Avoid using Plastic Type 3 or 7

I've gotten the table below from Wikipedia. It basically describes the different types of plastics and according to what I have read, type 3 or type 7 plastics may contain Bisphenol A which is cancerous.

Morale of the story? Don't use plastic bottles for long periods of time. Get a water bottle.

Look at the bottom of the plastic bottle and you'll be able to see the indicator of the type of plastic being used. Refer to the table below on the different types of plastics.

Plastic Identification Code	Type of plastic polymer	Properties	Common Packaging Applications
	PET, PETE	Clarity, strength, toughness, barrier to gas and moisture.	Soft drink, water and salad dressing bottles; peanut butter and jam jars
	HDPE	Stiffness, strength, toughness, resistance to moisture, permeability to gas.	Water pipes, Hula-Hoop (children's game) rings, Milk, juice and water bottles; the occasional shampoo / toiletry bottle
	PVC	Versatility, clarity, ease of blending, strength, toughness.	Juice bottles; cling films; PVC piping May be cancerous as it uses Bisphenol A during polymerization or package forming
	LDPE	Ease of processing, strength, toughness, flexibility, ease of sealing, barrier to moisture.	Frozen food bags; squeezable bottles, e.g. honey, mustard; cling films; flexible container lids.
	PP	Strength, toughness, resistance to heat, chemicals, grease and oil, versatile, barrier to moisture.	Reusable microwaveable ware; kitchenware; yogurt containers; margarine tubs; microwaveable disposable take-away containers; disposable cups; plates.
	PS	Versatility, clarity, easily formed	Egg cartons; packing peanuts; disposable cups, plates, trays and cutlery; disposable take-away containers;
	Other (often polycarbonate or ABS)	Dependent on polymers or combination of polymers	Beverage bottles; baby milk bottles; electronic casing. May be cancerous as it uses Bisphenol A during polymerization or package forming

Ways to increase productivity

The buzz word for Singapore has always been to improve our productivity. In fact, one of our ministers also reminded companies to be more innovative in their productivity drive instead of getting their workers to work long hours. Easier said than done.

Companies are driven mainly by profits. Like what the government used to say, their excuse of not getting into solar/renewable energy is the cost factor (although they have later invested in this technology). Who won't use the excuse of improving productivity to pile more work onto the employees to improve their bottom line? Only the good employers will care for their employees.

Are there ways to increase productivity without piling more work on the employees, or even releasing them? I believe so. In my personal opinion, I would think that to increase productivity and still improve the bottom line, the company has to

1. identify the direction that they will go towards;
2. decide how to use the technology to further enhance their competitiveness;
3. communicate these changes to the staff, retrain them, and invest into the new technology to further differentiate themselves from their competition.

To do this, you must be able to look far ahead, take risks and be willing to get your returns in 3 to 5 years time, and not immediately. I believe that would be a challenge because not many companies are willing to bet their careers on returns that you will not be able to see immediately, and in fact will look like it's loss-making in the short-term.

That's the problem and that's also the reason why most companies will take the easier way out to pile work on their staff. I don't think the situation will change much.

Our lives are fashioned by choices

I quote from Anne Frank:

I do not complain, complaining is an activity just as jumping rope or listening to the radio is an activity. Our very lives are fashioned by choices. First we make choices, then our choices make us.
.
.
Greatness does not care if one is a girl or a boy. If, in fact, it is what's inside us that makes all the difference, then the difference is made when we choose what goes inside.

Random Photos @ Singapore Zoo

Updated 8 Oct 2013: More random photos of creatures taken recently

I was trying to categorise the interesting photos that I have of the Singapore Zoo's animals and sad to say, I have to give up because they are really too random. However, they are still interesting so I'm going to take the lazy way out and create a post aptly named Random Photos of the Singapore Zoo. :) You can refer to this post here for more information on the Singapore Zoo.

Anyway, below are the random photos that I've taken here and there. :)

A single task warthog looking for its other task. :p

A warthog having its meal

Crocodiles in disguise. :p

A goat making full use of its horns. :)

A barking deer taking a rest from all the barking. :)

Darn. No idea what creature this is. :(

Deer? Looks like it.

Greater Kudu getting away from the limelight

White Rhino eating away

Malayan tapir taking a rest

White Tiger taking a rest from all the patrolling. :)

Zebra having its lunch.

Fishes kissing the Pygmy Hippo

Komodo dragon deciding if it should move or not. :)

Lazy kangaroo lazing around after its meal

No idea what creature is this but it's beautiful

Inuka entertaining the visitors

Curious baby white rhino

Desert Warthog

Rattlesnake

Giant Tortise

Sea lion

Jackals

Pigmy Hippo

Monkeys & Orangutans @ Singapore Zoo

Updated 8 Oct 2013: More pictures of monkeys/orangutans and related animals taken recently

The highlight of the Singapore Zoo seems to be Monkeys (I include Chimpanzees too) & Orangutans. There are a wide variety of species there and it seems to me that everywhere I turn, I'll see them. :) They are quite an interesting lot to watch, and even more interesting when they are at play. The games that their young play looks not much different from the games babies play when they are small. The Orangutans as always, were lazing around. :) You can refer to this post here for more information on the Singapore Zoo.

Anyway, below are some of the pictures of these interesting creatures.

Orangutan lying down and stretching its arm at the same time. :)

Orangutan grabbing a snack

Cotton Top Tamarins playing around

A mother Cotton Top Tamarin with 2 young ones on top

A white-faced Saki Monkey on top of a signboard

The agile Gibbon wondering where to go next

Howler Monkey howling along

Not sure what monkey this is but it looks very cute. :)

A Baboon giving you an arrogant look. :)

Baboon senior getting some grooming from junior. :)

Brown Capuchin (heard someone called it cappuccino) :)

Chimpanzee (i think) eating roots.

Proboscis Monkey looking around

Baby baboon wondering what to do with the stick

Baby baboons @ play. :)

A baby lion-tailed Macaque looking lost. :)

Orangutans having fun with a gunny sack

Baby Chimp playing with a piece of wood

Baby proboscis monkey looking at the mother

The mother baboon holding on to the little one