On June 6, 2013, there were about 77, 850 empty fake vodka bottles seized by the Singapore Customs. Together with the vodka bottles, SC also seized 10 label boxes and 18 boxes of caps. According to the SC, the counterfeits were declared general cargoes. The counterfeits were stored in 11 twenty-foot containers.

The court detained the counterfeit items but the brand owner petitioned it for destruction. The court agreed and asked SC to hand counterfeit items to the brand owner on December 26, 2013. Counterfeit items are prevalent in the market these days. Consumers should be more careful because it can pose health risks.

In this case, fake vodkas can cause adverse health effects. It can cause abdominal pain, dizziness, nausea, vomiting and drowsiness. If you do not want to experience these, you should know how to spot fake vodkas. Here’s how to spot fake vodkas:

• Check the price. Original or premium vodkas are not cheap. If you come across vodkas with lower or reduced prices, that is a warning signal. Original or premium vodkas will not drop its prices instantly.
• See the label. When you buy vodka, make sure to check the label. The prints of fake vodka bottles tend to be poor and hazy. If the vodka is original or premium, you will expect fine label printing. If there is something missing in the label (like the address), it is a fake.
• Check the consistency. In original or premium vodkas, the amount of liquid is consistent or uniform. Apart from that, you have to see if the liquid is pure. Make sure it does not include any sediments.

If you are cautious, your body will not suffer. Do not just buy something because you think it is cheaper. When you know counterfeit items, you need to tell the authorities so they can do something about it.

It pays to learn martial arts. There are many reasons for learning martial arts but whatever reasons you have, it should be noble. If you are a patron of Wushu, you should know that Wufang Singapore signed an exchange agreement with Henan Shaolin Academy from China. The exchange agreement will let masters and students from China share and impart Wushu techniques to masters and students here in Singapore.

You have to be ready for this one and you can start by improving your stances. Here are the three basic Wushu stances:

1.       Horse Stance
In the horse stance, you should first stand straight then pull wrists towards your waist. Your elbows should be behind you. When you assumed this position, you have to spread your feet to maintain a good balance. After that, you need to bend your knees as if you are sitting in an invisible chair.

2.       Bow Stance
After the horse stance, you can progress to bow stance by turning to your left. Start by turning your left foot 90°. You need to straighten your leg then turn 45° to your left. To finish this stance, you need to turn everything above the hips to 90° to your left.

3.       Drop Stance
Assume the horse stance. You only need to turn your shoulders together with your hips to your right. Make sure that it is past your feet. To finish the stance, you simply need to straighten your right leg at the same time sit on your back using your left heel.

Apart from learning the stances, you have to make sure that you practice continuously because it can help you become better. If you want to advance, you have to learn other complicated stances. Wushu is a fun thing to do because you will learn proper posture and discipline. It should be used properly.