Entrepreneur's Eden : The Initial K Project 2009

http://www.eginnovations.com/

2009-06-13T13:18:00.005+08:00

eG Innovations Inc is the leading provider of IT infrastructure performance monitoring and management solutions. Our unique dataflow and applications dependency technology is key to ensuring high availability and performance of mission-critical systems, where proactive monitoring, rapid diagnosis, and instant recovery are critical. eG Innovations offers a new generation of service monitoring solutions that makes IT infrastructure monitoring and management simple, yet effective. Founded by Mr Srinivas Ramanathan in 2001, eG Innovations Inc is a privately held software company headquartered in Singapore with offices in US and India. Customers worldwide use the eG solutions to improve the quality of their services thereby enhancing their competitive positioning, lower their operational costs, and optimize the usage of their infrastructures.

Mission

To address the growing requirements of businesses, eG Innovations aims to deliver best-of-breed products and services that enable IT infrastructure operators to maintain and manage their services in an easy, effective, and efficient manner.

Focus

To ensure that an IT infrastructure remains operating at peak performance, it is critical for a monitoring solution to track the health of not only the network elements but also the critical server and application components. Moreover, to be able to proactively monitor the infrastructure, it is essential to continuously monitor the end-user service performance. Furthermore, because multiple applications and network elements interact to enable an end-user service, a problem with one element may manifest as problems with many other related elements. Monitoring solutions that look at the target environment as a collection of distinct, independent elements are often not capable of assisting operators to quickly determine when and where problems originate.

eG Innovations offers a new generation of service monitoring solutions that makes IT infrastructure monitoring and management simple, yet effective. The eG solution suite is especially suited for mission-critical infrastructures, where proactive monitoring, rapid diagnosis, and instant recovery are critical.

In line with its objective of being a trusted partner that enables service excellence for businesses, eG Innovations is working to integrate its technology with solutions from industry leaders like Computer Associates and Hewlett-Packard, to deliver a comprehensive service management solution that offers customers the best return on investment (ROI). We are also participating in industry forums that are involved in the specification of frameworks and architectures for web services, service qualification and certification processes for Internet data centers, and operational standards and reporting procedures for service providers. In collaboration with its Managed Service Providers (MSP) partners worldwide, eG Innovations is also pioneering a new, cost-effective, remote service monitoring model.

Got it! =)

Singaporeans cheered by news of Mas Selamat’s arrest

2009-05-08T21:25:00.000+08:00

SINGAPORE: It came as a pleasant surprise for many Singaporeans as they awoke on Friday morning to the news that the country’s most wanted fugitive, Mas Selamat Kastari, has been captured.

With Influenza A (H1N1) dominating recent headlines, almost all 20 Singaporeans TODAY spoke to said they didn’t see Mas Selamat’s capture on the radar.

Mr Lim Cheng Heng, who read the news while having his breakfast, probably expressed the sentiments of many when he said: "I thought he had disappeared."

Another Singaporean, Mr Raymond Quek, had believed that the conspiracy theories he had heard were true, until he read the news of the fugitive’s capture.

"I thought he had died and we would not hear from him again," said the retiree. "But it is good that he has been caught."

Mas Selamat’s capture not only made local headlines, but also found its way to foreign news outlets in Australia and India.

It is believed that he was nabbed in the outskirts of Johor Baru and is now being held by the Malaysian authorities for interrogation.

While Singaporeans were glad to hear of Mas Selamat’s capture, many had questions as to how he ended up in Malaysia. For some, the news that he was arrested in Johor came too close for comfort.

"Why was he in Malaysia? Was he planning something that we may not know of?" wondered auditor Sophia Loh.

Mr Tan Hee Joek added: "Was he communicating with someone here? I thought he would have escaped further, say Indonesia."

It is not known why Mas Selamat was in Malaysia. It is also not known why even though he was arrested six weeks ago, the Malaysian authorities have yet to announce the capture.

Financial planner Vincent Tan added: "I thought the authorities said they had no news of his whereabouts. It is definitely a surprise and I hope the authorities could share with us the details of his escape."

Ms Cheng Li Min also wondered how Mas Selamat escaped Singapore given that authorities had shut down the country’s borders hours after his escape from the Whitley Road Detention Centre.

"I do hope the authorities could share with us what happened," she said.

It is not known how he slipped out of Singapore or when he entered Malaysia.

Mr Chia Wei Ping felt the authorities did well in tracking down the fugitive so quickly.

"Some fugitive go on the run for years and can’t be found. They did well in making sure he is caught before he causes any damage," said the technical officer.

Teacher Eugene Ng felt that the news of Mas Selamat’s capture could not have come at a better time.

"With Singapore downgrading from Orange to Yellow Alert for the flu virus, I think this comes as great news."

She gets a degree - and a promotion

2009-05-08T09:15:00.002+08:00

SHE would spend her mornings at a quiet spot near her workplace - studying.

Ms Delcie Cheong is now assistant manager at the Department of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery of the National University Heart Centre.

In the afternoons, she would switch to work mode when she steps into the National University Hospital (NUH).

That was how SIM Global Education (SIM GE) graduate Delcie Cheong, 41, divided her day whenever exams approached.

Being able to juggle studies and work was crucial to the part-time student's pursuit of a Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Management from the University of Manchester, a course offered at SIM GE.

Luckily for her, both her boss and her husband were supportive.

Ms Cheong graduated this year and her hard work has paid off.

The former executive secretary secured a promotion to become the assistant manager in the Department of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery of the National University Heart Centre, Singapore, which is located in NUH.

She said the position had opened up before she completed her degree, but she decided to 'be bold' and applied for it.

Her boss, Professor Lee Chuen Neng, 57, who is head of the department, said the promotion was 'contingent upon her getting a degree'.

He was the one who urged Ms Cheong to go back to school as she struck him as being 'extremely efficient and smart'.

He noted: 'Many people did not have the chance to further their studies when they were young.

'Sometimes it was because of family circumstances, other times because they were late bloomers.'

Ms Cheong said that as a teen, she chose to work instead of pursuing her studies because of 'financial reasons'.

Her studies at SIM GE were funded by the hospital. In return, she has to serve a one-year bond upon graduation.

Prof Lee said: 'We encourage our staff to upgrade themselves continuously as they will perform better at their job and this will benefit the whole organisation, which in turn will benefit our patients.'

The modular structure of the SIM-Manchester programme, where students focus on one course at a time, suits working adults well.

Exams are held on Saturdays, while weekday classes are from 7pm to 10pm.

Ms Cheong said she was grateful for the patience and insight shown by the overseas lecturers as well as the local tutors.

She has since applied what she learnt from her course at work.

She said her finance modules have helped her with the annual budgeting.

Her human resources modules have come in handy as she manages a team of eight administrative staff, eight heartline machine specialists and more than 25 doctors.

'I've learnt how to manage people from different cultures,' she said, noting that the department hosts visiting fellows from many countries, like Japan, Myanmar, Nigeria and Armenia.

But Ms Cheong said she could not have done it without her husband, who drove her home after every class and provided emotional support throughout.

With a smile, she noted that going back to school also meant she could 'set a good example' for her daughter, 14, and son, 10.

1ST-CLASS HONOURS

Family support was important to Mr Kirby Chua Han Ping, 26, as well. He belonged to the pioneer batch of SIM-Manchester students who graduated last year.

The first-class honours graduate said his family had encouraged him 'each and every step of the way.'

The former Temasek Polytechnic student, who graduated in the top 10 per cent of his cohort, could have enrolled in any of the local universities.

He said he was attracted to the programme because of the repute of SIM and the University of Manchester.

The Manchester Business School was ranked in the top 15 in The Financial Times' 2009 Top European Schools poll.

Mr Chua said: 'Having the opportunity to enrol in the course without having to travel to the UK spurred my decision.'

However, Mr Chua admitted that there were sacrifices, like giving up leisure time during the weekends to focus on studying.

Now a settlements officer at KBC Bank NV, he said: 'My degree helped me to secure my current job.

'I was also given the opportunity to work in the settlements department even though I'd no prior relevant experience.'

Mr Chua said certain course topics, like financial markets, helped him at work as it touched on financial derivatives products.

His job involves providing back-office support for money market, foreign exchange and derivatives transactions.

Thanks to his degree, his career has a major boost.

Source: http://newpaper.asia1.com.sg/news/story/0,4136,201239,00.html?

Lin Chi-ling voted Taiwan FHM's sexiest for third time running

2009-05-07T13:16:00.001+08:00

Results of the "2009 Top 100 Sexiest Ladies" poll organized by Taiwan's FHM Magazine were recently unveiled. 34-year-old Taiwanese top model Lin Chi-ling came in top for the third year running. Taiwanese diva Jolin Tsai and Hollywood actress Megan Fox are in second and third place respectively.

The FHM poll, which was held from March 1 to April 20, entered its eighth year. Interestingly, members of Taiwanese girl group S.H.E, Ella and Selina, once made it to the first and second spots, but both dropped out of top 50 after the six weeks battle.

When the poll ended, the top three ladies from last year managed to defend their spots. Lin was crowned champ for the third time with 55,182 votes.
Her manager said on her behalf, "Thank you for your support. I will work harder in my movies and showcase all my sexy apparel selflessly."

The only singer in the top ten, Tsai is recognized as the trendsetter of the female fashion without revealling too much of her body. She expressed her gratitude for the public's votes but hoped that people can also show the same support her music career.

Loof @ Odeon Towers, Rooftop Bar

2009-05-02T10:11:00.002+08:00

Just as you thought you’ve seen it all, along comes a place like Loof that makes you reassess your perceptions of what defines a cool club. With a concept that separates it from every other pea in the pod, Loof brings about a scene that is different and yet surprisingly non-threatening into a done-to-death industry. From its amazingly altitudinous location to its fresh approach, Loof is no fool when it comes to the alternative lifestyle.

What started out as a daring move for a fresh graduate, Loof proved to be the unexpected hit of this year. Securing the top floor of Odeon Towers, the al-fresco joint is a picture of avant garde serenity. With wooden flooring made exciting using random transparent spots, and trees standing prominently, this chill pad is all about going back into nature, but with a mod and playful exterior. While the temperature is highly dependent on the weather ( since it is after all, al-fresco), it’s filled with surprises, such as sunken seats and walls that tell a story, to make you forget the humidity. At least, for a while. However, rest assured that there is an air conditioned room behind, though it is much smaller than the rest. Alternatively, you can just take it like a man and mingle where the crowd is.

The crowd here is mostly made up of young executives, seeking to unwind. Nobody there expects to get wild and rowdy, like they do in most bars. You will see a lot of lounging around, while enjoying drinks and good conversations. This feeling is further perpetuated by the down-tempo, soul and funk music that is emitted through the speakers. A note-worthy mention is the bar’s support for the local arts scene. This, in return, makes it another hot spot for those in the entertainment profession. It‘s all about being quirky and open-minded. There is a certain aura of nirvana here that is just so disarmingly laid back.

Although newer than most, the drinks and food here can pack quite the punch. Signature drinks like the Loof Life and the Purple Turtle accentuate the perfect blend of their ingredients, with none overpowering the rest. If you’re more of a house pour guy than a cocktail fan, then you will not be disappointed either. (We hate bars who skim on their drinks too. If it was up to us, they’d be served with a fine!) And the Magic Mushrooms ( don’t get too excited. We checked. They’re clean) are so succulent that they are almost illegal.

In line with their laid back theme as well, the staff here are dressed in jeans and t-shirt, different from the norm of t shirt and pants. They’re young and hip and amazingly not the normal slackers you will expect from their age group. Attentive and polite, they serve as the perfect representatives of a place that works so hard at remaining blasé yet trendy.

Not surprisingly, this place has pulled out all the stops in making sure you get your much needed “I’m not thinking about work” moments. It’s a lifestyle that is addictive and almost mandatory. And it’s especially fun when it rains, cause they go into one-for-one madness ( although this only applies if it rains before 9). When it pours, they pour. And that’s fine enough in our books.

Rating: 3.8/5

(Extracted from: http://www.streetdirectory.com/travel_guide/singapore/nightlife/576/fiddling_on_the_loof.php)

Conficker worm active, security experts say

2009-04-13T20:32:00.002+08:00

WASHINGTON (AFP) - - The Conficker worm, believed to have burrowed into millions of computers around the world, has sent an encrypted data message to infected machines, according to a computer security firm.

Trend Micro said the purpose of the mysterious update, sent to other infected machines using peer-to-peer (P2P) file transfer software, was not immediately clear.

Ivan Macalintal, a Trend Micro advanced threats researcher, said Conficker began showing activity on Tuesday, nearly a week after the expected April 1 activation date that had computer security experts on alert around the world.

"As expected, the P2P communications of the Downad/Conficker botnet may have just been used to serve an update," Macalintal wrote in a post late Wednesday on the TrendLabs Malware blog. "The Conficker/Downad P2P communications is now running in full swing!"

Macalintal said the worm was connecting to MySpace.com, MSN.com, eBay.com, CNN.com and AOL.com to detect whether a host computer is connected to the Web.

After performing the test, it deletes any traces of itself in the infected machine, he said, adding that it is scheduled to stop running the test on May 3.

"It runs and deletes all traces, no files, no registries etc," he said.

The worm remains present on an infected machine, however, and could be activated at a later date.

Trend Micro is monitoring the worm on an infected computer as part of the Conficker Working Group of security experts.

A task force assembled by Microsoft has been working to stamp out Conficker, also referred to as DownAdUp, and the software colossus has placed a bounty of 250,000 dollars on the heads of those responsible for the threat.

The worm, a self-replicating program, takes advantage of networks or computers that haven't kept up to date with security patches for Windows.

It can infect machines from the Internet or by hiding on USB memory sticks carrying data from one computer to another.

Conficker could be triggered to steal data or turn control of infected computers over to hackers amassing "zombie" machines into "botnet" armies.

Microsoft has modified its free Malicious Software Removal Tool to detect and remove Conficker. Security firms, including Trend Micro, Symantec and F-Secure, provide Conficker removal services at their websites.

The tell-tale signs that a computer is infected includes the worm blocking efforts to connect with websites of security firms providing online tools for removing the virus.

Matsushima Nanako 松嶋菜々子

2009-04-13T20:22:00.001+08:00

She is back =)

http://www.shoppingconfessions.com.sg

2009-04-06T22:39:00.002+08:00

Mobilize as many shoppers as possible.
Ensure the continuation of world commerce through retail sales.
Promote healthy shopping habits.

Facebook, YouTube at work make better employees: study

2009-04-06T22:34:00.001+08:00

MELBOURNE - Caught Twittering or on Facebook at work? It'll make you a better employee, according to an Australian study that shows surfing the Internet for fun during office hours increases productivity.

The University of Melbourne study showed that people who use the Internet for personal reasons at work are about 9 percent more productive that those who do not.

Study author Brent Coker, from the department of management and marketing, said "workplace Internet leisure browsing," or WILB, helped to sharpened workers' concentration.

"People need to zone out for a bit to get back their concentration," Coker said on the university's website

"Short and unobtrusive breaks, such as a quick surf of the Internet, enables the mind to rest itself, leading to a higher total net concentration for a days' work, and as a result, increased productivity," he said.

According to the study of 300 workers, 70 percent of people who use the Internet at work engage in WILB.

Among the most popular WILB activities are searching for information about products, reading online news sites, playing online games and watching videos on YouTube.

"Firms spend millions on software to block their employees from watching videos, using social networking sites or shopping online under the pretence that it costs millions in lost productivity," said Coker. "That's not always the case."

However, Coker said the study looked at people who browsed in moderation, or were on the Internet for less than 20 percent of their total time in the office.

"Those who behave with Internet addiction tendencies will have a lower productivity than those without," he said.

Singapore observes Earth Hour, many buildings switch off lights for an hour

2009-03-29T12:23:00.001+08:00

SINGAPORE : Thousands of people across Singapore observed Earth Hour on Saturday, as individuals at home and organisations switched off their lights for an hour.

Many parts of Singapore were plunged into darkness, as the lights went off at 8.30pm Singapore time, and remained off until 9.30pm.

Earth Hour is a global initiative by the World Wide Fund for Nature to raise awareness of climate change. It is the second year that Earth Hour is being observed in Singapore.

Various hotels across the Marina Bay area switched off their lights at 8.30pm sharp.

Even the Singapore Flyer took part in observing Earth Hour this year.

The Fullerton Hotel dimmed its lights at 8.30pm sharp, while over at Raffles Place, the colourful lights outlining the Maybank building were switched off as well.

Downtown at Orchard Road, shopping malls also joined in to play their part in raising awareness of global warming and climate change.

More than 10,000 people pledged to take part in Earth Hour this year, and more than 450 businesses also said they would switch off their lights.

Earlier, on Saturday evening, hundreds of people gathered at the Esplanade Park for a picnic. Some of them told Channel NewsAsia that they were there to show support for Earth Hour, while others just wanted to have some fun.

Singapore is of one of the many countries in Asia that have joined the world in switching off its lights for 60 minutes. Altogether, some 83 countries are expected to observe Earth Hour this year. — CNA/ms

VOTE EARTH!!! Do your part now

2009-03-27T00:13:00.003+08:00

Earth Hour started in 2007 in Sydney, Australia with 2.2 million homes and businesses turning their lights off for one whole hour. Only a year later and this event had become a global sustainability movement with up to 100 million people across 35 countries participating. Global landmarks such as the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, Rome’s Colosseum and the Coca Cola billboard in Times Square, all stood in darkness, as symbols of hope for a cause that grows more urgent by the hour.

In 2009, at 8.30pm on March 28, we are asking people across the world to turn off their lights and join together in creating the vital conversation about the future of our precious planet. Earth Hour is a message of hope and a message of action. Everyone can make a difference.

It’s as simple as a flick of the switch. Join us for Earth Hour 2009.

Survey shows Singapore is world’s 10th most expensive city

2009-03-12T00:42:00.001+08:00

SINGAPORE: Singapore is one of the most expensive cities in the world, according to the latest survey by the Economist Intelligence Unit, which shows the city—state moving up five positions to 10th place.

This means Singapore is now Asia’s third most expensive city to live in.

Claiming the top seat worldwide is Tokyo, followed by Osaka — no thanks to the stronger yen.

But Asia is also home to the least expensive cities, with Manila and Mumbai near the bottom of the list.

Others include New Delhi and Kathmandu.

The Economist says the relative cost of living depends on two factors — local prices and exchange rates.

And the global economic crisis has also led to some dramatic results.

Iceland’s Reykjavik was the fifth most expensive city last year.

Now, using February exchange rates, it has fallen to 67th place.

How far can your flu bug go?

2009-03-12T00:18:00.003+08:00

A cough or sneeze isn't as harmless as you think. The flu bug can infect anyone up to 1 metre away or more, spreading further and faster that you can imagine.

Prevent the spread of flu with 3 simple steps:
1) Stay at home (Take MC)
2) Wear a mask (Not the one in the movie)
3) Sneeze or cough into a tissue (Or handkerchief also can)

www.flu.gov.sg

Coke Zero® is looking for the best Video/Animation

2009-03-11T23:45:00.004+08:00

With more than 15,000 improvements, Firefox 3 is faster, safer and smarter than ever before.

2009-02-26T11:21:00.001+08:00

http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/

Liu Yi Fei on MyPaper! For Garnier Advertisement

2009-02-26T11:15:00.003+08:00

Crisis could cost Singapore 99,000 jobs: DBS

2009-02-25T18:10:00.001+08:00

SINGAPORE, Feb 25, 2009 (AFP) - Singapore could lose a total of 99,000 jobs during the current recession, with more than half of the cuts in the key manufacturing sector, an analysis by local bank DBS said Wednesday.

"There will be a net loss of about 99,000 jobs due to the current recession and we also expect this to stretch into 2010", the bank said in its report.

Unemployment is likely to hit 4.8 percent this year and peak at 5.0 percent by the middle of 2010, it said.

"Labour markets are expected to deteriorate further," DBS added.

"The manufacturing sector is expected to be the worst hit with job losses of about 58,000 as the global recession chokes up demand for our manufactured exports."

The bulk of output from Singapore's manufacturing sector ends up as exports to the world's major economies, but recessions in those markets have severely affected local factories.

DBS said it has also downgraded its growth outlook for the city-state to a contraction of 4.8 percent this year from 3.8 percent previously, due to the "sharp collapse in global demand and export sales."

An "aggressive" stimulus package totalling 20.5 billion Singapore dollars (13.4 billion US) will only cushion the blows from the recession, the bank said.

Latest official data in Singapore said the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose to 2.6 percent in December, and companies laid off 7,000 workers during the last three months of 2008.

Singapore's worst recession occurred in 1964, just before independence, when the economy shrank 3.8 percent.

Slumdog Millionaire

2009-02-18T00:00:00.002+08:00

The story of Jamal Malik, an 18 year-old orphan from the slums of Mumbai, who is about to experience the biggest day of his life. With the whole nation watching, he is just one question away from winning a staggering 20 million rupees on India's "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?" But when the show breaks for the night, police arrest him on suspicion of cheating; how could a street kid know so much? Desperate to prove his innocence, Jamal tells the story of his life in the slum where he and his brother grew up, of their adventures together on the road, of vicious encounters with local gangs, and of Latika, the girl he loved and lost. Each chapter of his story reveals the key to the answer to one of the game show's questions. Each chapter of Jamal's increasingly layered story reveals where he learned the answers to the show's seemingly impossible quizzes. But one question remains a mystery: what is this young man with no apparent desire for riches really doing on the game show? When the new day dawns and Jamal returns to answer the final question, the Inspector and sixty million viewers are about to find out. At the heart of its storytelling lies the question of how anyone comes to know the things they know about life and love. Written by Fox Searchlight Pictures

Eighteen year old Jamal Malik is having an amazing answering streak on the Indian version of the television game show, "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire". He's only one correct question away from the big prize. However, some, including those associated with the game show, question how someone like Jamal, a self confessed non-genius who grew up in the slums of Mumbai, can be doing so well on the show when others who are brighter, more educated and wealthier than him have failed. Is Jamal cheating? Is it purely luck that they have asked him the questions to which he knows the answers? Seeing Jamal's life journey to this point ultimately answers these questions. His life journey includes being orphaned at an early age; growing up with an older brother, Salim, who was both his guardian/protector and antagonist; and having a relationship since childhood with another orphaned child, a girl named Latika. His motivation for being on the show also may provide some answers to his success. Perhaps it was all just meant to be. Written by Huggo

In Mumbai, the eighteen year-old orphan from the slums Jamal Malik is tortured by the policemen in a precinct accused of cheating a game show. Jamal, who has no education and works in a call center serving tea, is close to wining twenty million rupees in the show "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" hosted by Prem Kumar, giving precise answers to the questions and raising suspicion of fraud. The police inspector shows the videotape and after each question, Jamal tells parts of his childhood with his brother Salim, his crush for Latika and their fight to survive on the streets to justify each correct answer, guided by his common sense and past experience, and prove his innocence. Written by Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Singapore's 4th public university will be medium-sized

2009-02-15T20:17:00.001+08:00

SINGAPORE: Singapore's fourth government-funded university will be a medium-sized institution, taking in not more than 3,000 students a year. For a start, it will take in about 500 students.

Minister of State for Education, Rear Admiral Lui Tuck Yew, said this in Parliament on Tuesday.

Rear-Adm Lui also said that the new university will be independent of the existing ones in Singapore and could offer integrated courses centred on Design, Engineering and Business. Engineering students could be required to study design to make user-friendly products and learn how to market them by taking business modules.

He said: "The new university could encourage this entrepreneurial spirit by offering students the flexibility to disrupt their studies for a year or two to start up their own businesses. Should they choose to, they can then come back to the university to complete their degrees."

As for the proposed Liberal Arts College, the National University of Singapore (NUS) has submitted a proposal to establish a Liberal Arts College as a self-contained autonomous entity, similar to the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory or the NUS-Duke Graduate Medical School.

The Singapore Management University (SMU) is also looking at offering a liberal arts education as it expands its programmes.

Rear-Adm Lui said the government will study their proposals further before making its recommendation.

Rear-Adm Lui said the calibre of the students admitted to the proposed Liberal Arts College will be comparable to the best in the American Ivy League universities.

Professor Lily Kong, NUS vice-president (University & Global Relations), said: "One of the key advantages of situating a Liberal Arts College within a larger entity is that it can leverage on the reputation and resources of a university....

"NUS proper might be interested to offer a course in Russian history, and maybe five students are interested to do it. The Liberal Arts College is interested to do it and another five students are interested to do it. You may not offer it if you were two stand-alone institutions, but as one (institution), the 5 plus 5 could come together and have a very lively, small class."

NUS agrees that the Liberal Arts College education will cost slightly more than current degree programmes offered in Singapore.

Prof Kong explains: "A lot of liberal arts colleges will rely on various things, one of which would be higher fees. Two, would be endowment. That's a very critical part of it. In Singapore, the government does a great deal, so hopefully through a combination of the three sources, we might be able to manage an affordable education."

The government has not provided any details on when the new university will be built.

With the new university, the government hopes to achieve its target of having enough university places for up to a third or 30% of each student cohort by 2015. This would require an additional 2,400 university places per year.

Meantime, the three universities will increase their student intakes so that from this year, a quarter of each cohort can enter university. That's an increase from 23.5% in 2007.

Out of the new 25% target, the Ministry of Education said that 19% were projected to come from A-Level students and 6% from polytechnic students.

Rear-Adm Lui said that currently about one in six polytechnic graduates proceeds to one of the three public universities in Singapore. But he hopes this can improve to one in five. That works out to 14,700 places this year, with 900 more to be added next year. - CNA/ir

Facebook settled for 65 million: ConnectU law firm

2009-02-14T11:13:00.001+08:00

SAN FRANCISCO (AFP) - - A law firm has let slip that Facebook paid 65 million dollars to settle a suit charging that founder Mark Zuckerberg swiped the idea for the website from former college roommates.

Quinn Emanuel Urquhart Oliver & Hedges law firm boasted in a January advertising brochure about outcomes of an array of cases it handled last year, among them a 65-million-dollar settlement from Facebook.

The law firm's ad brags that it is a sound investment and that "it's our opponents who needed a bailout."

The Recorder, a California legal publication popular among lawyers and judges, on Wednesday published a story about the leak.

Quinn Emanuel lawyers represented ConnectU in a lawsuit that ended in a settlement endorsed by a federal judge in the Silicon Valley city of San Jose in June of last year.

The financial terms of the settlement were edited from court documents and not disclosed by Facebook.

"We can't comment on a confidential agreement," Facebook said in a written response to an AFP request for comment on Wednesday.

ConnectU creators Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss claimed that they enlisted Zuckerberg to finish software code for their social-networking website while they were all students at Harvard in 2003.

Zuckerberg, a second year student at the time, took their code and their idea and launched Facebook in February of 2004 instead of holding up his end of the deal, according to ConnectU's lawsuit.

Facebook and ConnectU founders, in the company of lawyers and advisors, negotiated a settlement that includes Facebook buying ConnectU for an undisclosed amount of cash and stock, according to court documents.

A condition of the deal is that all parties keep details confidential or pay a multi-million-dollar penalty.

The lawsuit was seen as a threat to the existence of Palo Alto, California-based Facebook.

Contest question & answers do not tally!

2009-02-14T11:10:00.003+08:00

Look at the question & answers lol!

Search Engines =)

2009-02-14T01:19:00.004+08:00

The Singapore Flyer has captured the hearts of both the local people and the tourists

2009-02-13T00:58:00.002+08:00

Extracted from: http://www.flickr.com/photos/29055440@N05/2716589092/

Bus-sized boa slithers into record books

2009-02-06T00:20:00.001+08:00

PARIS (AFP) - - Stunned scientists have found the fossilized remains of the world's greatest snake -- a record-busting serpent that was as long as a bus and snacked on crocodiles.

The boa-like behemoth, dubbed Titanoboa, ruled the tropical rainforests of what is now Colombia some 60 million years ago, at a time when the world was far hotter than now, they report in a study .

The size of the snake's vertebrae suggest the beast weighed some 1.135 tonnes, in a range of 730 kilos (1,600 pounds) to 2.03 tonnes.

And it measured 13 metres (42.7 feet) from nose to tail, in a range of 10.64-15 metres (34.6-48.75 feet), they estimate.

"The discovery of Titanoboa challenges our understanding of past climates and environments, as well as the biological limitations on the evolution of giant snakes," said Jason Head, member of the Panama-based research institute and lead author of the study to be published in Nature magazine.

"This shows how much more information about the history of Earth there is to glean from a resource like the reptile fossil record," said the assistant professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of Toronto Mississauga.

From the size of the 1.14-tonne Titanoboa, scientists have estimated the average annual temperature in the tropical jungle it inhabited 60 million years ago at 30-34 degrees Celsius (86-93 degrees Farenheit).

"This temperature estimate is much hotter than modern temperatures in tropical rainforests anywhere in the world," said Carlos Jaramillo, Smithsonian staff scientist and co-organizer of the excavations in Colombia.

"That means that tropical rainforests could exist at temperatures 3-4 degrees Celsius hotter than modern tropical rainforests experience," he added, alluding to scientific theories that would have tropical forests disappear if global warming boosts temperatures by that measure in the future.

Jonathan Block, a vertebrate palaeontologist at the University of Florida, who co-led the work said "Truly enormous snakes really spark people's imagination, but reality has exceeded the fantasies of Hollywood."

"The snake that tried to eat Jennifer Lopez in the movie 'Anaconda' is not as big as the one we found."

"At its greatest width, the snake would have come up to about your hips," said David Polly, a geologist at the University of Indiana at Bloomington.

The investigators found the remains of the new species at an unlikely location -- at one of the world's biggest open-cast coalmines, in Cerrejon, Colombia, where giant machines had obligingly gnawed away surface layers of dirt.

Working as huge coal-laden trucks thundered by, the team sifted through the earth, laying bare the remains of supersized snakes and their likely prey -- extinct species of crocodiles and giant turtles -- and evidence that a massive rainforest once covered the ground.

"The giant Colombian snake is a truly exciting discovery. For years, herpetologists have argued about just how big snakes can get, with debatable estimates of the max somewhere less than 40 feet" (12.3 metres), said leading snake expert Harry Greene of Cornell University, New York.

Titanoboa cerrejonensis -- whose Latin name honours the coal mine -- is not only a source of jaw-dropping wonder.

It is also a useful indicator as to the world's climate after the dinosaurs were wiped out some 65 million years ago, the team say.

Unlike mammals, reptiles cannot regulate their own temperature.

As a result, they are limited in body size by the ambient temperature of where they live. For example, reptiles today are bigger in the tropics than they are in cooler latitudes.

Based on T. cerrejonensis, the scientists calculate that the mean annual temperature in equatorial South America 60 million years ago would have been 30-34 degrees Celsius, or 86-93 degrees Fahrenheit.

That makes it around 3-4 C (5.5-7.2 F) hotter than tropical rainforests today.

If so, this is a welcome piece of news about climate change.

Simulations about global warming suggest that, on present trends, the world's surface temperatures could rise by between 1.8-4.0 C (3.2-7.2 F) by 2100.

If the supersnakes are a guide, tropical rain forests could still exist at such temperatures, although a fast, massive rise in warming could well be devastating to many species.

The paper is published by the British-based weekly science journal Nature.

The world's longest snake today is the Asian reticulated python, specimens of which can grow around 10 metres (32.5 feet), and the biggest in terms of mass is the green anaconda, with some specimens weighing 227 kilos (550 pounds).

Transformers 2 : Revenge of the Fallen

2009-02-04T22:34:00.001+08:00

Chinese Zodiac

2009-01-26T12:20:00.002+08:00

New back—up systems being installed at Singapore Flyer

2009-01-26T12:16:00.000+08:00

SINGAPORE: After weeks of testing, new back—up systems were being installed at the Singapore Flyer on Thursday to avoid a repeat of last month’s massive malfunction.

A new generator was being installed at the Singapore Flyer, and another back—up system — with two winches and gravity — was also being put in.

On top of that, the control room will also have three anti—fire and smoke systems, plus heat detection devices. The new systems cost about S$3 million in all.

Chairman of the Singapore Flyer, Florian Bollen, said: "We’ve built completely separate additional drive systems onto the top of our building which allows us to continue running the wheel in a continuous mode without the passengers even realising there’s a new system."

There will also be food, blankets and other emergency items inside the passenger capsules.

Singapore Flyer said it engaged different companies to install the new back—ups as the timeline proposed by the wheel’s original contractor Mitsubishi Heavy Industries was too long.

And following the installation of the new back—up systems, the Singapore Flyer will undergo a final day of vigorous testing. And if everything goes well, the management hopes to apply for a licence to begin operations soon.

Mr Bollen said: "For the authorities, they have a very important and a very serious job to do, so we don’t want to put any pressure on them. We’re trying to help by providing as much information as early as we can, but in the end, they have to take their time and do the job thoroughly."

Mr Bollen is also the chairman of Great Wheel Corporation (GWC), which built the Flyer and develops other observation wheels worldwide.

In a separate legal development, GWC is being sued by its landlord Hub Synergy for allegedly failing to pay two months’ rent on its Anson Road office.

Singapore Flyer declined to comment on the matter, except to say that it is a separate company from GWC and the Flyer is financially healthy.

— CNA/yt

Men's Health - The World's Largest Men's Magazine

2009-01-25T03:47:00.002+08:00

http://fs18.formsite.com/sphinx/menshealthsurvey/index.html

The many faces of President Barack Obama!

2009-01-24T09:35:00.005+08:00

Extracted from: http://www.flickr.com

Vote for your fav float and WIN PRIZES!!!

2009-01-21T23:50:00.002+08:00

http://202.172.234.170/chingay2/2009/floatVoting.php

Singapore government may dip into reserves

2009-01-21T23:43:00.001+08:00

SINGAPORE: As Singaporeans brace themselves for a difficult year, a strong response to the global recession will be needed in the upcoming Budget.
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This could involve dipping into the carefully—guarded reserves of the country, according to Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong.

"It’s a difficult decision, because once you do that you may open the reserves for future demands which may not justify the use of the reserves. So, it’s an issue that the Prime Minister is thinking over very carefully," he said.

But Mr Goh stressed that such a move is intended for exceptional times.

"And we’ve always said, the reserves are for a rainy day. So if this is not a rainy day, I don’t know what is a rainy day. But nevertheless it has to be justified to the President. So, that’s an issue which Finance Minister and the Prime Minister would have to deliberate quite carefully," said Mr Goh.

When asked what this sum could amount to, Mr Goh’s reply was that it depends on the measures that would justify the use of the reserves.

Citing Singapore’s latest trade figures which declined sharply, he said that top on the government’s priority is to help businesses cut cost.

Mr Goh also noticed that 30 per cent of the cranes at PSA are sitting idle, with shipping freight figures close to zero.

"We must have a muscular response in the Budget. The key issue for us is how to save jobs. Of course, to have economic growth, you’ve got to stimulate demand. But this time it’s a global recession, and it’s beyond us. We can do what we can in Singapore, but it’s not going to solve our economic growth problem," said the senior minister.

Mr Goh was speaking to reporters after distributing hongbaos and gifts to about 40 needy residents at his Marine Parade constituency, an annual tradition for him.

This year, the increased cash assistance of S$100 in each hongbao could not have come at a better time for some families, as Singapore’s economic growth this year — which is forecast to be between minus 2 and plus 1 per cent — will be revised ahead of Thursday’s Budget.

On the issue of the investigations into the failed financial products such as those linked to Lehman Brothers, Mr Goh said there are lessons learnt from the episode and more measures will be put in place.

He refused to elaborate, saying: "I would not want to go into this, because there’s a question (to be) asked in Parliament (which sits on Monday)... MP will ask the question, so I let the question be answered in Parliament."

NTUC says more youths aged under 30 will start feeling impact of downturn

2009-01-20T00:48:00.001+08:00

SINGAPORE: More youths aged under 30 will start to feel the impact of the recession as the year progresses.
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The unemployment rate for this group of youths was 4.1 per cent recently but NTUC said it is likely to go up this year.

However, the labour movement said, the figure is still far better than those in other countries at the moment.

And, among the 55,800 unemployed in Singapore, about 31 per cent of them are youths.

The present economic downturn is the first major one for many young adults.

To help prepare them if they get the axe, NTUC’s Employment and Employability Institute (e2i) held a retrenchment simulation exercise.

NTUC said there are about 6,000 immediate job vacancies across all sectors at the moment. But the main challenge when it comes to young adults is managing their own expectations.

NTUC Assistant Secretary General, Josephine Teo, said: "The terms and conditions of employment may not be what they expect. So the purpose of this activity (retrenchment simulation exercise) is also to help them to understand that challenges are now different and therefore they also have to adjust their expectations accordingly."

Despite the downturn, Defence Minister Teo Chee Hean said Singapore could still rely on its strong dollar and reserves.

"Because if the whole economy is in doubt or it collapses and nobody even believes in your currency anymore — like it has happened in some countries like Iceland — then we’re really in deep trouble," he said.

35 Questions Every Start-Up Entrepreneur Needs to Answer

2009-01-18T22:52:00.003+08:00

Starting a business in Singapore

2009-01-17T23:04:00.001+08:00

0. Definite things you must do
a. Whatever you do, think it through before you start. Make sure you have the groundwork before you start.
b. Here are the three ingredients: first, do your groundwork before anything else. Next, do market research, ensure there is demand for your product or service and finally, do pay attention to the details. Minimise your overheads as far as possible.
c. Build your network. You have to surround yourself with the correct team and investors who will support you all the way. Everyone in this network will do their best to help your business to work and they must share your vision of the business.

1. Register your business
a. Submit you application to BizFile online.
b. Special licences required if the business in the area of finance, banking, food and beverages, manufacturing of controlled items, for example, beer, cigrattes or optical discs.
c. Your application is referred to by the appropriate authorities, in which the process will take two weeks to two months to decide whether application is approved or rejected.
d. Then you pay $50 to be registered for sole proprietorship and another $15 for name approval fee.

2. Find your funding for the business or Bootstrap
a. Here is my advice to you: Don’t think of raising money first. Think of a smart way to bootstrap your business, how you can generate revenue through working with your clients.
b. If your business requires cash, here are the sources: 3Fs (Friends, Family and Fools), business angels and venture capitalists. You can find money through government grants, for example, Economic Development Board (EDB) Deals Portal matches companies seeking venture capital to investors. You can also try the Seeds program, which will total up to S$300,000.
c. An important rule to remember: there is no difference in raising $1000 and $100K. If you want to fundraise, make sure that you are doing it in a discrete manner, i.e. raise and close $100K deal all at one go, instead of draining your energy continuously doing it everyday.

3. Register the domain
a. You need to get up a website started. You can register a domain name on websites such as Network Solutions, Net Firms , Domain Direct or Web Hosting, but I prefer Aplus.
b. Then you need to find a web host, a server that will host your website on the Internet so it is accessible to the public. Usually, the site where you register your domain will also offer web hosting.
c. If you want to offer online services, a good idea is to get certification that your website is trustworthy. One way is to get the TrustSg certificate.

From then on, you can start to formulate your marketing, logistics (supply and distribution) and also fundraising plans.

Looking for these!!!

2009-01-17T21:25:00.003+08:00

Anyone know where to get?

Zimbabwe unveils $100 trillion banknote

2009-01-17T20:42:00.001+08:00

HARARE (AFP) - - Zimbabwe unveiled a 100 trillion dollar note Friday in the latest grim measure of its staggering economic collapse, heightening the urgency of a new round of unity talks set for next week.

Veteran leader Robert Mugabe and opposition chief Morgan Tsvangirai are set to hold talks Monday with key regional leaders in a bid to salvage a four-month-old unity accord, which has yet to be implemented.

The stalemate over disputed elections last year has only fuelled the economic and humanitarian crisis that has impoverished the country, leaving nearly half the population dependent on food aid as a cholera epidemic sweeps the country.

The Reserve Bank announced in the government mouthpiece Herald newspaper a series of trillion-dollar denominations to keep pace with hyperinflation that has left the once-dynamic economy in tatters.

The new 100,000,000,000,000 Zim-dollar bill would have been worth about 300 US dollars (225 euros) at Thursday's exchange rate on the informal market, where most currency trading now takes place, but the value of the local currency erodes dramatically every day.

The move came just one week after the bank released a series of billion-dollar notes, which already are not worth enough for workers to withdraw their monthly salaries.

Inflation was last reported at 231 million percent in July, but the Washington think-tank Cato Institute has estimated it now at 89.7 sextillion percent -- a figure expressed with 21 zeroes.

When Mugabe took power at independence from Britain in 1980, the Zimbabwe dollar was equivalent to the British pound.

For years, the nation's farms, schools and health care were considered a model for Africa. Now 80 percent of the population is in poverty, 1.3 million are living with HIV, five million depend on food aid, and more than one million others have fled overseas.

A breakdown in basic sanitation and water has spawned a cholera epidemic that has killed 2,100 people since August and shows no sign of slowing.

Despite the ever-worsening crisis, Zimbabwe is locked in a political limbo following elections last March, when Tsvangirai won a first-round presidential vote and his Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) seized a parliamentary majority for the first time.

The MDC victory was greeted with a wave of political attacks that Amnesty International says left more than 180 people dead -- mostly opposition supporters.

Citing the violence, Tsvangirai pulled out of a run-off election in June, allowing 84-year-old Mugabe to claim a one-sided victory condemend by western powers.

Former South African president Thabo Mbeki brokered a power-sharing deal signed September 15, but the rivals have yet to agree on how to form a unity government, while attacks and arrests of MDC members have continued.

Hoping to salvage the deal, South Africa's new President Kgalema Motlanthe plans to fly to Harare on Monday with Mbeki and Mozambican President Armando Emilio Guebuza to mediate new talks.

"They will focus their discussions on the outstanding matters in the implementation of the global agreement," Motlanthe's spokesman Thabo Masebe told AFP in Johannesburg.

Tsvangirai told reporters Thursday that he remained committed to the unity accord. "All I lack is a willing partner," Tsvangirai said.

But he said he was not willing for talks to drag on indefinitely.

"At some point we will have to decide whether it is worth going into this government or not," he said.

CNET Asia Review - HTC Touch Dual

2009-01-17T13:32:00.000+08:00

The good: HSDPA connectivity; numeric keypad for one-hand texting, excellent tweaks to the UI through TouchFLO; slim and attractive design; intuitive modified Home screen; snappy performance.

The bad: No Wi-Fi; no GPS; keypad lacks an OK key; no dedicated audio connector.

The bottom line: If the lack of Wi-Fi is not a big issue for you, the Touch Dual, with its great design and improved UI, is an excellent choice for both newcomers and experienced Windows Mobile users.

Rating: 10 out of 10 (Perfect)
Pros: Lots of functions ncluding HSDPA!
Cons: Only cons is that battery life is avarage (as it is usually all in this kind of phones)
Opinion:
The best HTC ever! Who needs WIFI when you have HSDPA phone!!! It includes touch screen qwerty but I like it more because it keeps the size of phone small!

Rating: 9 out of 10 (Spectacular)
Pros: 3.5G phone, Good keypad, Faster as compared to O2 Stealth
Cons: Lack of WiFi
Opinion:
Overall comment for the HTC Dual Touch is Mid-Way to Perfect. Simply the reason of user-friendly, ergonomic and lastly have a good functionality. I have used PDA phone such as O2 Stealth and O2 Mini before I have purchased the HTC Dual Touch. My personal comment for this phone is good and recommended to buy because it does not hang often, secondly it also provides extra software such as Chinese (CE-star) for user to read and key in Chinese words.

Absolutely great phone!

Rating: 9 out of 10 (Spectacular)
Pros: 3.5G, light weight
Cons: insensitive touch screen
Opinion:
For those who do not have broadband on mobile plan, this phone is not as useful since it does not come with WIFI.

But for those who have broadband on mobile plan, this phone is actually a superb choice!! It's light weight, good interface, nice finishing, handy, and good for holding! Suitable for both guys and gals!

If you want to use WIFI, this is definitely not your choice. So please do not say this phone is not good because it is not designed for those WIFI users. This phone is only suitable for those who can afford to spend money to subscribe broadband on mobile plan.

HTC Touch Dual - I need my WiFi~

2009-01-17T13:24:00.002+08:00

Our Say

With an improved TouchFlo interface, stronger processor and additional input options, the HTC Touch Dual addresses most of the problems with the original Touch, with a compromise of losing WiFi support. Still, the Touch Dual should appeal to a wider user base, and finds itself worthy of its S$1098 (~US$756) price tag.

Product Specifications

Network: HSDPA/GSM/GPRS/EDGE: 900,1800 and 1900MHz
Processor: Qualcomm MSM 7200, 400MHz
Interface: TouchFlo
Form factor: Slider with 16-button keypad
Display: 2.6 inch TFT LCD with backlight LED, touch-sensitive screen
Standby Time: Up to 180 hours
Talk Time: Up to 5 hours
Camera: Primary - 2.0 Mega pixel CMOS; Secondary - CIF CMOS
Connectivity: Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP & AVRCP, Hi-speed USB 2.0
Memory: 256MB ROM; 128MB SD RAM, Micro-SD expandability (SD 2.0 compatible)
Weight: 120g (with battery)
Dimensions: 107 x 55 x 15.8 mm

Replaced cast - Red Cliff 2

2009-01-15T22:52:00.003+08:00

Tony Leung Chiu-Wai was originally selected for the role of Zhuge Liang. However, he quit before the shooting, citing health problems, as he was burned out after filming Lust, Caution.^[5] Producer Terence Chang said financial backing is not affected by the change.^[2]
Ken Watanabe was originally selected for the role of Cao Cao.^[6] According to a report, some Chinese fans voiced objections over the choice as they felt that it was inappropriate for a Japanese actor to play the role of such an important Chinese historical figure. The report claimed that the protests influenced the decision of director John Woo, who eventually chose Zhang Fengyi for the role.^[7]
Chow Yun-Fat was originally selected for the role of Zhou Yu, and had even earlier been considered for the role of Liu Bei. However, he pulled out on 13 April 2007, just as shooting began. Chow explained that he received a revised script a week earlier and was not given sufficient time to prepare, but producer Terence Chang disputed this, saying that he could not work with Chow because the film's Hollywood insurer opposed 73 clauses in Chow's contract.^[8] Chow was replaced by Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, who had previously turned down the role of Zhuge Liang.^[9]^[10]

Courtesy of moviexclusive.com

Replaced cast - Red Cliff 2

2009-01-15T22:52:00.000+08:00

Tony Leung Chiu-Wai was originally selected for the role of Zhuge Liang. However, he quit before the shooting, citing health problems, as he was burned out after filming Lust, Caution.^[5] Producer Terence Chang said financial backing is not affected by the change.^[2]
Ken Watanabe was originally selected for the role of Cao Cao.^[6] According to a report, some Chinese fans voiced objections over the choice as they felt that it was inappropriate for a Japanese actor to play the role of such an important Chinese historical figure. The report claimed that the protests influenced the decision of director John Woo, who eventually chose Zhang Fengyi for the role.^[7]
Chow Yun-Fat was originally selected for the role of Zhou Yu, and had even earlier been considered for the role of Liu Bei. However, he pulled out on 13 April 2007, just as shooting began. Chow explained that he received a revised script a week earlier and was not given sufficient time to prepare, but producer Terence Chang disputed this, saying that he could not work with Chow because the film's Hollywood insurer opposed 73 clauses in Chow's contract.^[8] Chow was replaced by Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, who had previously turned down the role of Zhuge Liang.^[9]^[10]

Search: Australia offers 'best job in world' on paradise island

2009-01-13T20:58:00.002+08:00

SYDNEY (AFP) - - An Australian state is offering internationally what it calls "the best job in the world" -- earning a top salary for lazing around a beautiful tropical island for six months.

The job pays 150,000 Australian dollars (105,000 US dollars) and includes free airfares from the winner's home country to Hamilton Island on the Great Barrier Reef, Queensland's state government announced on Tuesday.

In return, the "island caretaker" will be expected to stroll the white sands, snorkel the reef, take care of "a few minor tasks" -- and report to a global audience via weekly blogs, photo diaries and video updates.

The successful applicant, who will stay rent-free in a three-bedroom beach home complete with plunge pool and golf buggy, must be a good swimmer, excellent communicator and be able to speak and write English.

"This is a legitimate job which is open to anyone and everyone."

Applications are open until February 22. Eleven shortlisted candidates will be flown to Hamilton Island in early May for the final selection process and the six month contract will commence on July 1.

Job-seekers can apply on .

TOTO Hongbao Draw 2009

2009-01-12T22:21:00.003+08:00

The $10 Million Hongbao Draw is here again!
This year, the draw will be held on Friday, 6 Feb, 9.30pm at Singapore Pools' Head Office.

Anyone going to get it?

I <3 Joomla!

2009-01-11T19:24:00.003+08:00

What is Joomla?

Joomla is an award-winning content management system (CMS), which enables you to build Web sites and powerful online applications. Many aspects, including its ease-of-use and extensibility, have made Joomla the most popular Web site software available. Best of all, Joomla is an open source solution that is freely available to everyone.

See too much Joomla related project le, more coming up and getting more chim!. Then got to teach people how to use it somewhere next month, got no choice but to love it!

First Look: Acer Aspire Predator Gaming PC

2009-01-11T12:02:00.002+08:00

Initial Impression:

Within two minutes of actually (and literally) going hands-on with the case we’d managed to irreparably break the door off the hot-swappable hard drive cage. Thankfully we were able to have a good look at the system inside, get intimate with the Predator and then move on before anyone noticed the damage.

The four USB ports in the top of the case are well placed but both these and the card reader in the front aren’t hide-able from view. However, we can respect that Acer is going for clear, easy to use functionality from users who are less adept at knowing where to look.

Inside, the hardware was actually surprisingly well-balanced though – we’re used to (and were expecting) some over the top branded nForce 790i Ultra SLI and Core 2 Extreme QX9770 machines for some silly prices. What we found though was a top to bottom line of PCs equipped with DDR2-800 – even the most basic models have 4GB of memory, a 45nm quad-core processor and a couple of graphics cards in SLI.

Most Anticipated Movies of 2009

2009-01-11T00:47:00.004+08:00

For more information: http://sg.movies.yahoo.com/gallery.html

Created Facelessbook group in Facebook!

2009-01-07T22:16:00.001+08:00

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=53529332845

1) Another variation of facebook.com, where you can show everything in your display photo except anything that got to do with "FACE"

2) Another variation of facelessbook is Hidden Identity!

3) Another variation of Hidden Identity is Faceoff!

noun, verb, faced, fac⋅ing.
–noun
1. the front part of the head, from the forehead to the chin.
2. a look or expression on this part: a sad face.
3. an expression or look that indicates ridicule, disgust, etc.; grimace: The child put on a face when told to go to bed.
4. cosmetics; makeup: Excuse me while I go to the powder room to put on my face.
5. impudence; boldness: to have the face to ask such a rude question.
6. outward appearance: These are just old problems with new faces. The future presented a fair face to the fortunate youth.
7. outward show or pretense, esp. as a means of preserving one's dignity or of concealing a detrimental fact, condition, etc.: Though shamed beyond words, he managed to show a bold face.
8. good reputation; dignity; prestige: They hushed up the family scandal to preserve face.
9. the amount specified in a bill or note, exclusive of interest.
10. the manifest sense or express terms, as of a document.
11. the geographic characteristics or general appearance of a land surface.
12. the surface: the face of the earth.
13. the side, or part of a side, upon which the use of a thing depends: the clock's face; the face of a playing card.
14. the most important or most frequently seen side; front: the face of a building.
15. the outer or upper side of a fabric; right side.
16. the acting, striking, or working surface of an implement, tool, etc.
17. Geometry. any of the bounding surfaces of a solid figure: a cube has six faces.
18. Also called working face. Mining. the front or end of a drift or excavation, where the material is being or was last mined.
19. Printing.
a. the working surface of a type, of a plate, etc.
b. Also called typeface, typestyle. any design of type, including a full range of characters, as letters, numbers, and marks of punctuation, in all sizes: Caslon is one of the most popular faces.
c. Also called typeface, typestyle. the general style or appearance of type: broad or narrow face.
20. Nautical, Aeronautics. the rear or after side of a propeller blade (opposed to back ).
21. Fortification. either of the two outer sides that form the salient angle of a bastion or the like.
22. Crystallography. any of the plane surfaces of a crystal.
23. Electronics. faceplate (def. 3).
24. Archaic. sight; presence: to flee from the face of the enemy.

***********************************

************

FAQ:

Q) What is facelessbook?

A) Another variation of facebook.com, we are actually anti-facebook. What is the opposite of friendster?

Q) Should you join facelessbook?

A) You got nothing to lose except your face

Q) Should you ask your friends to join facelessbook?

A) DEFINITELY it is a YES, because in facelessbook there is no such thing as NO!

Q) What is the future for Facelessbook?

A) I will see the rise of facelessbook.com to compete along with facebook.com, like how Singtel compete with StarHub in Singapore

Q) What can you do in Facelessbook?

A) Welcome to a world without rules

Q) How does facelessbook got to do with you?

A) There are people who do not like to show their face because of many reasons. One of it is to face the reality!

Capture the OX spirit this Chinese New Year!

2009-01-07T20:44:00.002+08:00

From now to Jan 25, 2009 send your photographs to us – whether it's your baby dressed as a little ox or your pet dolled up in festive red or even your colleagues dressed communally in red, as long as it captures the CNY mood - we want your pictures!

Also give us a title and dynamic short caption to tell us more about your photo.

Be creative, catch our eye and the 10 best photo entries will stand to win a $100 Grand Hyatt voucher and a special CNY-edition 2GB AsiaOne thumbdrive!

Email your photos to a1photo@sph.com.sg under the email subject: CNY 2009 contest.

Submissions must reach us no later than Jan 25, 2359 hours.

Thank you for entering our contest with a Grand Prize of a trip for two to the North Pole.

2009-01-07T20:37:00.003+08:00

1. AGREEMENT. These rules govern the “North Pole Contest,” hereafter referred to as contest, run by Quark Expeditions and their marketing partners. No purchase is necessary to enter this contest. The act of entering the contest constitutes acceptance of the contest rules as contained herein and of the decisions of the contest judge.

2. ELIGIBILITY. The Contest is open to all those who have attained the age of 19 at time of entry, except for employees, immediate families and anyone living with any employee of Quark Expeditions, its corporate affiliates, and Travel Agent partners or, if applicable, any co-sponsor, their advertising or promotional agencies or affiliates. You must enter online at www.quarkexpeditions.com/north-pole-contest. Limit of one entry per valid e-mail address per person. Entry is void where prohibited by local law.

3. CONTEST. The Contest start date is June 13, 2008 at 12:01 EDT. The Contest end date is noon EDT March 13, 2009. A selected entrant will be chosen by random draw from all correct entries received. The draw will take place March 16, 2009. The selected entrant will be contacted by email by a representative of Quark Expeditions. The contestant must reply within 10 days of notification to maintain eligibility. Once notified, if the selected entrant does not claim the prize within 5 days of notification, the next eligible entry selected by random draw will be contacted, and the first entrant selected will have no further claim to the prize. To be declared a winner, the selected contestant must answer a skill-testing question. The contest is null and void should there be no prize winner after a maximum of three eligible contestants have been presented with an opportunity to claim the prize.

4. PRIZE. The contest Prize consists of an expedition for two to the North Pole, July 9 to July 24, 2009. (Retail value of the Prize is US$45,380.00.) The Prize includes:

Shipboard accommodation with daily housekeeping.
All breakfasts, lunches and dinners on board throughout your voyage. (Please inform us of any dietary requirements as far in advance as possible. Unfortunately, the ships’ galleys cannot prepare kosher meals.)
All shore landings and excursions per the daily program.
Leadership throughout the voyage by our experienced Expedition Leader, including shore landings and other activities.
Formal and informal presentations by our Expedition Team and guest speakers as scheduled.
Photographic Album on DVD.
A pair of waterproof expedition boots on loan for shore landings.
Hair dryer in every cabin.
A Quark Expeditions parka.
Coffee, tea, cocoa and bottled water available around the clock.
Comprehensive pre-departure materials, including a map and an informative Arctic Reader.
All miscellaneous service taxes and port charges throughout the program.
Emergency Evacuation Insurance for all passengers to a maximum of $100,000 per person.
One night pre- and one night post-expedition hotel accommodation with breakfast in Helsinki, Finland, based on twin occupancy.
Return charter air transportation between Helsinki and Murmansk.
All helicopter transfers and aerial sightseeing according to each day’s program.
Group transfers from the Helsinki hotel to the airport and from Murmansk airport to the ship for embarkation.
Group transfers from the ship to Murmansk airport upon disembarkation and from Helsinki airport to the Helsinki hotel at the end of the voyage – plus all baggage handling aboard ship.

The Prize has no cash value. No substitutions can be made. The Prize cannot be transferred. The Prize confirmation documents will be delivered by courier service.

PRIZE SPECIFICALLY DOES NOT INCLUDE. Return air transportation from the Prize winner’s home community to Helsinki; customary gratuities for the crew, and Expedition and Hospitality Team members; required visas; incidental personal expenses; items of a personal nature; ship-to-shore communication costs; transfer from Helsinki airport to the hotel on arrival or from the hotel to the airport on departure from Helsinki; any departure or arrival taxes levied; any domestic taxes levied in the winner’s country of residence as a result of winning the Prize. (Should a US resident become the Prize winner, Quark Expeditions will issue a federal 1099 form, which will be sent to the Prize winner. Any US winner must complete and submit a W-9 form (Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification)to Quark Expeditions.)

5. RELEASE. To be declared a winner, the selected contestant will be required to sign an affidavit of eligibility and release form, releasing Quark and any sponsors of all liability, confirming compliance with the contest rules, and consenting to the use of his or her name and photograph, without compensation, in any publicity carried out by the sponsors and/or advertising and promotional agencies.

6. PRIVACY. We use your personal contact information to administer contests, including contacting, announcing and promoting prizewinners. In addition, we may use this information to send you information on our company and voyages (“Marketing Offers”). If you do not wish to receive Marketing Offers, you may opt-out at any time by: following the instructions at the bottom of any Marketing Offers you receive; or by informing us in writing at Quark Expeditions, Marketing Department, 52 St. Clair Avenue East, Toronto, ON, M4T 1M9, Canada; or by e-mailing us at enquiry@quarkexpeditions.com; or by calling us at +1-416-504-8979×233.

7. OTHER. Contests are governed by the laws of the Province of Ontario and the laws of Canada applicable therein. The prize must be accepted as awarded and is not convertible to cash. The sponsors reserve the right to substitute any prize or portion of the prize with a prize of equal or greater value. All prizes are awarded as-is and no warranties or guarantees are implied or expressed, beyond those outlined in the Quark Expeditions’ description of the voyage. The odds of winning depend on how many eligible entries are received. Sponsors are not liable for any errors, damage or negligence that may arise in connection with this contest, including technical failures on the part of contest software, website down-time, human error or property damage incurred by any contest entrant.

SAF elite that's fighting the clean fight

2009-01-06T23:23:00.001+08:00

Today, The Straits Times starts an occasional series that looks at the people, firepower and capabilities of special units in the Singapore Armed Forces and Singapore Police Force. To kick off the series, Defence Correspondent DAVID BOEY takes a look at an elite SAF unit on the front line against chemical, biological, radiological and explosive threats

SINGAPORE's decision to build up its chemical-biological defence capabilities from scratch claimed an early 'casualty' in the late 1980s. It caused Captain Ho Kong Wai to lose the deposit he had paid for his wedding dinner. Worse still, he wasn't allowed to tell his wife-to-be that the wedding had to be postponed because he had to attend a chemical defence course in the United States. He and another man were the first SAF officers handpicked for the course in May 1988.

To the young officer, the honour was a bombshell.

'My marriage was to be held at a local hotel in the same month. The down payment had already been paid. Then, out of the blue, my chief called me up and said: 'You're going overseas. It's a classified course and you can't tell people about it.' It was so hush-hush,' he said.

Now 43 and a colonel, he heads the SAF's Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Explosives (CBRE) Defence Group. Formed several years ago, it was unveiled only last January.

The US course Col Ho attended laid the foundation for the group's capabilities in preventing chem-bio, radiological or explosive threats to Singapore's interests.

As one of the national authorities on such threats, the group must ensure various parties - from police and civil defence staff to defence scientists - work together. Its mission is supported by homefront security agencies such as the Home Affairs Ministry, police and civil defence force.

The Defence Science and Technology Agency, DSO National Laboratories and the Defence Medical and Environmental Research Institute also help CBRE acquire and maintain chem-bio defence skills.

CBRE has to contain such threats and mitigate their impact on life and property. It also has to handle the consequences of incidents involving chem-bio agents, and help the authorities clean up contaminated sites.

The catalyst that spurred the SAF to study such capabilities was the impact chem-bio agents had on cities during the eight-year Iran-Iraq War. The 1995 Sarin gas attack in a Tokyo subway, which killed 12 people and injured more than 5,500 others, proved it was a far-sighted decision.

With terror threats around the world, CBRE capabilities are much in demand and the group has been fully trained, organised and equipped to handle such threats for three years.

Three specialised units with complementary skills form the CBRE Defence Group:

36th Battalion Singapore Combat Engineers (36 SCE). This battalion handles explosive threats such as unexploded ordnance, disposal of war relics and preventive sweeps for home-made bombs, otherwise known as improvised explosive devices or IEDs, and chem-bio IEDs.

39 SCE handles surveillance and detection of chem-bio and radiological threats and also decontamination, if there is an incident.

Medical Response Force is a specialised group of military doctors and combat medics trained to evacuate and treat chem-bio casualties.

These units are staffed mainly by full-time national servicemen (NSFs), and women SAF regulars also serve. As late as the mid-1990s, SAF chem-bio defence capabilities were so secret NSFs posted to the battalion got only an Armed Forces Post Number as a reference number. These NSFs couldn't tell family members what they were trained to do, or even the name of their unit.

So it was with some pride that CBRE soldiers told their loved ones what they had been trained for, after the announcement made page one headlines in various newspapers a year ago.

Private Conrad Ho, 19, an NSF chem-bio defence trooper with 39 SCE, said: 'When I enlisted, I wasn't aware of this capability. I was quite surprised to know about the chemical defence battalion and feel rather proud of what we're trained to do. And special, especially when we go for training with our gas masks on.'

The veil of secrecy cloaking the CBRE enhanced its mystique, and chem-bio troops training in their chemical defence kit and gas masks caught the imagination of others who saw them train, including Third Sergeant Shawn Lim, 19, an NSF combat medic with the Medical Response Force (MRF).

He said: 'When I was a trainee with the School of Military Medicine, I used to see the MRF medics train in their chemical defence gear and I told myself I must get into this force no matter what.'

When the SAF began to build its chem-bio defences, there were bigger problems to tackle, including training.

'In those days, chemical defence training was still classified, very sensitive...so we had to purposely look for a training area away from the public eye,' Col Ho said.

'A lot of exercises were done on Saturdays and Sundays and at night when people weren't around. If you ask me, those were the challenges.'

The Defence Ministry gave Col Ho several options after 39 SCE was formed. For one of the SAF's newest battalions, the colonel picked one of the oldest camps. It had few facilities, such as swimming pools or running tracks, found in more modern complexes.

However, it was far from public view and in an inaccessible part of the island, which suited Col Ho's purposes. Moreover, its lush surroundings reminded him of a British army camp where he had gone on a chem-bio defence course.

Other specialised training facilities are the SAF's smoke training facilities, where CS gas or tear gas is used to teach soldiers how to respond to chemical incidents. Since the gas can drift downwind and affect civilians, it's used for training only in confined spaces, said Col Ho.

From an observation room attached to the chamber, safety officers can monitor what goes on inside. The smoke chambers are fitted with powerful fans and air filters to scrub the air clean before it's released.

Another training aid, a decontamination facility, is built on a concrete platform once used by the air force's Bloodhound long-range anti-aircraft missiles. This facility is special too, as the chemicals used during clean-ups can't be allowed to spill into roadside drains.

Such facilities offer CBRE troopers regular opportunities to test their equipment in a realistic setting - and prepare for the worst.

Youth.SG

2009-01-05T20:35:00.002+08:00

http://www.feedme.youth.sg/index.php

Youth.SG ´s FEED ME campaign eggs on the youth of Singapore to express their appetite for life and declare what drives them on in their lives. FEED ME takes place from Jan–Mar ´09. Youth may log on to www.feedme.youth.sg (where you´re at now!) to submit their entries and maybe, just maybe, win one of the many drool-worthy prizes up for grabs.

In conjunction with FEED ME, 7 celebrity ambassadors, indie bands The Fire Fight, King Kong Jane, West Grand Boulevard; MediaCorp artiste Joakim Gomez; 987FM DJ Rosalyn Lee; Project Superstar female winner Tan Diya and local director Boo Junfeng, kick-start the campaign with a strong of creative collaborations.

These exciting collaborations are in the form of three songs and music videos towards the end of the campaign. Messages from youth collected throughout the campaign period will form the basis of inspiration and immortalised in the lyrics, melodies and music videos of the songs.

PhotoFunia!!!

2009-01-04T18:28:00.002+08:00

Doing company work at home!!!

2009-01-04T14:04:00.002+08:00

Got to update the domain name thingy, spent a few hours doing it... I think I got for a run first before I continue, if I were to do in office it will be pretty slow..

Going to move on soon...

Registering a nice domain for my blog soon!

2009-01-01T20:28:00.002+08:00

One of my new year resolution for this year is to register a nice domain for my blogspot. It will be keeganchua.com

Marina Bay Fireworks Finale 2008!...

2009-01-01T19:30:00.004+08:00

Finally, my dear created facebook!!!

2009-01-01T15:30:00.003+08:00

Hui Hui Yang accepted your invitation to join Facebook. Write something on hui hui's Wall.
Facebook created on 1st Jan 2009!

Search: 250,000 revellers usher in 2009 at Marina Bay

2009-01-01T15:07:00.001+08:00

SINGAPORE:
Over a quarter million people ushered in the New Year at Singapore’s new downtown Marina Bay.

There was high energy to reflect the troubled times, but there were also quiet moments of peace and hope for 2009.

The specially—choreographed fireworks at Marina Bay took spectators’ breath away.

"Fantastic fireworks, great show, all good," said a man in the crowd.

An Indian woman added: "It’s definitely something different compared to New York, so it’s great to be out here."

More than 10,000 spectators came to watch the very first full—length concert out on Marina Bay.

Revellers were entertained with 90 minutes of song and dance by local celebrities from Singapore’s MediaCorp Channel 5, Asian Idol Hady Mirza and Filipino band ’River Maya’.

As much as many would say that 2008 has been a rough and unforgettable year, many more celebrating at Marina Bay would hope for 2009 to be a much better one. — CNA/de

2009 Marina Bay New Year Fireworks

2009-01-01T14:56:00.002+08:00

Iron & Wine Flightless Bird, American Mouth Lyrics

2008-12-25T15:46:00.001+08:00

Nice song!

Iron & Wine Lyrics
Flightless Bird, American Mouth Lyrics

Twilight

2008-12-25T15:44:00.002+08:00

Ben & Jerry's Chunk Fest

2008-12-06T11:00:00.000+08:00

Anyone going?

More Vertical Marathon Photos =)

2008-11-17T20:48:00.004+08:00

Swissotel The Stamford

2008-11-17T20:43:00.003+08:00

2008 U.S. Presidential Elections

2008-11-05T23:16:00.002+08:00

Obama means "small shore" in Japanese and many in the small fishing town of 32,000 people chanted Obama's name and his slogan, "Yes, we can!".

President-elect Obama faces daunting challenges

2008-11-05T23:13:00.001+08:00

WASHINGTON – His name etched in history as America's first black president-elect, Barack Obama turned Wednesday from victory's jubilation to the sobering challenge of leading a nation in crisis. The 44th president-in-waiting kept a low profile while Americans and the world took in the enormity of the election.

"The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep," Obama told a victory rally of 125,000 people jammed into Chicago's Grant Park.

Young and charismatic but with little experience on the national level or as an executive, Obama easily defeated Republican John McCain, smashing records and remaking history along the way.

Ending an improbable journey that started for Obama a long 21 months ago, he drew a record-shattering $700 million to his campaign account alone. The first African-American destined to sit in the Oval Office, he also was the first Democrat to receive more than 50 percent of the popular vote since Jimmy Carter in 1976. He is the first senator elected to the White House since John F. Kennedy in 1960.

And Obama scored an Electoral College landslide that redrew America's political dynamics. He won states that reliably voted Republican in presidential elections, such as Indiana and Virginia, which hadn't supported a Democratic candidate in 44 years. Ohio and Florida, key to President Bush's twin victories, also went for Obama, as did Pennsylvania, which McCain had deemed crucial for his election hopes.

With most U.S. precincts tallied, the popular vote was 52.3 percent for Obama and 46.4 percent for McCain. But the count in the Electoral College was much more lopsided — 349 to 147 in Obama's favor as of early Wednesday, with three states still to be decided. Those were North Carolina, Georgia and Missouri.

For more information please read it at

Extracted from http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/election_rdp

I won a pair of concert tix to Wong Lee Hom Music - Man World Tour 2008! haha lucky me =)

2008-11-02T18:33:00.005+08:00

I will definitely go and watch again!!! His concert totally ROCKS! Simply awesome!

23rd Month Anniversary !!!

2008-10-27T01:57:00.004+08:00

The Magic Of Love

Love is like magic
And it always will be.
For love still remains
Life's sweet mystery!!
Love works in ways
That are wondrous and strange
And there's nothing in life
That love cannot change!!
Love can transform
The most commonplace
Into beauty and splendor
And sweetness and grace.
Love is unselfish,
Understanding and kind,
For it sees with its heart
And not with its mind!!
Love is the answer
That everyone seeks...
Love is the language,
That every heart speaks.
Love can't be bought,
It is priceless and free,
Love, like pure magic,
Is life's sweet mystery!!

- Helen Steiner Rice -

Tape measure: X-rays detected from Scotch tape!

2008-10-27T01:43:00.001+08:00

NEW YORK - Just two weeks after a Nobel Prize highlighted theoretical work on subatomic particles, physicists are announcing a startling discovery about a much more familiar form of matter: Scotch tape. It turns out that if you peel the popular adhesive tape off its roll in a vacuum chamber, it emits X-rays. The researchers even made an X-ray image of one of their fingers.

Who knew? Actually, more than 50 years ago, some Russian scientists reported evidence of X-rays from peeling sticky tape off glass. But the new work demonstrates that you can get a lot of X-rays, a study co-author says.

"We were very surprised," said Juan Escobar. "The power you could get from just peeling tape was enormous."

Escobar, a graduate student at the University of California, Los Angeles, reports the work with UCLA colleagues in Thursday's issue of the journal Nature.

He suggests that with some refinements, the process might be harnessed for making inexpensive X-ray machines for paramedics or for places where electricity is expensive or hard to get. After all, you could peel tape or do something similar in such machines with just human power, like cranking.

The researchers and UCLA have applied for a patent covering such devices.

In the new work, a machine peeled ordinary Scotch tape off a roll in a vacuum chamber at about 1.2 inches per second. Rapid pulses of X-rays, each about a billionth of a second long, emerged from very close to where the tape was coming off the roll.

That's where electrons jumped from the roll to the sticky underside of the tape that was being pulled away, a journey of about two-thousandths of an inch, Escobar said. When those electrons struck the sticky side they slowed down, and that slowing made them emit X-rays.

So is this a health hazard for unsuspecting tape-peelers?

Escobar noted that no X-rays are produced in the presence of air. You need to work in a vacuum _ not exactly an everyday situation.

"If you're going to peel tape in a vacuum, you should be extra careful," he said. But "I will continue to use Scotch tape during my daily life, and I think it's safe to do it in your office. No guarantees."

James Hevezi, who chairs the American College of Radiology's Commission on Medical Physics, said the notion of developing an X-ray machine from the new finding was "a very interesting idea, and I think it should be carried further in research."

Extracted from: http://sg.news.yahoo.com/ap/20081023/twl-sci-scotch-tape-surprise-1be00ca.html

I am so going to get my hand on this =)

2008-10-23T23:32:00.003+08:00

Make a new fashion statement with the new Eee PC™ S101. Just 1.8 cm thin and weighing a mere 1 kg, the Eee PC™ S101 is a stunning sight to behold, with its premium Infusion finishes and crystal-adorned hinges. Loaded with features such as the Super Hybrid Engine for extended use while on the move, a Solid State Drive of up to 64 GB and a 10.2” widescreen display, the Eee PC™ S101 is your stylish companion whether for work or leisure.

Easy-to-Use Interface and Fast Bootup Time

Incredibly intuitive point-and-click user interface that even first-time PC users will find extremely easy to use.
Blazing fast startup—get onto the Internet in mere seconds from the time you press the power button!

Shockproof Data Storage

Solid State Drive (SSD) utilizes less power compared to conventional hard disk drives.
Robust data protection and highly resistant to physical shock due to less moving parts.

Exclusive 30 GB Eee Storage

30 GB file-encrypted online Eee Storage allows you to store documents and multimedia easily, and retrieve them while on the move.

Super Hybrid Engine

Super Hybrid Engine (SHE) provides you with more power per charge: up to 5.4 hours of mobile usage when you are out and about.
The SHE also manages your power consumption, providing you with the optimal power depending on your usage.

A Visual Treat with 10.2 inch Display

10.2” display makes reading documents and viewing multimedia files more comfortable.
1024 x 600 resolution allows you to view a single A4-sized page without the need to scroll left or right.

All specifications are subject to change without notice. Please check with your supplier for exact offers. Products may not be available in all markets.
PCB color and bundled software versions are subject to change without notice.
Brand and product names mentioned are trademarks of their respective companies.

Eee PC S101

2008-10-23T23:31:00.002+08:00

Fashion-On-The-Go With My Ultra-Slim S101

Ultra portable—magazine-slim
High-performance Solid State Drive (SSD), with 30 GB free online Eee Storage
Longer battery life with ASUS Exclusive Super Hybrid Engine
Widescreen matrix LED backlit display
4-in-1 card reader for MMC, SD, Memory Stick and MS-PRO

Deepavali 2008

2008-10-23T23:22:00.002+08:00

In a earlier press statement on public holidays for 2008, the Ministry of Manpower announced that Deepavali would fall on 28 October 2008 (Tuesday). However, the date needed to be checked against the Indian Almanacs when they became available.

The actual Deepavali date for 2008 is now known. It will fall on 27 October 2008 (Monday) instead of 28 October 2008 (Tuesday).

Gathering @ Mind Cafe, Purvis Street

2008-10-05T17:33:00.003+08:00

Liu Yi Fei Taihu photos from Hanyue's collection

2008-10-04T12:12:00.005+08:00

Photos extracted from: http://www.yifei-liu.com/

The above found by Wan Mei. Credit per watermark.

Marie from Crystallized found really beautiful pics of Yifei at last month's Taihu shoot! Thanks marie!

The Club STOMP 'Bring it on Party'

2008-10-01T01:15:00.002+08:00

Free Places to watch F1 (Source: New paper)

2008-09-28T23:22:00.002+08:00

This spot quite packed, been there and it was completely full.
This is just a small area, not much place or room for you to move around. You will be stucked at the same spot once you are there.

Goodbye folks!!!

2008-09-27T00:46:00.000+08:00

Dear fellow Contest Junkies,

I have bad news. The curtains will be coming down for the Contest Junkie blog.

The end has come for this blog because there are new developments at work. I have always been quite private but I'll let you in on this one. I am an entrepreneur and strive to build a clothing empire and with the new directions at work (blame it on the economy), I am going to get a lot busier then I already am now. Unfortunately, I won't have time to maintain this blog until things ease up.

Take care folks. I hope you'll continue to have fun joining contests and may everybody continue to win and win! Huat ah!

Singapore’s own F1 driver a possibility

2008-09-27T00:44:00.000+08:00

SINGAPORE : While Singapore is bracing itself for a spectacular show at the 2008 Formula 1 SingTel Singapore Grand Prix, starting with the practice sessions on Friday, Teo Ser Luck, Senior Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports & Ministry of Transport, is dreaming of a Singapore driver starting on the grid in the not—too—distant future.

After sitting in on a session where McLaren—Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton spoke to aspiring Singapore racers and drivers, some of whom will feature in the support races over the next three days, Teo said the Government would look into investing in karting activities. Hamilton started racing in karts when he was eight and progressed to single—seater cars, before exploding onto the Formula 1 scene last year.

“With Formula 1 coming to Singapore for five years, there will be an impact where the younger generation or aspiring drivers want to become full—fledged F1 racers,” said Teo. “I don’t see why there cannot be a time when we can produce our own driver in F1. With Lewis here, I wanted to explore what it takes to actually become an F1 driver.

“Karting is already going on in Singapore and there may be a chance to start identifying potential drivers and develop them.”

Teo revealed that plans for a permanent race track at Changi are on schedule, with the facility set to be completed in 2011. Team Singapore drivers will then have a home to practise their craft, whether for karting or for other race categories.

“I think it is important to see how we can work with SMSA (Singapore Motor Sports Association) to develop a pipeline of drivers who can scale up the ladder of car racing,” Teo added.

According to Teo, the Government is exploring various ideas for the track and once these are completed, it will issue tender forms for the parties to submit. He said the Government is open to the idea of allowing for more land for the track, if it is viable. The original plan was for a 20—hectare site.

“More and more interested parties are interested in building the track and we are exploring all the different parties and assessing what needs to be done,” he said. “It is a seafront track and we must maximise the use of that land there, not just a race track but an area where tourists will also come, as a family outing area.” — TODAY/rose

Extracted from: http://sg.news.yahoo.com/cna/20080926/tsp-524-singapores-f1-driver-possibility-36f0faa.html

Spotlight: Touch Dual Mutiplicity

2008-09-13T00:10:00.000+08:00

Mug shot. Thansk to www.expansys.com for the pic.

Extracted from : http://www.hardwarezone.com/ourvoice/blog/in_the_zone/spotlight/2008/02/06/Spotlight-Touch-Dual-Gives-Mutiple-Options

HTC Touch Dual still not bad, I rate it 8.5/10.

2008-09-13T00:03:00.001+08:00

Too bad no WIFI.

HTC Touch Dual - I got it liao!!!

2008-09-12T23:53:00.003+08:00

That Sliding FeelingThe Touch Dual is a tad taller and thicker, but sports a smaller (by 0.2-inches) screen compared to the Touch. It is also a dual input slider now, featuring a keypad in addition to its touch interface. The keypad is relatively easy to slide out as the thumb rest at the bottom of the display allows you to thrust your finger or thumb ever so gently and push it open. Pushing it back is just as easy too with a flick of your fingers.

....

....
....

Our SayWith an improved TouchFlo interface, stronger processor and additional input options, the HTC Touch Dual addresses most of the problems with the original Touch, with a compromise of losing WiFi support. Still, the Touch Dual should appeal to a wider user base, and finds itself worthy of its S$1098 (~US$756) price tag.

Product Specifications
Network: HSDPA/GSM/GPRS/EDGE: 900,1800 and 1900MHz
Processor: Qualcomm MSM 7200, 400MHz
Interface: TouchFlo
Form factor: Slider with 16-button keypad
Display: 2.6 inch TFT LCD with backlight LED, touch-sensitive screen
Standby Time: Up to 180 hours
Talk Time: Up to 5 hours
Camera: Primary - 2.0 Mega pixel CMOS; Secondary - CIF CMOS
Connectivity: Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP & AVRCP, Hi-speed USB 2.0
Memory: 256MB ROM; 128MB SD RAM, Micro-SD expandability (SD 2.0 compatible)
Weight: 120g (with battery)
Dimensions: 107 x 55 x 15.8 mm

World Food Fair 2008

2008-09-07T12:24:00.002+08:00

The Amazing Race Asia 3 Online Version!

2008-09-07T11:40:00.001+08:00

Swissôtel Vertical Marathon 2008

2008-09-06T15:43:00.000+08:00

Jieqi's Birthday!

2008-09-06T13:53:00.002+08:00

Why Google Chrome? Fast browsing = $$$

2008-09-03T21:05:00.001+08:00

Why speed means money
Google benefits materially from fast performance. First, when it comes to search, Google discovered when its search page loads fractionally faster, users search more often, which of course leads to more opportunities for Google to place its highly lucrative text ads. Second, a faster Web application foundation means that Google's online applications for e-mail, word processing, spreadsheets, and calendars can become faster and fuller-featured.

CNET News Poll

Note that Google likes to talk about its three main efforts: search, ads, and apps, and with Chrome or a faster browser in general, all three benefit.

"Our business does well if people are using the Web a lot and are able to use it easily and quickly," Google co-founder Sergey Brin said.

Google faces many challenges with Chrome--convincing anyone other than a few early adopters and Web developers to adopt it, matching the pace of development of rival browsers, and assuring the Google-phobic that it's OK for the company to be in charge of yet another essential element of computing. But Google's influence is strong enough that just talking about performance and rattling its chrome-plated saber is probably enough to advance its Web-application agenda.

Brin was loath to call Chrome an operating system, but it was clear at Tuesday's event that he defines Chrome's success in terms of the applications that can be run.

"The word 'operating system' comes with a lot of baggage. We have a lightweight, fast engine for executing Web applications," Brin said. But, he added, "I think we'll see more and more Web applications of greater sophistication. All the things (you see) today are pretty challenging to do."

And, Brin added, Google benefits even if Chrome has no other influence than to get the competitive juices flowing faster among developers of competing browsers: "Even if IE 9 was much, much faster as a result of Chrome, we would consider that a success," Brin said.

Extracted from: http://news.cnet.com/8301-17939_109-10030717-2.html?tag=txt

World's tallest building just got taller

2008-09-03T20:58:00.002+08:00

Mystery 'iPhone Girl' generates Internet intrigue

2008-09-01T20:13:00.003+08:00

HONG KONG - Who is the "iPhone Girl"?

Pictures of an Asian factory worker found on a new iPhone sold to a British customer have generated keen discussion on the Internet about her identity _ and her fate.

The three pictures, posted on the Apple discussion Web site MacRumors.com, show a young Asian woman working on what appears to be an assembly line for iPhones.

Dressed in a pink striped outfit and hat and wearing white gloves with yellow fingertips, the young woman now known on the Web as the "iPhone Girl" is shown smiling and making victory signs as she poses next to an iPhone.

The MacRumors.com user who posted the photos last week, identified as only "markm49uk" from Kingston-upon-Hull, England, said in a posting that one of the pictures showed up on a new 3G iPhone when the iTunes program was launched.

"It would appear that someone on the production line was having a bit of fun. Has anyone else found this?" the posting said.

The posting received more than 360 responses on MacRumors.com, with readers commenting and speculating about the woman's age, looks and working conditions _ and whether the pictures had gotten her into trouble with her managers.

"She is so fired," a reader identified as "PredatoryWasp86" said.

"That's nice that at least they have some fun in the drab of assembling technology," another reader, "BrownManUPS," said.

"She looks about 12 or 13 to me! I don't think Stevo is going to be impressed at all. It looks a little bit too much like child labor," "sibruk" wrote, referring to Apple Inc. Chief Executive Steve Jobs.

News reports say the woman may work at a factory run by an Apple contractor, Taiwan-based Foxconn Technology Group, in the southern Chinese boomtown of Shenzhen.

Calls to Foxconn spokesman Edmund Ding went unanswered Wednesday. Ding also didn't immediately respond to an e-mail from The Associated Press seeking comment.

But the South China Morning Post on Wednesday quoted another Foxconn spokesman, Liu Kun, as confirming that the young woman in the pictures works for Foxconn.

Liu said workers testing the device took the pictures and may have forgotten to delete them, the Post reported.

Dubbing the mystery worker "China's prettiest factory girl," China's Southern Metropolitan Daily on Tuesday quoted an unidentified Foxconn official as saying the woman was not fired.

Apple publicist Jill Tan said the company had no comment.

School Commence 15th September 2008.

2008-08-31T23:44:00.001+08:00

Extraced from: http://www1.sim.edu.sg/sge/pub/gen/sge_pub_gen_content.cfm?mnuid=188&ID=267

Bachelor of Science (Honours) Management - Part-time (The University of Manchester)

awarded by The University of Manchester

SMRT Challenge 2008 Photos!!!

2008-08-31T23:17:00.004+08:00

Look at the number of papers that we got to manage. SMRT should go green mah, still use so many papers.
Swee bo? haha, a resoureful, decisive and cohesive team indeed!!! Race timing, <2h30mins...
Inside the challenge license, need to get stickers to proof that you have completed the particular mission.
Huat ah!! 0125, 0125, 0125...
What does "KEN MAN BAG" means?
The 3 challenge stop clues (Open Category)
My team number: O125, can go buy 4D liao!!!
SMRT Challenge 2008 goodies bag! Not bad de, inside the freebies...
Close up shot of the challenge stop clues. Looks easy =p
Our team challenge license and some other clues and codebreakers that we use during the challenge. See that "JARGON PANT AG", what you think it is?

Pee Mee Bday Celebration @ Amk HUB !

2008-08-24T00:45:00.005+08:00

Murder of the Inugami Clan

2008-08-24T00:43:00.004+08:00

In Japanese with English & Chinese Subtitles
Genre: Crime/Thriller
Director: Kon Ichikawa
Cast: Koji Ishizaka, Nanako Matsushima, Kikunosuke Onoe, Sumiko Fuji, Keiko Matsuzaka, Hisako Manda
RunTime: 2 hrs 16 mins
Released By: Cathay-Keris Films
Rating: NC-16 (Some Violence and Nudity)

Opening Day: 14 August 2008

Synopsis:

When the wealthy Inugami patriarch dies leaving a huge estate, their lawyer hires detective Kindaichi as a series of mysterious murders befalls the family--from attempted drownings, poisonings, to beheadings. A web of deceit, adultery and greed is revealed as the family gathers for the reading of the will, and the race for the inheritance turns even deadlier.

《东风雨》女特工推选十五进三共有29490人参加

2008-08-23T14:46:00.003+08:00

http://ent.sina.com.cn/f/m/dongfengyu/index.shtml

《东风雨》女特工推选十五进三

选项

比例

票数

林心如

26.95%

7947

刘亦菲

18.28%

5392

宋慧乔

13.98%

4123

陈好

10.37%

3057

赵薇

9.41%

2774

Reborn

6.75%

1991

林志玲

5.63%

1661

孙菲菲

2.66%

784

王珞丹

1.49%

439

孙俪

1.26%

372

徐若瑄

0.97%

287

桂纶镁

0.96%

282

章子怡

0.54%

159

汤唯

0.44%

130

李冰冰

0.31%

East Wind, Rain Movie

2008-08-23T14:38:00.003+08:00

I am on Lianhe Zao Bao!

2008-08-23T13:31:00.004+08:00

Singapore Fireworks Celebrations 2008 tix!

2008-08-21T20:54:00.002+08:00

August cyberpioneer Contest

2008-08-21T20:41:00.001+08:00

Thank You!

Thank you for participating in the cyberpioneer contest.
Your entry has been submitted.

New Zealand's colossal squid defies legends: scientists

2008-08-21T20:38:00.002+08:00

WELLINGTON (AFP) - - New Zealand's mysterious colossal squid, the largest of the feared and legendary species ever caught, was not the T-Rex of the oceans but a lethargic blob, new research suggests.

The 495 kilogramme (1,090-pound) female, accidently hauled in by a fishing boat in the Antarctic last year, was an overweight breeding machine, leading marine biologist Steve O'Shea told AFP Thursday.

The colossal squid (Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni), donated to the country's national museum, was probably quite docile when alive, said O'Shea.

"The colossal species has a reputation for being an aggressive and dangerous predator and have been feared and misrepresented in the past," O'Shea said.

"My research suggests they're not the T-rex of the sea, they get more docile as they mature, a strange phenomenon that has caught scientists off guard.

"We are looking at something verging on the incredibly bizarre. As she got older she got shorter and broader and was reduced to a giant gelatinous blob, carrying many thousands of eggs," he said.

"Her shape was likely to have affected her behaviour and ability to hunt. I can't imagine her jetting herself around in the water at any great speed, and she was too gelatinous to have been a fighting machine.

"It's likely she was just blobbing around the seabed carrying her brood of eggs, living on dead fish, while her mate was off hunting."

The squid began to reveal its secrets to a team of fascinated scientists in April when it was thawed after being frozen on the fishing boat.

They were struck initially by her beach ball-sized eyes, describing them as the biggest known in the animal kingdom.

The enormous eyes would help the squid locate prey in the dark of its habitat 1,000 metres (3,300 feet) or more below the surface of Antarctic waters.

Two long tentacles carry up to 25 rotating hooks each, while eight arms each contain up to 19 fixed hooks used to capture prey and bring it to the squid's beaked mouth.

O'Shea and his colleagues believe larger squid still lurk in the southern ocean depths.

The New Zealand squid's lower beak measures around 40 centimetres across, while other beaks have been found -- usually in the stomach of predator sperm whales -- measuring up to 49 centimetres.

O'Shea said it is possible that colossal squid may grow to up to 750 kilograms but there was not yet enough information to be sure.

The squid is expected to go on display in a special tank at Te Papa museum in Wellington later this year.

She is believed to be the biggest complete adult of her species ever landed, and very little is known about the colossal squid because they live at extreme depths in Antarctic waters.

But research suggests they have a penchant for toothfish and are no strangers to cannibalism.

Look at this! (Number of remote controls for entertainment alone!)

2008-08-20T23:23:00.002+08:00

HubStation!

2008-08-20T23:10:00.003+08:00

Singapore won silver Olympic medal in women's team table tennis. Congratulations Singapore!

2008-08-17T21:47:00.001+08:00

Zhang Yining (simplified Chinese: 张怡宁, born October 5, 1981 in Beijing) is a female Chinese table tennis player.

As of July 2008, she was ranked #1 in the ITTF rankings, in both women's singles and women's doubles.^[1] She remains a dominant figure. However, though she is #1 in the world of Women's table tennis, she recently lost in the finals of the 2006 Women's World Cup to the #5 women's player, Guo Yan (China).

Hurry, count the number of mooncakes!

2008-08-17T19:19:00.001+08:00

Entrepreneur's Eden : The Initial K Project 2009

http://www.eginnovations.com/

Singaporeans cheered by news of Mas Selamat’s arrest

She gets a degree - and a promotion

Lin Chi-ling voted Taiwan FHM's sexiest for third time running

Loof @ Odeon Towers, Rooftop Bar

Conficker worm active, security experts say

Matsushima Nanako 松嶋菜々子

http://www.shoppingconfessions.com.sg

Facebook, YouTube at work make better employees: study

Singapore observes Earth Hour, many buildings switch off lights for an hour

VOTE EARTH!!! Do your part now

Survey shows Singapore is world’s 10th most expensive city

How far can your flu bug go?

Coke Zero® is looking for the best Video/Animation

With more than 15,000 improvements, Firefox 3 is faster, safer and smarter than ever before.

Top New Features

Password Manager

One-Click Bookmarking

Improved Performance

Smart Location Bar

Instant Web Site ID

Full Zoom

Platform-Native Look & Feel

Liu Yi Fei on MyPaper! For Garnier Advertisement

Crisis could cost Singapore 99,000 jobs: DBS

Slumdog Millionaire

Singapore's 4th public university will be medium-sized

Facebook settled for 65 million: ConnectU law firm

Contest question & answers do not tally!

Search Engines =)

The Singapore Flyer has captured the hearts of both the local people and the tourists

Bus-sized boa slithers into record books

Transformers 2 : Revenge of the Fallen

Chinese Zodiac

New back—up systems being installed at Singapore Flyer

Men's Health - The World's Largest Men's Magazine

The many faces of President Barack Obama!

Vote for your fav float and WIN PRIZES!!!

Singapore government may dip into reserves

NTUC says more youths aged under 30 will start feeling impact of downturn

35 Questions Every Start-Up Entrepreneur Needs to Answer

Starting a business in Singapore

Looking for these!!!

Zimbabwe unveils $100 trillion banknote

CNET Asia Review - HTC Touch Dual

HTC Touch Dual - I need my WiFi~

Replaced cast - Red Cliff 2

Replaced cast - Red Cliff 2

Search: Australia offers 'best job in world' on paradise island

TOTO Hongbao Draw 2009

I <3 Joomla!

First Look: Acer Aspire Predator Gaming PC

Most Anticipated Movies of 2009

Created Facelessbook group in Facebook!

Capture the OX spirit this Chinese New Year!

Thank you for entering our contest with a Grand Prize of a trip for two to the North Pole.

SAF elite that's fighting the clean fight

Youth.SG

PhotoFunia!!!

Doing company work at home!!!

Registering a nice domain for my blog soon!

Marina Bay Fireworks Finale 2008!...

Finally, my dear created facebook!!!

Search: 250,000 revellers usher in 2009 at Marina Bay

2009 Marina Bay New Year Fireworks

Iron & Wine Flightless Bird, American Mouth Lyrics

Twilight

Ben & Jerry's Chunk Fest

More Vertical Marathon Photos =)

Swissotel The Stamford

2008 U.S. Presidential Elections

President-elect Obama faces daunting challenges

I won a pair of concert tix to Wong Lee Hom Music - Man World Tour 2008! haha lucky me =)

23rd Month Anniversary !!!

Tape measure: X-rays detected from Scotch tape!

I am so going to get my hand on this =)

Easy-to-Use Interface and Fast Bootup Time

Shockproof Data Storage

Exclusive 30 GB Eee Storage

《东风雨》女特工推选十五进三共有29490人参加