Friday, November 30, 2012

Landing yourself the Job of a Lifetime

I read on The Star yesterday that a pretty face used for a profile image is a sure way to attract online friends. Frankly, any female even without an actual photo profile image is target enough and I'm speaking from experience.

In this age of Internet, too much personal information you put out there could spell a breach of security and put you in the path of people out there with unsavoury intentions. Is it any wonder why so many people here are still being scammed losing millions to strangers? Some in the name of love.

Facebook and other social media sites are places where people can learn more about you. These sites are easily the sites investigators go to for a back ground check on a person. If you have good data on them, you might land yourself a job of a lifetime. That's one good aspect of being online. Let's not go to the bad side. You already know the drill about not revealing too much on the web.

Friday Frolics - Who Are You to Yourself?

Another Friday, another round of knowing a little bit more about ourselves. I wonder if the second para is true the part that says: other people see you as kind, gentle, and cooperative.

But I'll have to admit that "You try to be helpful." is close to home though sometimes "less is more" is the better option.

Take the quiz to find out something new(?) about yourself.

Happy Friday, everyone!



You Are Strong For Yourself


You see yourself as a natural leader. You believe in yourself no matter what.

You think other people see you as kind, gentle, and cooperative. You try to be helpful.

You want to see yourself as independent and free wheeling. You'd like to do your own thing more often.

You identify as a compassionate and accepting person. You pride yourself on being forgiving.
Last Friday's quiz: What Kind of Cheese Are You?


Pretty shirt and stuff


Aww, isn't this a pretty shirt! Saw this in an online Orange Coast Magazine and which reminds me I have a couple of Esprit shirts with motifs like that and which they've not been worn for quite a while. The trouble with having too many items is that they don't get rotated frequently enough or worse still, they lay forgotten somewhere until they get rediscovered. Do you have that problem?

What I do these days is whenever I come across a piece of clothing, accessory or anything that I know that won't be used again, it will go into a recycle basket that I've just set up. Now, why didn't I think of that earlier! Hmmm..



Thursday, November 29, 2012

Will Psy be Time's 2012 Person Of The Year?


I was told Psy has overtaken Justin Bieber in having the most views on YouTube. Looks like this South Korean rapper who created a phenomenon with his Gangnam Style is set to add more feathers to his cap in the entertainment industry.

It has been reported that Psy has been shortlisted for Time magazine's 2012 Person of the Year. Others in the list include Jay-Z (Beyonce's husband) and Russian punk rockers Pussy Riot.

More from The Star/Daily Chilli:

Editors unveiled a list of 38 contenders for the honour and Fifty Shades of Grey author EL James, Olympic gymnast Gabby Douglas and comedians Stephen Colbert and Jon Stewart have all made the cut.

Also nominated are US President Barack Obama and his former White House rival, Republican Mitt Romney, as well as dissident Chinese artist/activist Ai Weiwei and Pakistani teenager Malala Yousafzai, who was shot by Taliban extremists who disagreed with her equal rights beliefs.

The winner will be chosen by Time editors and revealed on 14 December (12). The Protester was named last year's (11) Person of the Year following the widespread reach of the Occupy Wall Street campaign against big business.

Source:Reuters
Published:28th November 2012


Sigh!


Related articles:
- 2012 MTV EMA - 'Gangnam Style' Best Video of the Year
- PSY did it again at the American Music Awards (AMA) - Oppa Gangnam Style!



Image source: The Star/Daily Chilli


Spinal Stenosis and Scoliosis


We take everything for granted, don't we? For instance, we think nothing of being able to walk straight without having any pain in our back.

Having a number of colleagues with spinal injuries and one with scoliosis makes me appreciate a backbone that is in pretty good shape. Thank my lucky stars.

I learned of a new spinal condition today and that is Spinal stenosis.

Spinal stenosis is a medical condition characterized by a narrowing of the spine that pinches or otherwise irritates the spinal nerves unlike scoliosis which has the spine curving from side to side. On an X-ray, viewed from the rear, the spine of an individual with scoliosis may look more like an "S" or a "C", rather than a straight line. My poor friend with scoliosis suffers from constant back-pain.

Thank your lucky stars? You bet!


Image of Scoliosis - Source: Wikipedia

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

The Corrs - Unplugged [Full acoustic concert]

Was on YouTube the other day and came across a video of The Corrs in concert recorded in 1999.

Malaysians had the chance to see The Corrs live when they performed at the Opening of the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur. Before then, the music of The Corrs was already familiar to Malaysians having heard them over the airwaves on radio and watching MTV videos of them on television.

Back then in 1998, Talk on Corners, their most successful album to date, reached multi-platinum status in Australia, and in the UK was the highest selling album of 1998.

The Corrs are an Irish band which combine pop rock with traditional Celtic folk music. The brother and sisters are from Dundalk, Ireland and they do make beautiful music.

They have released five studio albums and numerous singles, which have reached platinum in many countries.

They have been actively involved in philanthropic activities and have performed in numerous charity concerts such as the Prince's Trust in 2004 and Live 8 alongside Bono in 2005. The same year, they were awarded honorary MBEs for their contributions to music and charity.

The Corrs are on hiatus because Jim and Caroline are raising families, while Andrea and Sharon are pursuing solo careers. Sharon doesn't know if The Corrs will get back together.

Here's their Unplugged full acoustic concert recorded in 1999. If you are a fan of the music of The Corrs, then this one is for you. Just like listening to an album, only better, this 1-hour 12-minute concert filmed on location at Ardmore Studios in Ireland is a must-watch. Sing along if you wish as lyrics are provided.

UPDATE (Oct 2019): So sorry, just became aware that the video below has been blocked. But fortunately, videos for individual numbers are uploadable. Have uploaded the first two numbers. The rest can be viewed on You Tube, but of course. Enjoy..


The Corrs consist of:
- Andrea Corr - vocals, tin whistle
- Caroline Corr - drums, piano, bodhran, vocals
- Sharon Corr - violin, vocals
- Jim Corr - guitar, piano, vocals
with
- Anthony Drennan - guitar, dobro
- Keith Duffy - bass guitar, percussion
- Mitchell Froom - hammond, piano

This concert includes

1. Only When I Sleep


2. What Can I Do?


3. Radio (new number)
4. Toss the Feathers (amazing instrumental piece)
5. Everybody Hurts
6. Dreams
7. Runaway
8. Forgiven, Not Forgotten
9. At Your Side
10. Little Wing (a Jimmy Hendrix song)
11. No Frontiers
12. Queen of Hollywood
13. Old Town
14. Lough Erin Shore
15. So Young


Sources:
- Wikipedia
- Image: Video-grab from YouTube


Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Behringer speakers for Christmas


If you are in the market for speakers, real good speakers, you may want to check out behringer speakers. Big discounts being offered currently.

Due to the high-efficiency design, the EUROLIVE B212D cranks out 450W of the cleanest, punchiest audio you've ever heard from a compact PA speaker system. You will also see an improved power-to-weight ratio thanks to the Class D technology.

Behringer speakers are not only intelligent by design, the Class D Amplifier Technology delivers high power with low weight making them easy to transport and set up.

Fire and Rain - Bangladesh and Britain

I saw a Facebook post yesterday of a shop on fire in the Setapak area. Picture was taken from a high elevation and you could see even at that distance, it was a huge building on fire. Have not seen it in the papers though.

Talk about fire, The Star reported that garment workers in Bangladesh staged mass protests Monday to demand the end to "deathtrap" labour conditions after Bangladesh's worst-ever textile factory fire, as a new blaze sparked panic and terror.

Survivors of Saturday night's fire joined several thousand colleagues blocking a highway during a march in the manufacturing hub of Ashulia, outside the capital Dhaka, with some protesters throwing stones at one factory.

Saturday's fire killed 58 people. Witnesses told how desperate workers, most of them women, cried for help and several leaped to their deaths from upper floors as they tried to escape. They will be buried at a state graveyard in Dhaka Tuesday morning. DNA samples of the dead workers have been kept so that their relatives can be identified for compensation.

Another blaze on Monday at a 12-storey building housing four garment factories sparked fresh scenes of panic as workers rushed to safety. There were no casualties.

Ashulia's more than 500 factories, make apparel for top global retailers such as Walmart, H&M and Tesco.

On the domestic front, we had a heavy downpour yesterday which isn't surprising this time of the year in this north-easterly monsoon season. Everyone who has experienced flooding in their areas are already on the alert but sometimes the unexpected can happen.

Over in other parts of the world, unexpected flood levels have left many homes being evacuated. Britain is one country as more than 800 homes in England and Wales have been flooded as heavy rain and strong winds battered the country. Environmental officials warned of more downpours to come on Monday.


Prime Minister David Cameron, in a Twitter message, described the scenes of flooding in the rural southwestern region of Cornwall as "shocking", and promised the government "will help ensure everything is being done to help".

Parts of the Cornish village of Millbrook were reportedly under 1.5 metres (five feet) of water and 40 homes were evacuated, a BBC reporter who lives there said, after torrents of muddy water swept through the village on Saturday.
More..800 homes flooded as Britain soaked by more heavy rain


Source: The Star

Monday, November 26, 2012

Cyber Monday Deals



For the past few days, McDonald's has been giving away free Egg McMuffin burgers. Looking at the queue at one McD's outlet yesterday brought to mind how Black Friday would have been like in the United States last Friday.

In a few hours, another shopping frenzy would begin. It's Cyber Monday again, ladies and gentlemen!

Cyber Monday is a marketing term for the Monday after Black Friday, the Friday following Thanksgiving. Besides in the United States, Cyber Monday is also observed in Canada, United Kingdom, Portugal, Germany and Chile.

But as shopping is online, everyone can benefit from the Cyber Monday deals and spills.

Happy Shopping!


Bathrooms of today


Gone are the days in which bathroom walls are adorned with tiles and the shower area cordoned off with a wall of tiles. Glass is in today - both coloured and plain tiles.

For ease of maintenance, glass can be easily washed and rinsed off after each bath.

Bathroom space is of equal importance. Comfort should be addressed to eliminate unnecessary knocks and the cramped-up feeling. A vintage tub and bath can help save space as well as provide that elegant feel in a bathroom.

Friday, November 23, 2012

Friday Frolics - What Kind of Cheese Are You?

Do you like cheese? If you were a cheese, what kind of cheese do you think you are? Take the quiz to find out.



You Are Mozzarella


You are mild mannered and pleasant. You are extremely easy going.

You are also quite lovable and tender. You wear your heart on your sleeve.



You never try to complicate matters or bring drama. You just go with the flow.

You are very delicate and sensitive. It's easy for you to be overpowered by stronger forces.

Last Week's Friday Frolics Quiz: What Architectural Style Are You?

Looking for Baseball gifts and awards?

Sourcing for corporate gifts and awards can be quite a daunting task as you can quickly run out of ideas if you have been doing it for a while.

Getting gifts for sports is no different as choices could be limited and rather monotonous even from different sources as my colleague found out. He was excited when he came across baseball gifts at RESportsInc.com. This site gave him some ideas to work from and to bookmark for future.

Thursday, November 22, 2012

2012 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City

If I were to be in New York City at this moment, in a couple of hours time, I would get to watch the 86th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade which will begin at 9am.

The parade travels down Central Park West from 77th Street to Columbus Circle along Central Park South to 6th Avenue, down 6th Avenue to 34th Street and along 34th Street to Macy's Herald Square (34th Street). The map below of the Parade Route would be helpful:

Source: New York City Travel


From The Star..
Giant helium balloons rose above the treetops along New York's Central Park on Wednesday ahead of the 86th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, the largest public event so far in a city still recovering from Superstorm Sandy.

More..Thanksgiving Day Parade aims to lift New York spirits after Sandy

Consider a Wall Fountain for a water feature


Water features are becoming popular in new homes and offices both for aesthetics as well as for good fengshui. Another popular water feature is a koi fish pond.

In the Chinese community, water is synonymous with wealth. Thus to bring wealth into the home, a water feature is believed to create the vibe for wealth-generation.

Nowadays, a wall fountain is common in homes that do not allow for a fish pond or a regular fountain due to space constraint. A wall fountain can even take the place of a painting in a home with the added cooling effect and the resultant generation of negative ions that are beneficial to health.

Have you been to a Garage Sale?

At a garage sale near her home, a friend bought a couple of storage cabinets from an expatriate family going home next month.

The cabinets (they do look quite the same as the one in the image) are a good addition to what she already has. Her husband needs more storage space for his work tools. She got the metal cabinets for a song too.

Have you been to a garage sale? Some garage sales do have a wide range of items from books to cooking pots, beds to washing machines and lawn-mowers. You never know what bargains await you.

PSY did it again at the American Music Awards (AMA) - Oppa Gangnam Style!

By now, most if not all of us would have had enough of PSY and his Gangnam Style. But wait, you've got to watch it one more, no, two more times to wrap it up.

PSY's horse-riding dance-and-song routine is such a huge worldwide phenomenon that he received an award at the MTV European Music Awards (EMA) last week for Best Video of the Year and even got to perform his act. If you missed it, here's the video.



There is more, of course. At the American Music Awards (AMA) a few days ago, though he did not win any award, he wrapped up the awards show with a performance of his hit, Gangnam Style. He was even joined on stage by surprise guest MC Hammer for a special mash-up of Gangnam Style and Too Legit To Quit. Great performance. Must watch video..



There you have it. Enough of Gangnam Style to last us for a long time to come. Enjoy the performances, esp the one at the AMA, the second one! No doubt, he gets better with each performance.

Hong Kong celebrity Sam Lee weds Pae Leung

Malaysians are able to catch a lot of international movies through our one and only direct satellite tv network, Astro.

For the Chinese community, we get to watch movies from Hong Kong and Taiwan though there are more of the former. These are normally in the Cantonese dialect.

Latest Hong Kong celebrity wedding has got to be Sam Lee's. Anyone who watches Hong Kong TVB shows would know who Sam is. He married his fashion designer girlfriend, Pae Leung on Nov 17.
Sam Lee Chan-Sam is an actor from Hong Kong. He started his film career when he was first spotted by director Fruit Chan who cast him in Made in Hong Kong. Recently, he is best remembered for his role as the rich-kid-turned-passionate social worker in Ghetto Justice.

Outside of his film career, Sam is a seasonal member of a Hong Kong hip hop band Lazy Mutha Fucka (LMF) where he is the rapper. Sam Lee is also known as DJ Becareful. (Wikipedia)

Here's a peek at his wedding banquet celebrity friends arrivals..including Daniel Wu and his wife Lisa S., Eddie Cheung Siu-fai and his wife, Timmy Hung, JJ Jia, Dayo Wong Chi-wah, Edmond Leung, Eddie Kwan Lai Kit), Wilfred Lau (Joey Yung's current beau), Edison Chen, Jazz Lam and Eric Tsang.


More on Jaynestars..Celebrity Weddings: Sam Lee and Pae Leung

Shopping for Plus Size Dresses

One profession I believe that will never go out of demand is dressmaking. A colleague the other day was lamenting about the increasing cost of getting her clothes tailored and with the Chinese New Year just around the corner, prices have further increased.

Being on the plus side, she finds it difficult to find clothes off-the-rack. KL does have stores catering to plus sizes but they are few and far between. Besides seeking the seamstress's service, she sometimes goes online. Shopping online is a good option where one can also find plus size prom dresses, if need be.

By the way, AEON department stores in Kuala Lumpur do have a good selection of Plus size clothes, so do F.O.S. outlets and Reject Shop.

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Kuala Lumpur blue skies and flowers

It's an unusually blue-sky weather today. Unusual because being the monsoon season that we are experiencing right now, skies turn overcast very quickly sometimes even before the sky has the chance to show off its blue. The sun? At times, nowhere to be found.

I took this shot a while back. It is hot out there so it is best to stay indoors though a lot can be accomplished outdoors in this weather, I presume.

The city is bustling with life, as always, though on hot days, the air over the city can be quite unhealthy(?). This shot I took this morning shows our iconic Petronas Twin Towers in all its glory in the sunshine. Only thing is, they are shrouded in smog. Like most cities in China (which I saw on documentaries the last few days), the city of Kuala Lumpur is no different. We are all covered with smog and breathing in all those pollutants. Sometimes I wonder if this is a trademark of developing or Third World countries..

On a positive note, trees are blooming in purples, reds and yellows. These are some pink-purplish flowers among their lovely cousins blooming on the branches of a medium-sized tree.


These trees are planted by the landscaping department in public places mainly along main roads. Tree-planting here is regulated and only certain species are allowed to be planted. Corporate landscaping follows similar guidelines where trees are concerned.

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

The Santa Winter Games

The Chinese has a saying that goes something like even when you live a hundred years, there would still be new things to hear or learn about.

I never knew there is a Santa Winter Games, did you?


The Star reported that

Christmas cheer came early to Sweden's Arctic mining town of Gaellivare this weekend, where Santas from around the world gathered to compete in one of the world's most important but little known sporting events, the Santa Winter Games.

The nine competitors and their elves paraded Saturday through the Lapland town of Gaellivare, located 100km (62 miles) inside the Arctic Circle, to the site of the competition in the town's centre.

Japan's Santa Claus was accompanied by three human reindeer, who, in a gracious display of Christmas spirit, agreed to pull the sleigh of the local Santa also competing in the event.

As spectators watched from the sidelines, elves and reindeer handed out flags, whistles and candy to supporters.

The Father Christmas from Spain had a three-year-old helper named Marco who conscientiously completed his duties before diving face-first into the snow, as he discovered white fluffy snowflakes for the first time. (That must have been so cute to watch.)

The competition included a reindeer-riding event, porridge-eating, karaoke and sack races, before the jury crowned a winner.

In the end, the Santa from the Netherlands was declared the winner of the 2012 competition.

"I'm thrilled: I'm the first to win two years in a row. I'm going to come back next year to defend my title," he vowed.

After the competition, everyone had a smile on their lips as they drank mulled wine - or hot chocolate for the youngsters - at the town's picturesque Christmas market nearby.

Some 400 people braved the cold in parkas and warm boots to watch this year's competition, a record, according to organisers.

"Next year, we'll do things bigger," said Mathias Svalenstroem, who organises the annual event. - AFP


Talk about Santa and Christmas, I haven't been downtown to see whether the Christmas decorations are up in the malls. Have you seen any?

Monday, November 19, 2012

How to remove yourself from following a blog



With reference to what Small Kucing commented about not being able to unfollow a blog, and if you find yourself faced with this little issue, here is information on how to unfollow a blog as provided by Google Blogger help:

The easiest way to remove yourself from following a blog is to visit the blog, and click Options | Site settings under the Following widget on the blog.

You will then see a pop-up window with your profile settings. Click Stop following this site and you will be removed from following the blog. If the blog doesn't have a Followers widget, you can still stop following the blog. To do so, click the gear icon on the right-hand side of your Reading List on your dashboard.

You'll then see a list of all the blogs that you're following. To stop following a blog, click Settings, then Stop following this site.


Hope this will be helpful.

Paternity testing

Most of us do not have a need for a paternity testing service but if need be, there are certified DNA testing facilities out there. Some even offer Home DNA Testing in which the tested parties collect their own DNA samples and mail them to the laboratory. This is available in the U.S.

When you call to place an order, they will send you a DNA kit and explain the step-by-step completion process. Before ordering a home test, consider the Legal Test if you believe the results will ever be used beyond personal knowledge. This way, you won't have to purchase another test in the future.

Sunday, November 18, 2012

McDonald’s giving away 200,000 free Egg McMuffin burgers

Check out FREE McD burgers for April 2013..

McDonald's will be giving away 200,000 free Egg McMuffin burgers on Monday, Nov 19 (tomorrow).

Themed McDonald's Breakfast Day, all of its 215 breakfast restaurants nationwide will be giving away freshly-made Egg McMuffin burgers to the first 1,000 customers, including at their Genting and airport stores between 7am and 10am while offer lasts.

The Egg McMuffin, according to McDonald's Malaysia, is made from farm fresh egg and high-quality golden cheese with a slice of chicken roll on freshly toasted English muffin.

It is limited to one Egg McMuffin per customer per visit and is only valid for in-store, take-away and drive-through purchases.

For more information on McDonald's Breakfast Day and a list of its breakfast restaurants, visit www.mcdonalds.com.my.

Terms and Conditions:
1. Only ONE (1) free Egg McMuffin per customer
2. Free Egg McMuffin limited to the first 1000 customers per restaurant from 7am - 10am, whichever comes first
3. Redemption hours of free Egg McMuffin vary by restaurant
4. Not valid through McDelivery
5. No purchase required


Source: The Star

Saturday, November 17, 2012

A New 'Toy' - The Conair Pro Garment Care Fabric Steamer

Ah, the joys of shopping without having to pay a single sen. I almost redeemed a Fat Free Fryer back in July but didn't think it'd be used enough to warrant owning one and it would probably end up in some dark recess of the kitchen cabinet. I did, however, redeemed something else.

A dust-buster is what I redeemed but more of that later. Let me tell you first about the latest redeemed product. The dust-buster in another post..

The latest redemption item I got for myself (through credit card points) is an implement for ironing clothes. Yes, sort of an iron, if you like, but different. I would be crazy to redeem an iron. I already have two in the house. This gadget is called a Fabric Steamer and works on the concept of steam (duh!) to iron out the creases and lines. Please excuse the bad photos.

This is the box that the steamer was packed in - all black. The fabric steamer is the object on the right, the one with the jacket hanging from. A better image below.

Clothes-ironing or pressing has always been a tedious chore for me and has therefore been outsourced to the local dhobi. With this new Fabric Steamer, I could do the simple pieces such as blouses, t-shirts and scarves. Pants (jeans included) and jackets can still go to the dhobi.

Have always wanted one of these ironing gadgets since I first laid eyes on such a device many years ago but so far have not been able to find one attractive enough to bring home. Found the baby at last.

This labour-saving device is from Conair. The box says Conair Pro Garment Care and it comes with a lot of different interchangeable nozzles for different functions including one for clipping lines for shirts and pants and even one for steaming hard surfaces such as glass windows.

Here is the better picture of the steamer. That's the steam on top right coming out from the nozzle. The container at the bottom is for the water. Steaming or ironing won't work if there is no water in the bottle.

At the Fiesta, two models were being sold, by two different companies. Between the two models, I picked the sturdier and neater (with less cables hanging out) model which of course was more expensive - almost three times the price. And the sales-lady made it look so easy to operate. But true enough, so far so good. Just need to remember not to get scalded by the steam though.

This Conair, model CGS28HWH, a 12-in-One Multi-tasking Garment Steamer comes with 7 attachments for perfect pressing & steaming for different fabrics. It is energy-saving with a pause-feature and it uses 1500 watts as opposed to the conventional iron. One obvious difference between a fabric steamer and a conventional iron is that the former has no need for an ironing board nor table/flat surface. Just set up the pole or clothes-hanger and steam away.

The hanger can be rotated 360deg while the pole is adjustable to the desired height meaning you can even sit down to do the steaming. And a host of other features.. It's claimed to kill dust mites and bedbugs. I suppose at this heat, not many insects will survive.

Conair claims to be USA's No. 1 Brand of Personal Care Appliances - it says there on the box.

What have you bought lately to reduce labour at the home-front or something useful or enjoyable for yourself or the family? I know Sui Tua Pui of Still Crazy After All These Years recently received the BBQ set that he redeemed with his credit card points. Someone's going to have BBQ garden parties again.

Friday, November 16, 2012

Friday Frolics - What Architectural Style Are You?

Traffic jams aside, if I happen to be in the city, one of the things I enjoy doing is to pause to take in the sights of buildings. We may not have that many or like those in New York City but hey, we still have the tallest twin towers in the world, the iconic Petronas Twin Towers.

The twin towers are indeed a sight to behold but standing in front of this set of iconic buildings and looking across to the other side, you will get to enjoy many other skyscrapers that seem to have suddenly sprung up from the last time you were there.

Today's personality quiz is about architecture. Take the quiz to find out what architectural style are you.



HappySurfer Is Baroque


You have a strong personality. You are who you are, and you're darn proud of it.

You are quite guarded. You feel reluctant to reveal your true self to others.


You think on a whole other plane. You see patterns and logic where others see chaos.

You are comfortable with theories. Abstract ideas and concepts delight you.




Thursday, November 15, 2012

What does the 10th lunar month hold for us?

How time flies. We are now in the 10th lunar month. What does it hold for us, for the world? Below is from an email from a feng shui expert that warrants reading and perhaps paying attention to. With war looming in the Middle-east, are we seeing the prediction coming true? Read on..

The 10th lunar month is from the 14th Nov to 12th Dec 2012. It will be quite a bad month. There will be severe natural disasters, illnesses and plagues together with other forms of trouble that will be elaborated upon later. Hence, it will be best to avoid traveling during this period of time so as not to be caught up in a fix in an unfamiliar environment.

There will be a lot of gossip, badmouthing, quarrels, disagreements and direct conflicts. This will affect individuals causing disharmony among family members, divorce and separation or severe office politics. There will also be conflicts between nations, people of different ethnicity and races. Ethnic and racial clashes and violence among groups of people with different ideologies will be more frequent resulting in more casualties. A great deal of undesirable publicity will seem to manifest itself easily. Even if you will be playing your part well, you might be easily sucked into the chaos and conflict. The impact will be so devastating leading one to lose jobs, business and even losing one’s life. It will be best to stay out of the limelight and maintain a low profile. During this period of time, there will be many who will try to take advantage of the situation by intercepting others job opportunities, making more money at the expense of others and toppling their competitors from power. The power reshuffles will seem to last while the money gained will not. This will be a great time for the big and powerful ones while the gentle and innocent people might have to put their safety belts on or take cover.

The majority of people will be open to creation and innovation. Leadership qualities will also be apparent. This will be a great time to lead, motivate and be an inspiration to others. There will also be some people who might be likely to cross the line and become stubborn, opinionated, and over-confident. This group of people might end up taking things for granted, make bad plans and in so doing repulse others who might be able help them and even walk away from solutions. The damage that this group of people will face might be many times greater than at other periods of time and might include financial losses, lost opportunities, loss of jobs and power or being stuck in a situation like cat chasing it’s tail.. However, some people’s loss will be others’ gain. As such, there will be a group of people laughing all the way to the bank by pocketing all the opportunities and benefits.

The other potential problem relates to documentation or commentary errors. Mistakes in a contract or agreement might result in large penalties and even leading to legal problems. Our focus will be weaker than at other times. Hence, if you need to handle contractual matters or sign documents, you will need to be very careful to ensure that the details are correct. Where the documentation is prepared by others, ensure that you have gone through the details thoroughly before endorsing it. If you feel tired, it will be best to request for more time to examine thoroughly through the documentation instead of doing shoddy work. This month will be unfavourable for learning and engaging in complex planning.

For those who need to cleanse their crystals or have been using their crystals actively, you might want to use the moonlight of the 29th Nov 2012 to do so.

Services -> http://www.jmine.com.sg/services.htm
Crystals and Minerals -> http://www.jmine.com.sg/jmineliferocks.htm
Living Gems (Articles) -> http://www.jmine.com.sg/livinggems.htm

Feel free to circulate this email to friends and relatives or anyone who is interested.

If you would like to be removed from the mailing list, please kindly let me know. Thank you.

Regards
SEE Han Teen
Jmine Consulting
+65 9114 1770
www.jmine.com.sg

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

The New Template

Noticed the new template? I have been meaning to change over from the first generation template but the thought of having to retype or re-insert URLs for links sort of delayed the process.

Was toying around with the template this morning and instead of going back, I guessed I clicked on the wrong button and horrors realized I had activated a new template.

Tried out several options (Dynamic views were tempting) but after a few attempts, thought this is a good one for a quick getting-onboard -- for putting up the necessary knickknacks, ads and such. This is the one I picked (because it's with a white background) but I think it's a little too white that it glares. What do you think? It's still a work-in-progress so please bear with the little kinks here and there.

I have had email requests asking how I could be followed but I never could have the Followers panel in the old version but hey, I have it now, so you could start following me now. Sorry, it took so long..

Like I said, there's still a lot of tweaking to be done but at least it's working. Phew!

Welcome to my new home. hehe..

2012 MTV EMA - 'Gangnam Style' Best Video of the Year

Did anyone watch the 2012 MTV European Music Awards (EMA) two nights ago? MTV Award shows are a must-watch for music fans around the world. It was held in Frankfurt, Germany, and was telecast live around the world including Malaysia.

Give it a guess, who do you think won the Best Video of the Year? You guessed it! Psy did with his 'Gangnam Style'.

Not only did he win the Best Video of the Year at MTV's EMA, the video has made it into the Guinness World Record for the most 'liked' video in YouTube history. It sure is an amazing feat for just a few short months. If you have 'liked' it on YouTube, give yourself a pat on the back for being a part of history.

'Gangnam Style' has indeed taken the world by storm and is still as popular today as it was when it first started. I'm sure it is, as Gangnam Style is still the top search keyword on my blog today and I guess it'll be around for a while. Who's complaining when it's bringing in traffic anyway..

If you are a fan of Glee, watch out for the Fox musical cover of Psy's Internet phenomenon during an episode slated to air toward the end of November.

Meanwhile, Psy must be working out to get his torso toned enough for showing off should his Gangnam Style hit top spot on Billboard 100. Right now, he is still stuck at the No. 2 spot behind Maroon 5's 'One More Night'.

Psy has promised his fan that he would dance topless should his number hit No. 1.

"If it ranks number one in the Billboard chart, then I will perform 'Gangnam Style' topless in a place where everyone can watch," The South Korean rapper said in a news conference, Reuters reports.


Back to the MTV EMAs, some pictures of the night..

Taylor Swift - one of top two winners of the night. The other being Justin Bieber.

Fun - who performed We Are Young

Carly Rae Jepsen - Call Me Maybe

Alicia Keys

Pitbull

More photos from MTV EMA..

Winners..
BEST FEMALE
Taylor Swift

BEST SONG
Carly Rae Jepsen – “Call Me Maybe”

BEST MALE
Justin Bieber

BEST LIVE
Taylor Swift

BEST LOOK
Taylor Swift

GLOBAL ICON
Whitney Houston

BEST VIDEO
PSY – “Gangnam Style”

WORLDWIDE ACT
Han Geng (Asia Pacific)

BIGGEST FANS
One Direction

BEST WORLD STAGE
Justin Bieber

BEST PUSH
Carly Rae Jepsen

BEST ALTERNATIVE
Lana Del Rey

BEST ELECTRONIC
David Guetta

BEST HIP HOP
Nicki Minaj

BEST NEW
One Direction

BEST POP
Justin Bieber

BEST ROCK
Linkin Park

Psy's Gangnam Style.. one more time!

Read about what makes Psy tick in his interview with NY Times.

Also, watch PSY's performance of Gangnam Style, and his performance with MC Hammer at the American Music Awards. Too cool!

Source: Billboard

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

NUS terminates Alvin Tan's scholarship

Source: The Star

So, the verdict is out on disciplinary action on sex blogger, Alvin Tan.

The National University of Singapore (NUS) has terminated the scholarship of sex blogger Alvin Tan.

The Straits Times reported a source as telling it that the Asean scholarship holder was not expelled but will have to pay full, unsubsidised fees as a foreign student should he want to conclude his final year of studies at the NUS Law School.
More..NUS terminates sex blogger's scholarship

Happy Deepavali & Happy Awal Muharram

For office-workers here in Malaysia, this is a wonderful workweek. It's a short workweek of three workdays as opposed to the regular five or six workdays.

Today, Nove 13, Hindus celebrate Diwali or better known here as Deepavali, the Festival of Lights.

On Thurday, Nov 15, Muslims celebrate the first day of the Muslim new year, the year of 1434. The celebration is known here as Awal Muharram.

Both days are public holidays where offices (Government departments and banks included) and schools are closed. Some people take off the in-between days and make it a week-long stretch of holiday.

Let me take this opportunity to wish Hindu readers Happy Deepavali and a card that follows..


..and to Muslim readers, best wishes for a Happy Awal Muharram and the year ahead. (Apologies, couldn't find any ecard available or I didn't know where to look.)

Also, the year-end school holiday has begun (started on Nov 9) and will stretch until Dec 31.

Happy Holidays to All..

Monday, November 12, 2012

Man United is still tops


Sweet! Manchester United is still top of the table after last weekend matches. EPL table below as it stands currently..


A look at the match scores of games played the last two days..


Image sources:
- Premierleague.com
- Google.com


Google Doodle for Auguste Rodin


Rodin is the reason for a Google doodle today, Nov 8, as Google celebrates the 172nd birthday of François-Auguste-René Rodin who was a French sculptor and who gave us The Thinker.

"The Thinker" (Le Penseur in French) is a bronze and marble sculpture by Auguste Rodin, whose first cast, of 1902, is now in the Musée Rodin in Paris. It depicts a man in sober meditation battling with a powerful internal struggle. It is often used to represent philosophy.

The Musée Rodin in Paris, France, is a museum that was opened in 1919, dedicated to the works of the French sculptor Auguste Rodin. It has two sites, at the Hôtel Biron and surrounding grounds in central Paris, and just outside Paris at Rodin's old home, the Villa des Brillants at Meudon (Hauts-de-Seine). The collection includes 6,600 sculptures, 8,000 drawings, 8,000 old photographs and 7,000 objets d’art, and the museum receives 700,000 visitors annually.

Source: Wikipedia

The last Google Doodle was for Bram Stoker who gave us Dracula.

Sunday, November 11, 2012

A Horror Story..maybe

I was reading about Steven Hawking's suggestion that aliens almost certainly exist but has warned humanity not to try to contact them. This article is dated Apr 2010.

Aliens may not be how we have always imagined them to be (looking like cute ET, for instance) or as friendly as we think they are afterall.

Hawking says that in a universe with 100 billion galaxies, each containing hundreds of millions of stars, it is unlikely that earth is the only place where life has evolved.

"The real challenge is working out what aliens might actually be like."

Hawking says that they could be microbes – basic animals such as worms which have been on Earth for millions of years, but suggests that extraterrestrial life could develop much further.

"We only have to look at ourselves to see how intelligent life might develop into something we wouldn't want to meet," Hawking said.


Maybe one alien we meet may be like this one..
Alien predators finish off a large grazer with repeated poison stinger strikes Photo: Discovery Channel

Frankly, we do not have to look beyond our planet to find horrors, we have enough of them here on Earth already. The creepy crawlies we have are enough to scare the wits out of us. Don't believe me? Just imagine a cockroach or a lizard landing on your face.. Ewww!

My male chauvinist friend sent me this for obvious reasons. See if you agree.