerated, place them in a microwave with a cup of water. The increased moisture will keep the food moist and help it reheat faster.

Broken Glass
Use a dry cotton ball to pick up little broken pieces of glass - the fibers catch ones you can't see!

Easier thank you's
When you throw a bridal/baby shower, buy a pack of thank you cards for the guest of honor. During the party, pass out the envelopes and have everyone put their address on one. When the bride/new mother sends the thank you's, they're all addressed!

Name tag
If you purchase a new bike for your child, place their picture inside the handle bar before placing the grips on. If the bike is stolen and later recovered, remove the grip and there is your proof who owns the bike.

Flexible vacuum
To get something out of a heat register or under the fridge add an empty paper towel roll or empty gift wrap roll to your vacuum. It can be bent or flattened to get in narrow openings.

Reducing Static Cling
Pin a small safety pin to the seam of your slip and you will not have a clingy skirt or dress. Same thing works with slacks that cling when wearing panty hose. Place pin in seam of slacks and -- voila -- static is gone.

Measuring Cups
Before you pour sticky substances into a measuring cup, fill it with hot water. Dump out the hot water, but don't dry the cup. Next, add your ingredient, such as peanut butter, and watch how easily it comes right out.

Foggy Windshield?
Hate foggy windshields? Buy a chalkboard eraser and keep it in the glove box of your car. When the windows fog, rub with the eraser!
Works better than a cloth!

Reopening envelope
If you seal an envelope and then realize you forgot to include something inside, just place your sealed envelope in the freezer for an hour or two. Voila! It unseals easily.

Conditioner
Use your hair conditioner to shave your legs. It's a lot cheaper than shaving cream and leaves your legs really smooth. It's also a great way to use up the conditioner you bought but didn't like when you tried it in your hair...

Good-bye Fruit Flies
To get rid of pesky fruit flies, take a small glass fill it 1/2 with Apple Cider Vinegar and 2 drops of dishwashing liquid, mix well. You will find those flies drawn to the cup and gone forever!

Get Rid of Ants
Put small piles of cornmeal where you see ants. They eat it, take it 'home,' & can't digest it so it kills them. It may take a week or so, esp. if it rains, but it works & you don't have the worry about pets or small children being harmed!

Take baby powder to the beach
Keep a small bottle of baby powder in your beach bag. When you're ready to leave the beach sprinkle yourself and kids with the powder and the sand will slide right off your skin.

Let's Not Forget Our Late Bloomers

Taken from the New Paper 21Aug2008

Warren Buffett - How to Grow Wealth in a Responsible and Sustainable Manner

http://www.lioninvestor.com/how-to-grow-wealth-in-a-responsible-and-sustainable-manner/

I like the following lines:

- Never trade reputation for money

- People self select themselves

- The standard of living does not equate with the cost of living. Up to a point it does, and then you leave that point. I want to be around my friends; to be able to do what I love to do. Fortunately, I’m able to

- I told my children what my dad told me. “Anything you do (as long as it’s legal), I’m behind you. I’ll back you. You don’t have to be me. You have to be you.” What they do is more important than what I do. They have to follow their own passion.

Don't outlive your muscles How to keep muscles healthy

Extracted from Straits Times - FITNESS May 24, 2008
Don't outlive your muscles How to keep muscles healthy
How to keep muscles healthy
ARE your muscles healthy? It is not the kind of question most people ask themselves.

But muscle researchers say it is important because muscle health is emerging as an important part of overall health.

# When it comes to muscles, bulk does not matter.

# What matters for health is whether you use them.

# Healthy muscles are those that have been worked, stressed and pushed to their limit, so that they have enough power and strength to get you through life, especially as you grow older.

# Keeping muscles fit takes effort, which means regular training with weightlifting and cardiovascular exercise, even if the results are not a sculptured look.

Full Article as follows:
If you don't work, stress and push them, they will atrophy as you grow older
NEW YORK - DR PAUL D.THOMPSON, a 60-year-old marathoner and chief of cardiology at Hartford Hospital, stood before a medical audience recently and talked about himself.

'I've been lifting weights since I was 12 years old and look at me,' he said.

Dr Thompson is small and wiry with not a bulging muscle on him. He speculated that he must have a genetic inability to build muscles, no matter how hard he works at it.

But are his muscles healthy?

It is not the kind of question most people ask themselves.

But muscle researchers say it is important because muscle health is emerging as an important part of overall health.
They say, when it comes to muscles, bulk does not matter. How big they are depends on your sex as well as genetics.

What matters for health is whether, like DrThompson, you use them.

Healthy muscles, researchers say, are those that have been worked, stressed and pushed to their limit. They will then have enough power and strength to get you through life, especially as you grow older.

Keeping muscles fit takes effort, which means regular training with weightlifting and cardiovascular exercise even if the results are not a sculptured look, these experts add.

If you do not work your muscles, they will atrophy, especially as you grow older.

Older people often fall because they are too weak to brace themselves. They have trouble with steps and opening jars because their muscles have lost so much strength.

Much of that loss can be avoided, muscle researchers say.

Even elderly people can gain muscle strength if they work at it.

There are two aspects to healthy muscles: endurance and strength, said Robert H. Fitts, an exercise physiologist at Marquette University and chairman of the biology department there.

To maintain endurance, you should engage in activities that pump blood to the muscles, like walking.

For strength, you need to lift weights, concentrating on what Professor Fitts calls the anti-gravity muscles, those of the back and legs.

And you should also maintain arm strength.

While many people walk, fewer lift weights. Those who do often use incorrect techniques, said William J. Kraemer, a professor of kinesiology at the University of Connecticut.

Some try to do it on their own, but tend to buy weights that are too light and may not know the well-researched methods that get results.

Others go to gyms, where they may be intimidated when they venture into weight rooms filled with people grunting and straining and machines that can seem daunting.

Those who do try to lift at the gym can end up using weights that are not heavy enough to fully stimulate their muscles.

That is especially true of women, Dr Kraemer said, even those who work with personal trainers.

While women often say they are afraid to bulk up, this fear is unfounded. Acquiring muscle mass requires testosterone levels that women do not have.

The most effective way to stimulate muscles is progressive resistance. This approach can take about three hours a week and includes days, once a week or so, when you lift weights so heavy that you can do only three to five repetitions before your muscles are too tired to lift again.

Other days are devoted to moderate resistance, with weights you can lift eight to 10 times. You should also have some light days, with weights you can lift 12 to 15 times before your muscles tire.

Said Dr Thompson: 'Some folks outlive their muscles, meaning they are fine mentally and cardiac-wise, but have so little muscle strength that they can't catch themselves with their other leg when they start to fall. And if they fall, they cannot get up.'

He does not want to be one of those people, so he continues to lift weights.

NEW YORK TIMES

'Some folks outlive their muscles. They are fine mentally and cardiac-wise, but have so little muscle strength that they can't catch themselves with their other leg when they start to fall. If they fall, they cannot get up.'

DR PAUL D. THOMPSON, a 60-year-old marathon runner and chief of cardiology at Hartford Hospital in the US

Your brain has a silicon partner

Extracted from Straits Times - Digital Life May 13 2008
Your brain has a silicon partner
Extracts:
According to recent research, we're remembering fewer and fewer basic facts these days.

And when he asked them their own phone number, fully one-third of the youngsters drew a blank. They have to whip out their handsets to look it up.
That reflexive gesture - reaching in to your pocket for the answer - tells the story in a nutshell.

Does an over reliance on machine-memory shut down otherimportant ways of understanding the world?

FULL ARTICLE AS FOLLOWS

Shame-Based Versus Pride-Based Reporting

Interesting article on today's Straits Times.
Shame-Based management or Pride-Based Reporting?
Extracts:
Shame-based Punishing employees for the corporation's poor performance took its toll on individual productivity. The employees just stopped caring. Pride-based 1. If you don't trust your people, they won't trust you. 2. Never give responsibility without authority. 3. You get the behavior you reward. 4. Delegate outcomes, not methods. 5. The job of a manager is to create the right motivational climate

FULL ARTICLE AS FOLLOWS