The Marina Barrage is a dam that was constructed at the joining together of 5 rivers spanning the Marina Channel, going between Marina South and Marina East. It was inaugurated on November 1, 2008. The barrage was the country’s 15^th reservoir. The dam provides flood control, water and a new lifestyle and tourist attraction. In 2009, the infrastructure won an AAEE Award.

This 226 million Singaporean dollar project turns Kallang Basin and the Marina Bay into a new downtown reservoir of fresh water. The dam keeps out seawater and is the 15^th reservoir in the country but first reservoir in the city. The Marina Reservoir along with the planned Serangoon and Punggol reservoirs will increase the country’s water collection areas from one half to about two thirds of the country’s whole land area.

The infrastructure also functions as a tidal barricade that prevents seawater from getting into the city, aiding in preventing flooding of low lying areas in the city such as Jalan Besar, Chinatown and Geylang.

In cases of heavy rain during low tide, the dam’s apex gates will be lowered to let go of excess water from the reservoir into the sea. On the other hand, if it rains heavily during a high tide, the apex gates will remain closed and enormous drainage pumps are set into motion to pump out excess water into the sea.

The dam will keep tides from entering the Marina Basin keeping the water level steady; thus making the latter ideal for different kinds of recreational activities such as windsurfing, boating, dragon boating, and kayaking among others.

Christmas and New Year are fast approaching. Parties are everywhere. You cannot take away the merriments especially the foods and the booze because they are part of the whole celebration. How do you plan to get through the festive season? Staying inside the house is not an answer. You should go out there and have fun like normal people do. It is okay to drink but keep it under control. 

If despite your best efforts you drunk to your heart’s content, you should know how to deal with hangover so it will not take a toll on you. Partying and drinking are fun but when you wake up the next day, you need to endure the hells of hangover. The good news is that you can do something to make it lighter. Here are some tips that you can consider when you are dealing with hangover:

• Drink juice: Many people would agree that drinking fruit juices help alleviate the discomfort drinking brings. When you wake up, ask for a fruit juice immediately. The fructose will help your body burn the alcohol quicker.
• Drink water: If you do not have fruit juice, plain drinking water will do. It is important that you rehydrate after the heavy drinking session. You should know that alcohol can lead to dehydration. If you have sports drink, drink it instead as it can reload electrolytes.
• Drink coffee: If you prefer coffee, you should drink coffee instead. Coffee has this property that can reduce the swelling of the blood vessels that can result to headaches. Drinking it can surely ease the headaches.
• Take honey: If you have honey, you should take it. You can simply add it in water and drink it. Honey is famous to relieve hangovers because it is an excellent source of a sugar called fructose that can burn the alcohol easily.
• Eat foods rich in amino acid: When you drink too much, amino acids deplete in the body. If you want to replenish your amino acid, you need to eat foods rich in amino acids. If not, there are food supplements that you can consider. Do not forget to take other vitamins like B complex.
• Endure: Of course, the things mentioned above takes time to be effective. Do not expect it to magically disappear after eating or drinking it. The best way to deal with it is enduring it. Let rest and time heal your head and you will feel refreshed.

If hangover and drinking sessions happen all the time, you should be alarmed because you are starting to be an alcoholic. Do not be addicted to this because it can only destroy your relationship, work and your life in general.

Writing is one of the oldest jobs in history. It has been used by scribes, artists and philosophers in the past. Until now, writing is one of the prime needs when it comes to skills in jobs. One needs it in professional life. While others use writing for their jobs, some use it for self-expression and arts. Whether it is for arts or something objective, there are certain needs for one to be a good writer.

If you want to be a good writer, make sure that you are also a good reader. What does it take to be a good reader? Have an author that you will look up to and vow to read as much as you can. Apart from this, also make sure that you read a wide array of books written by a wide array of writers. Great writers need to get lost to all the types of writing because only on this can they find their own type of writing.

After getting lost on reading books, find yourself through practicing how to write. Start by keeping a journal and writing your daily activities, spur of the moment ideas and topics which you are interested in. At the end of the day, your practice writing will help you develop your own way or style of writing.

After developing your style of writing, also be updated to the writer of your generation and strive to be at par with them if not better than them. This behaviour will serve as a healthy challenge for you to be a great writer.

The dry spell is like a curse to most Singaporeans. The longest dry spell in the history finally ended with the coming of rainfall. Singaporeans were delighted because it brought the blossoming of flowers. If you happen to pass along the Taman Bedok road, you will witness the blossoming of Tabebuia Rosea or Trumpet Trees.

According to the National Parks Board, Trumpet Trees look like Japan’s sakura. Many people who happen to pass along Taman Bedok road stop to get a picture. This goes to show that flowers bring a pleasant feeling to those who can see it. In short, flowers can bring comfort. For many, flowers are the difference between happiness and sadness.

According to a study made by Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, flowers have an immediate effect on your wellbeing. Simple as they are, flowers have therapeutic effect. Participants in the study showed improvement of moods after seeing flowers. The people who were exposed to flowers showed less anxiety and greater enjoyment.

In general, plants help us increase productivity. It also cleans the air. Now that you know the importance of flowers or plants, you should do your best to always witness its grandeur. You can purchase flowers and plant it in pots. If you are working, you should bring a small pot. It can make a big difference at the end of the day.

If you witness the sight and smell the scent of a flower, it will surely stir something on you. If you have chance to get flower and put it in your living space, you should do so.

You love to taste different dishes. Tasting different dishes is like travelling to the place without even going there. If in this case you want to eat kimchi, you should go to a Korean restaurant right away and see what they have to offer. The good news is that there are many Korean restaurants here in Singapore.

Kimchi is a famous side dish in Korea; it can also be incorporated in stews and soups. Its fermented taste is noticeable. You should head to the nearest restaurant right away if you want to try it. However, if you want to make one your own for the fun of it, you are free to do that.

Here are some instructions that you can consider when making your own kimchi:

• Prepare your ingredients: You need napa cabbage, sea salt, water, grated garlic, grated ginger, sugar, red pepper flakes, radish and scallions.
• Ready your equipment: After securing the ingredients, you need to ready the equipment. You need a cutting board plus knife, bowl, plate, colander and gloves.
• Instructions: Now the strenuous part. You are ready to make kimchi. You should first cut the cabbage into strips. After that, you need to salt it then rinse & drain it. It is time to make the paste. Just combine the ginger with garlic, sugar and the flavourings. Afterwards, you can combine the vegetables and the paste. Using your hands (with gloves), you should mix it thoroughly. Secure the kimchi to a jar and let it ferment for one to five days. When it is ready, you can refrigerate it.

Easy, isn’t it? Kimchi is not only for Koreans because Singaporeans can also consume it. You can enjoy kimchi anytime and any day. If you want to share it to your friends, you should make more. Happy eating!