04/12/2024

Travel Hack Everyone Must Know

Unlimited data, Affordable & Good (Best network is guaranteed)

 It’s a fact that we feel the need to stay connected everywhere we go in today’s digitalized world. It will be a total nightmare if we are disconnected while travelling, even just for a bit. (Just take a look at the recent outage when Facebook, Instagram and, Whatsapp are down.)

 Even if you do not dwell on such apps, a good WiFi connection can be handy when you need access to Google Maps. I am pretty sure you will not want to waste a single bit of your holiday getting lost in a foreign country, right?

 “I’m travelling alone, why would I need a WiFi device when I can purchase SIM cards or activate my telco’s roaming services?” You may ask. It is a valid point but, most SIM providers has partnerships with a preferred local network provider. What this means is that in some areas, the reception can be exceptionally weak.

 read more
Posted by at
Labels: , ,

03/12/2024

Unhealthy condiments and their best substitutes

Small changes your health will thank you for!

Condiments can significantly impact your meal's healthiness. Even seemingly innocuous salad dressings can pack excessive salt and saturated fats. But while our evolutionary instincts drive us to crave high-energy foods, we now have abundant food options. The challenge? A hint of condiment can quickly turn into a heavy pour!

Yet you can still enjoy condiments while making healthier choices. Discover the best and worst options in this gallery:
  • Mayonnaise - Registered dietitian Asvini Mashru from Wellness Nutrition Concepts asserts, "With processed refined soybean oil as the primary ingredient in most mayonnaise products, there's nothing healthy about mayonnaise."
  • Olive oil - While mayo is generally not considered a healthy option, you can improve its healthiness by making sure it's prepared with olive oil instead of soybean oil.
  • Ketchup - This particular condiment is a health nightmare, essentially pure sugar. According to Monica Auslander, a registered dietitian and founder of Essence Nutrition, just one teaspoon of it is equivalent to consuming an entire packet of sugar.
  • Tomato relish - Consider trying tomato relish as an alternative. It's surprisingly easy to prepare at home, it contains much less sugar, and you can also find it available for purchase.
  • Honey mustard - Mixing mustard and honey may sound tasty, but it packs quite a punch when it comes to both salt and sugar. In reality, honey is pretty much just sugar in disguise!
  • Hummus - If you're thinking of swapping out honey mustard as a sandwich spread, then hummus could be a great choice.
  • Fat-free dressing - Don't get tricked: most fat-free salad dressings are loaded with added sugar
  • Greek yogurt - Opt for full-fat Greek yogurt as a substitute; it does the job perfectly. It's creamy, packed with healthy fats, and generally low in sugar.
  • Hoisin sauce - The Chinese variation of American BBQ sauce offers a delightful combination of sweetness and saltiness, but it's essentially a sugar explosion.
  • Oyster sauce - Danielle Flug Capalino, a registered dietitian in New York City, says, “Oyster sauce, another staple Chinese flavor, is also sweet but has half the sugar as hoisin sauce."
  • Ranch dressing - "Salads are healthy, so we are quick to ignore the nutritional value of the dressing we drizzle over them.” 
  • Tahini - Consider switching to tahini, a Middle Eastern condiment crafted from toasted ground hulled sesame seeds. While it's rich in fat, it's the good kind: unsaturated fat.
  • Hot sauce - Hot sauces can be loaded with salt. If you're not limiting yourself to just a teaspoon, consider using chili flakes or real chili pepper to add spice to your food. You can do this after cooking.
  • Soy sauce - It's a breeze to get carried away with soy sauce. It's like a flavor party for our taste buds, what with all that salt and sugar.
  • Coconut amino acids - Consider replacing soy sauce with coconut amino acids. They offer the same salty, savory taste you love but are derived from fermented coconut palm sap and sea salt, making them a nutritious alternative.
  • Sour cream - “Avoid the artery-clogging version of saturated fat by swapping it out for Greek yogurt,” says Tody Amidor, a registered dietitian and author of 'The Greek Yogurt Kitchen.'
  • Guacamole - Avocados can transform into guacamole in a snap! Creamy and healthful, just the way you want it.
  • Chocolate syrup - No matter how dark the chocolate syrup seems, it's usually packed with sugar, often in the form of high fructose corn syrup. It's better to avoid it, or at least save it for occasional treats rather than daily consumption.
  • 70% chocolate - Edwina Clark, a registered dietitian and head of Nutrition and Wellness at Yummly, says: "If you’re desperate for chocolate, skip the imposters." Clark recommends 70% chocolate.
  • Queso - When it comes to dips, this one leans on the unhealthy side. It's packed with sugar, salt, and unsaturated fats.
  • The real thing - Feta cheese carries a notable saltiness, but you can reduce it significantly by soaking it. Afterwards, you can crumble it over your nachos.
  • Meat-based gravy - Heather D’Eliso Gordon, a Kaiser Permanente registered dietitian, says meat-based gravy is high in "saturated fat, cholesterol, and refined carbs.”
  • Gravy alternative - There's a wide variety of gravy mixes available, and you can also prepare them using fresh vegetarian ingredients.
  • BBQ sauce - The salt in BBQ sauce isn't your heart's best friend, that's for sure!
  • Try a rub instead - Consider preparing a rub by checking out one of the numerous online recipes. This allows you to monitor the ingredients going into your food.
  • Blue cheese sauce - When it comes to meat or nutritious salads, there's no need to pile on spoonfuls of unnecessary fat and salt when we can opt for a healthier alternative instead.
  • Healthy alternative - How about swapping it out for a blend of Greek yogurt, white vinegar, fresh lemon, garlic, salt, and pepper?
  • Duck sauce - The sauce you pour over duck is typically made primarily with apricots, and there's often nothing really off about it. However, “it’s pretty easy to create your version without the sugar,” says Amy Isabella Chalker, a registered dietitian nutritionist in Santa Barbara, California.
  • Hollandaise sauce - Hollandaise sauce is rich in butter and egg yolks, making it high in saturated fat and cholesterol. Healthier alternatives include trying a Greek yogurt-based hollandaise sauce or opting for a lighter version that uses a small amount of olive oil and egg whites.
  • Creamy peanut sauce - This sauce can be calorie-dense and high in added sugars. A healthier alternative to traditional peanut sauce involves making your own sauce with natural peanut butter, lime juice, and low-sodium soy sauce.
  • Pickle relish - Pickle relish often contains high fructose corn syrup and artificial colors. When seeking healthier alternatives, consider making your own relish using diced pickles, onions, and mustard.
  • Chutney - Chalker recommends making “a chutney-like mix of apricot, vinegar, spices, ginger, and a bit of raw unfiltered honey" for a "healthier version with even more freshness and flavor.”

Posted by at
Labels: , , ,

02/12/2024

As the years go by

The older I get
Posted by at
Labels:

01/12/2024

JB-Singapore RTS Link 2024

Bukit Chagar RTS Station JB to Woodlands North MRT station

Installation of rail systems on track to start from end-2024
When ready, the RTS Link will be able to carry up to 10,000 people an hour in each direction between Bukit Chagar and Woodlands North

The installation of rail systems for the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link is slated to begin from the end of 2024 as scheduled, with good progress being made on both sides of the Johor Strait.

This next phase of work will include laying the tracks, as well as installing the signalling, communications and traction power systems, said Singapore’s Land Transport Authority (LTA), Malaysia’s Mass Rapid Transit Corporation (MRT Corp), and RTS Operations (RTSO).

RTSO is a joint venture formed in 2020 between Singapore rail operator SMRT and Malaysian public transport firm Prasarana to run the 4km cross-border rail shuttle service. More than 80 per cent of the civil infrastructure works have been completed on the Singapore side of the project, and civil infrastructure works in Malaysia have reached 93 per cent completion, the parties said in a joint statement on Nov 29. With the marine and land viaducts almost finished, LTA will be ready to progressively grant RTSO access to the civil infrastructures within Singapore from end-2024.

The remaining works in Singapore, such as architectural works, roadworks and the installation of key systems such as immigration gates, will be done in tandem with the rest of the structural works for the rail link. Additionally, construction work to connect the RTS Link to Woodlands North station on the Thomson-East Coast MRT Line, at Basement 1 of the customs, immigration and quarantine (CIQ) building in Woodlands North, will begin in 2025. Passenger service on the RTS Link is expected to start by December 2026.

related:


Construction work to connect JB-Singapore RTS Link to Thomson-East Coast Line to begin in 2025
Marine viaduct segmental box girders fully launched

As construction on the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link progresses, work to connect it to the Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL) will begin in 2025.

This will be done at the existing Woodlands North station on the TEL, at basement 1, connecting the RTS Link to Singapore's MRT network. More than four-fifths of the overall civil infrastructure works in Singapore have been completed, authorities said in an update on Friday (Nov 29). The marine and land viaducts are almost completed.

"The remaining works include architectural works, roadworks, installation of electrical and maintenance systems, and other key systems such as immigration gates," Singapore's Land Transport Authority (LTA), Malaysia's Mass Rapid Transit Corporation and RTS Operations (RTSO) said in a joint media release. RTSO - which will run the RTS Link service - is a joint venture company formed between transport operators Prasarana Malaysia and Singapore's SMRT Corporation.



JB-SG RTS Link: Installation of rail systems on track to start soon
When ready, the RTS Link will be able to carry up to 10,000 people an hour in each direction between Bukit Chagar and Woodlands North

The installation of rail systems for the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link is slated to begin from the end of 2024 as scheduled, with good progress being made on both sides of the Johor Strait. This next phase of work will include laying the tracks, as well as installing the signalling, communications and traction power systems, said Singapore’s Land Transport Authority (LTA), Malaysia’s Mass Rapid Transit Corporation (MRT Corp), and RTS Operations (RTSO).

RTSO is a joint venture formed in 2020 between Singapore rail operator SMRT and Malaysian public transport firm Prasarana to run the 4km cross-border rail shuttle service. More than 80 per cent of the civil infrastructure works have been completed on the Singapore side of the project, and civil infrastructure works in Malaysia have reached 93 per cent completion, the parties said in a joint statement on Nov 29. With the marine and land viaducts almost finished, LTA will be ready to progressively grant RTSO access to the civil infrastructures within Singapore from end-2024.

The remaining works in Singapore, such as architectural works, roadworks and the installation of key systems such as immigration gates, will be done in tandem with the rest of the structural works for the rail link. Additionally, construction work to connect the RTS Link to Woodlands North station on the Thomson-East Coast MRT Line, at Basement 1 of the customs, immigration and quarantine (CIQ) building in Woodlands North, will begin in 2025. Passenger service on the RTS Link is expected to start by December 2026.



Malaysia, Singapore ready for RTS link rail installation by year-end
Civil works in Malaysia, covering the maintenance depot, Bukit Chagar station, terrestrial viaducts, and marine viaducts, are 93 per cent completed

Malaysia's infrastructure firms and Singapore will grant RTS Operations Pte Ltd access to the Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link's civil structures to commence rail system installations by the end of the year.

Mass Rapid Transit Corporation Sdn Bhd (MRT Corp), Singapore's Land Transport Authority (LTA), and RTS Operations Pte Ltd (RTSO) confirmed that the civil structures, including stations, tunnels, viaducts, and the maintenance depot, were progressing well as scheduled. "InfraCos was granted earlier-than-scheduled access to RTSO at the RTS Link maintenance depot on 30th September to begin trackwork installation. Additional access to the remaining railway infrastructure will be progressively handed over starting at the end of the year," a joint statement read.

RTSO will undertake critical installation works, including track-laying and the integration of signalling, communications, supervisory control, and traction power supply systems.


JB-Singapore RTS Link nears major milestone as rail systems installation to start soon
An undated photograph shows work on a terrestrial viaduct along Jalan Tun Abdul Razak in Johor Baru, Johor, for the Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link Project

The Johor Baru–Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link Project will begin rail system installations by the end of this year, marking another critical milestone.

In a joint press release, MRT Corp, Singapore’s Land Transport Authority, and RTS Johor-Singapore said infrastructure work on Malaysia side was 93 per cent complete, with early access granted for trackwork installation starting September 2024. Singapore’s progress on the RTS Link civil infrastructure has exceeded 80 per cent, with viaducts nearing completion and architectural works set to continue in parallel.

Consequently, both infrastructure companies will grant access for civil infrastructure works by the end of the year. This would enable RTS Operations Pte Ltd (RTSO) to oversee the installation of tracks, signalling systems, communications, and power supply systems.


Installation of rail systems on track to start from end-2024
When ready, the RTS Link will be able to carry up to 10,000 people an hour in each direction between Bukit Chagar and Woodlands North

The installation of rail systems for the Johor Baru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link is slated to begin from end-2024 as scheduled, with good progress being made on both sides of the Johor Strait. This next phase of work will include laying the tracks, as well as installing the signalling, communications and traction power systems, said Singapore’s Land Transport Authority (LTA), Malaysia’s Mass Rapid Transit Corporation (MRT Corp), and RTS Operations (RTSO).

RTSO is a joint venture formed in 2020 between Singapore rail operator SMRT and Malaysian public transport firm Prasarana to run the 4km cross-border rail shuttle service. More than 80 per cent of the civil infrastructure works have been completed on the Singapore side of the project, and civil infrastructure works in Malaysia have reached 93 per cent completion, the parties said in a joint statement on Nov 29. 
With the marine and land viaducts almost finished, LTA will be ready to progressively grant RTSO access to the civil infrastructures within Singapore from end-2024.

The remaining works in Singapore, such as architectural works, roadworks and the installation of key systems such as the immigration gates, will be done in tandem with the rest of the structural works for the rail link. Additionally, construction work to connect the RTS Link to Woodlands North station on the Thomson-East Coast MRT Line, at Basement 1 of the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) building in Woodlands North, will begin in 2025.


Johor Bahru – Singapore Rapid Transit System Link
A smoother entry to Johor

Crossing the Straits of Johor via a 25m-high bridge from Woodlands North Station (LRT) in Singapore to the Bukit Chagar Station in JB, the Johor Bahru – Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link will help to ease Causeway congestion, improve connectivity, foster people-to-people ties and generate shared economic and social benefits.

The RTS Link will be a standalone Light Rail Transit (LRT) System with the capacity to serve up to 10,000 commuters during peak periods, for every hour and in each direction.

To facilitate a seamless travelling experience, there will be co-located Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) facilities. Passengers travelling in either direction will clear both Singapore and Malaysia authorities at the point of departure and need not go through immigration clearance again at the point of arrival.


JB-S'pore RTS rail project
KL says an LRT system would help reduce costs of rail link

Malaysia is proposing that an LRT (Light Rail Transit) system be used for a 4km cross-border rail project between Johor Baru and Singapore, said Malaysian Transport Minister Anthony Loke yesterday.

Using an LRT system - instead of Singapore's MRT system as originally planned - will help to bring down the costs in terms of the capital expenditures and operations, he told reporters.

Mr Loke expressed confidence the LRT system which Malaysia is proposing for the Johor Baru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link can match the planned capacity of the RTS, which is slated to carry up to 10,000 passengers an hour in each direction during peak periods.



Singapore to JB MRT by 2024
JB-Woodlands RTS to proceed albeit slight delay - MoT

The Ministry of Transport has indicated the government intends to proceed with the four-km Rapid Transit System (RTS) that connects Johor Bharu and Woodlands in Singapore.

But Malaysia may not be able to sign a joint venture (JV) agreement with Singapore before June 30 this year as the government requires more time to study the project details, Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook said at a press conference after his visit to the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) today. "Due to the consistent heavy traffic, the government has on principle agreed to proceed with the project at a cost of RM4 billion, and we will try to expedite the progress while reducing the cost.

"The project will be undertaken by a JV between Prasarana Malaysia Bhd and SMRT Corp Ltd, and the JV agreement was supposed to be signed by June 30 this year, but we think we might need another month to evaluate the details of this project before we sign the JV agreement," he said.


Johor Bahru–Singapore Rapid Transit System

The Johor Bahru–Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link is an international cross-border rapid transit system that will connect Malaysia's second largest city, Johor Bahru and Woodlands, Singapore, crossing the Strait of Johor. It will consist of two stations, with the Malaysian terminus at Bukit Chagar station and the Singaporean terminus at Woodlands North station, which also interchanges with Singapore's Thomson–East Coast MRT line.

Both stations will consist of co-located customs, immigration and quarantine facilities of both countries. When built, the RTS Link will be the second rail link between the two countries after the KTM Intercity's Shuttle Tebrau, between JB Sentral and Woodlands Train Checkpoint. However, the RTS Link is expected to replace this shuttle once it is completed. For Malaysia, RTS Link is the first LRT system outside of the Klang Valley.

A joint operating company between Singapore's SMRT Corporation and Malaysia's Prasarana will be the operator of the link. Construction started on the Malaysian section on 22 November 2020 and on the Singaporean section on 22 January 2021.


Bukit Chagar RTS station
Construction site of the RTS station in March 2024

Bukit Chagar RTS station is an elevated terminal station currently being built in Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia. The station will be located north of Johor Bahru Sentral and forms the Malaysian terminus of the Johor Bahru–Singapore Rapid Transit System. It is scheduled to open by end 2026. When opened, an estimate of 60,000 additional commuters will be able to cross the Causeway during peak hours.

The Bukit Chagar station was announced on 15 September 2015 during the Iskandar Malaysia Comprehensive Development Plan Open Day in a public poll. The other three options were Tanjung Puteri, JB Sentral 1 and JB Sentral 2.

The Bukit Chagar RTS terminal station will be developed adjacent to proposed to be built Bukit Chagar Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) complex and will not be sharing with existing facilities at the Sultan Iskandar Building CIQ complex. The terminal station has been proposed to alleviate the immigration checkpoint movement at Sultan Iskandar Building CIQ complex.


Woodlands North MRT station
Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) terminus - Future Johor Bahru–Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) station

Woodlands North MRT station is an underground Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) station in Woodlands, Singapore.[5] The station is the northern terminus of the Thomson–East Coast Line (TEL).

It is located at the centre of Woodlands North at Woodlands North Coast Road, off Admiralty Road West, and is adjacent to Republic Polytechnic (RP). The station is envisioned to serve the Woodlands North Coast project, a mixed-use business and lifestyle precinct in the far north of the country designed by Arup and built by JTC.

The station was one of the first three TEL stations to be opened on 31 January 2020 as part of Stage 1. During its construction, plans were made for the station to be linked with the Johor Bahru–Singapore RTS, which was confirmed in 2012. Construction began in 2021, and it will be the Singapore terminus of the RTS when it is completed by 2026.

Posted by at
Labels: , , , , ,
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)