Today i am trying to ask "HG" a simple question and will use an analogy to represent the conversation below.
Me: Had your lunch?
Expected answers, Yes, No, or I had XXX for lunch.
HG: I don't eat chicken rice for lunch.
I was thinking, does HG understand what was the question and what HG was answering?
Vomit blood !!!
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
So many secret societies in Singapore
'21 (Dhee It)(Peh)'
- Ang Meng Tong 洪盟堂 (Y)
- Ang Meng Hui 洪盟会
- Ghee Ang Eng 义洪英
- Ang Yee Tong 洪义堂
- Ang Soon Tong 洪顺堂
- Tiong Yee Tong 忠义堂
- Ang Mo Kow 614
- Heng Kee
- Ang Guat Hwei
- Ang Tian San
- Feng Huang Shan
- Feng Qing Shan
- Guat San Sia
- Deet San Sia
- Leng Heng Sia
- Yee Chuan San
- Yee Chuan Hai
- Yee Hup Ho
- Pak Hai Tong 北海堂
- Tiong Meng Ko
- Gnoi Seek Kee
- Hup Ho Tong
- 21 San[213]
- 21 Hai
- 21 Ang Hai
- 21 Re Yue Ban 日月班
- 21 Ba Gek Tong 龅牙堂
- 36 Hup Soon Heng
- West Coast Kuntong
- Kallang, Airport Road (Airport Kia)
- Tanglin Halt
- Mei Ling Lor
- Queenstown Chao
- Tanjong Rhu
- "Lak Ko"- 6th Avenue
- "Chit Ko"- 7th Avenue
- Taman Selasih
- Rochor Bay - Goh Chor Bay
- Teck Whye Lane (Some branches declare independence )
- Yew Tee Chao
- Clementi "Kim Bun Tai"
- Toa Payoh Chao
- Marsiling Chao
- Hougang Kia
- Jurong West
- Sin Ming Lor
- Hai Nam Sua
- Marsiling KunTong
- Siao Kim Tian
- Ar Bak Kuay
- Aljunied Cresent Siao
- Toa Payoh Siao
- Bugis Siao
- Kranji Siao
- 3 Beh Lor
- 4 Beh Lor
- 7 Beh Lor
- Rochor Siao
- Bedok Siao
- Depot Siao
- Purmei Siao
- Hougang Siao
- Geylang Siao
- Lorong ah soo Siao
- Liew Lian Ka
- Telok Blangah Cresent Siao
- Tampines Siao
- Tekka Siao
- Wah Kee (华记)
- China Town 04
- Ghee Hai Kim 义海金
- Ghee Lian Hor 义龙虎
- Ghee Leng Kiat 义龙杰
- Ghee Sa Diu 义三舅 (139)
- Patt Leong 八联
- Sio Ang Kun(Tiong Bahru,Redhill)
- Sio Lo Kuan (Jalan Deskar,Jalan Besar)
- Kau Lak Kau (969)
- Ghee Meng Tong 义盟堂
- Ghee Hin Kongsi 义兴公司
- Ghee Hock (Part of Ghee Hin Kongsi) 义福
- Hai Lok San (108) 海陆山
- Hai Lok You
- Pek Kim Leng 白金龙
- Pek Ka Long
- Kim Leng Hor 金龙虎
- Sio Leng Hor 小龙虎
- Di Chet (27)
- Go Hock San
- Go Kong Go (505)
- Sio Ang Leng
- Leng Hor Shan
- Sio Oh Leng
- Pui Kong Pui(808)
- Sio Pa Leng San
- Sa Kong Sa (303)
- Sarajumbo (Indian Gang)
- Veerasamy (Indian Gang)
- Riyadi gang( Malay Gang)
- Omega (Malay gang)
- Seven stones(mix gang)(Inactive)(powerful)
- Cinababi (cheena gang)
- Nasibabi (malay gang) *Ondru Saernthu Paaduvom (indian gang)
- Mata Siao(999)(very powerful)
- no limit(tampines kia)kepala:ammar
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
We are always behind time.
During schooling times
I value times after school !
During National Service
I value the time when i book-out !
During work
I value my weekends !
I value times after school !
During National Service
I value the time when i book-out !
During work
I value my weekends !
Friday, October 22, 2010
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Logical explanation why the Banking and Finance Industry pay well
I am an ex-engineer working in a bank as some calls it front office treasury role.
As for the question on why engineers are lowly paid compared to bankers, it all boils down how much money can you bring to the firm.
E.g. I used to work as R&D engineer, and I work together wih 10+ R&D engineers to innovate 1 product, and a assembly line with another set of product engineers, technicans and factory workers to produce the finished product. Besides of the huge human resources requirements, there are large capital expenditures e.g. machines, factories. The margin is low with high overheads (engineer pay is one major overhead).
In a bank on financial markets, there is product developement team called the quants, abt 3-4 people with phd in maths, who comes up with new structured products and risk management solutions, a desk of 3 traders who manage the risks, a few sales to push the product. There is a middle/back office settling the trades, etc. For a relative small operations, the pnl can be enormous at roughly 5% of volume, thus can be around USD25mio/yr. Divide the bounty between 5-10 FO staff, and you can see how much bonus they get.
http://forums.salary.sg/education-personal-growth/646-engineering-technology-careers-not-valued-singapore-high-cost-low-tech-4.html
As for the question on why engineers are lowly paid compared to bankers, it all boils down how much money can you bring to the firm.
E.g. I used to work as R&D engineer, and I work together wih 10+ R&D engineers to innovate 1 product, and a assembly line with another set of product engineers, technicans and factory workers to produce the finished product. Besides of the huge human resources requirements, there are large capital expenditures e.g. machines, factories. The margin is low with high overheads (engineer pay is one major overhead).
In a bank on financial markets, there is product developement team called the quants, abt 3-4 people with phd in maths, who comes up with new structured products and risk management solutions, a desk of 3 traders who manage the risks, a few sales to push the product. There is a middle/back office settling the trades, etc. For a relative small operations, the pnl can be enormous at roughly 5% of volume, thus can be around USD25mio/yr. Divide the bounty between 5-10 FO staff, and you can see how much bonus they get.
http://forums.salary.sg/education-personal-growth/646-engineering-technology-careers-not-valued-singapore-high-cost-low-tech-4.html
Sunday, October 10, 2010
What a weekend !!!
- Waited 2hs for dinner on Friday
- Waited 1h for dinner on Saturday
- ate seafood risotto
- ate parma ham pizza Ma Ma Miaa
- Visited Universal Studio Singapore and did not take any photos
- first time experiencing fireworks upclose
- explore a world of candies at Candilcious
- drank an expensive and extremely sweet drink.
- watching a movie about idiots
- first visit to kite shop
- bought my first kite, from a friend
- watching my friend's new bought kite stuck on the tree in ECP.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
What is new in iPhone 5
http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/tech-fun/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/iphone51.png
Interesting
Source: http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/tech-fun/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/addiction1.png
I thought Shell was the largest ?
The offering has made Petrobras the third largest oil company in the world after US-based ExxonMobil and PetroChina.
Source: http://sg.news.yahoo.com/afp/20100928/tts-brazil-oil-stocks-company-petrobras-c1b2fc3.html
Source: http://sg.news.yahoo.com/afp/20100928/tts-brazil-oil-stocks-company-petrobras-c1b2fc3.html
WTF !!!
NEW YORK (AFP) - – Citigroup's top new banker, who defected from Swiss rival UBS AG earlier this month, could get a salary of up to 30 million dollars a year, The Wall Street Journal has reported.
Stephen Trauber, a banker specialized in the energy sector, has secured the lucrative three-year pay package, the newspaper said, citing people familiar with the matter.
Source: http://sg.news.yahoo.com/afp/20100927/tts-us-banking-company-citi-salary-c1b2fc3.html
Stephen Trauber, a banker specialized in the energy sector, has secured the lucrative three-year pay package, the newspaper said, citing people familiar with the matter.
Source: http://sg.news.yahoo.com/afp/20100927/tts-us-banking-company-citi-salary-c1b2fc3.html
Monday, September 27, 2010
How much is the price for privacy and tranquility?
USD$250, 000 for a week stay on 11 islands owned by world renowned magician "David Copperfield'".
Famous guests that stayed here as provided by David Copperfield.
- The famous guy in the IT industry
- The famous tv host in America.
Famous guests that stayed here as provided by David Copperfield.
- The famous guy in the IT industry
- The famous tv host in America.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Benefits taken from a SG organization
1. Sick Leave without MC which is to recognise that for some illnesses, it is possible for officers to self-medicate and rest at home. Under this initiative, officers can apply for sick leave without MC up to 2 days per year. This will be counted towards the officer’s eligibility for sick leave under his Medical Leave benefits scheme
2. Telecommuting - Some officers may wish to work away from the office environment, so telecommuting arrangement is the best option
3. XXXXX is a personal development platform for all officers. We provide activities which covers areas of skill training, community development, sense of corporate belonging & personal mastery. It is also a platform to announce corporate initiatives
4. Staggered working hours - Reflecting our open culture, we allow our officers a choice in their reporting time (subject to supervisor’s agreement)
5. The Staff appreciation token for 5 years service was introduced in 2007 – XXX officers who work for 5 years in XXX are given $100 vouchers
6. Personal Development Fund – Officers can tap on the Personal Development Fund of $100 per year to apply for enrichment courses related to art, music, dance or sports, e.g. yoga, language courses, cookery lessons, etc.
On top of the initiatives above, you will also get to enjoy:
-
-
-
-
-
-
5 days of Child Sick Leave per child per year for Officers with children under 12 years old subject to a maximum of 15 Days' per year
6 days of child sick leave per year for officers with children under 7 years old
No-pay/full pay Leave for training awards
3 days of Examination Leave per subject for work-related courses up to a maximum of 14 days per year
2. Telecommuting - Some officers may wish to work away from the office environment, so telecommuting arrangement is the best option
3. XXXXX is a personal development platform for all officers. We provide activities which covers areas of skill training, community development, sense of corporate belonging & personal mastery. It is also a platform to announce corporate initiatives
4. Staggered working hours - Reflecting our open culture, we allow our officers a choice in their reporting time (subject to supervisor’s agreement)
5. The Staff appreciation token for 5 years service was introduced in 2007 – XXX officers who work for 5 years in XXX are given $100 vouchers
6. Personal Development Fund – Officers can tap on the Personal Development Fund of $100 per year to apply for enrichment courses related to art, music, dance or sports, e.g. yoga, language courses, cookery lessons, etc.
On top of the initiatives above, you will also get to enjoy:
-
-
-
-
-
-
5 days of Child Sick Leave per child per year for Officers with children under 12 years old subject to a maximum of 15 Days' per year
6 days of child sick leave per year for officers with children under 7 years old
No-pay/full pay Leave for training awards
3 days of Examination Leave per subject for work-related courses up to a maximum of 14 days per year
Monday, September 20, 2010
Personality Quiz
Link provided by my sister, the results are very accurate.
http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes2.asp
http://www.personalitypage.com/html/ISTJ.html
ISTJ
Guardian Portrait of the Inspector (ISTJ)
The one word that best describes Inspectors is superdependable. Whether at home or at work, Inspectors are extraordinarily persevering and dutiful, particularly when it comes to keeping an eye on the people and products they are responsible for. In their quiet way, Inspectors see to it that rules are followed, laws are respected, and standards are upheld.
Inspectors (as much as ten percent of the general population) are the true guardians of institutions. They are patient with their work and with the procedures within an institution, although not always with the unauthorized behavior of some people in that institution. Responsible to the core, Inspectors like it when people know their duties, follow the guidelines, and operate within the rules. For their part, Inspectors will see to it that goods are examined and schedules are kept, that resources will be up to standards and delivered when and where they are supposed to be. And they would prefer that everyone be this dependable. Inspectors can be hard-nosed about the need for following the rules in the workplace, and do not hesitate to report irregularities to the proper authorities. Because of this they are often misjudged as being hard-hearted, or as having ice in their veins, for people fail to see their good intentions and their vulnerability to criticism. Also, because Inspectors usually make their inspections without much flourish or fanfare, the dedication they bring to their work can go unnoticed and unappreciated.
Please Understand Me II -- The International Bestseller by David Keirsey, Ph.D. Click here to purchase at Amazon.com
While not as talkative as Supervisor Guardians [ESTJs], Inspectors are still highly sociable, and are likely to be involved in community service organizations, such as Sunday School, Little League, or Boy and Girl Scouting, that transmit traditional values to the young. Like all Guardians, Inspectors hold dear their family social ceremonies-weddings, birthdays, and anniversaries - although they tend to be shy if the occasion becomes too large or too public. Generally speaking, Inspectors are not comfortable with anything that gets too fancy. Their words tend to be plain and down-to-earth, not showy or high-flown; their clothes are often simple and conservative rather than of the latest fashion; and their home and work environments are usually neat, orderly, and traditional, rather than trendy or ostentatious. As for personal property, they usually choose standard items over models loaded with features, and they often try to find classics and antiques - Inspectors prefer the old-fashioned to the newfangled every time.
Queen Elizabeth II, Harry S. Truman, Warren Buffet, Queen Victoria, James K. Polk, and J.D. Rockefeller are examples of Inspector Guardians.
Source
http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes2.asp
http://www.personalitypage.com/html/ISTJ.html
ISTJ
Guardian Portrait of the Inspector (ISTJ)
The one word that best describes Inspectors is superdependable. Whether at home or at work, Inspectors are extraordinarily persevering and dutiful, particularly when it comes to keeping an eye on the people and products they are responsible for. In their quiet way, Inspectors see to it that rules are followed, laws are respected, and standards are upheld.
Inspectors (as much as ten percent of the general population) are the true guardians of institutions. They are patient with their work and with the procedures within an institution, although not always with the unauthorized behavior of some people in that institution. Responsible to the core, Inspectors like it when people know their duties, follow the guidelines, and operate within the rules. For their part, Inspectors will see to it that goods are examined and schedules are kept, that resources will be up to standards and delivered when and where they are supposed to be. And they would prefer that everyone be this dependable. Inspectors can be hard-nosed about the need for following the rules in the workplace, and do not hesitate to report irregularities to the proper authorities. Because of this they are often misjudged as being hard-hearted, or as having ice in their veins, for people fail to see their good intentions and their vulnerability to criticism. Also, because Inspectors usually make their inspections without much flourish or fanfare, the dedication they bring to their work can go unnoticed and unappreciated.
Please Understand Me II -- The International Bestseller by David Keirsey, Ph.D. Click here to purchase at Amazon.com
While not as talkative as Supervisor Guardians [ESTJs], Inspectors are still highly sociable, and are likely to be involved in community service organizations, such as Sunday School, Little League, or Boy and Girl Scouting, that transmit traditional values to the young. Like all Guardians, Inspectors hold dear their family social ceremonies-weddings, birthdays, and anniversaries - although they tend to be shy if the occasion becomes too large or too public. Generally speaking, Inspectors are not comfortable with anything that gets too fancy. Their words tend to be plain and down-to-earth, not showy or high-flown; their clothes are often simple and conservative rather than of the latest fashion; and their home and work environments are usually neat, orderly, and traditional, rather than trendy or ostentatious. As for personal property, they usually choose standard items over models loaded with features, and they often try to find classics and antiques - Inspectors prefer the old-fashioned to the newfangled every time.
Queen Elizabeth II, Harry S. Truman, Warren Buffet, Queen Victoria, James K. Polk, and J.D. Rockefeller are examples of Inspector Guardians.
Source
Thursday, September 16, 2010
ENVY
We are seeing more and more University students driving to school. In particular, for 21-year-old student Dhiaa Al-Essa, he may have the headache of choosing which car to drive.
Son of a mega wealthy Saudi businessman, Dhiaa is the youngest person to own a collection of 30 supercar and luxury vehicles worth £4.5million at the young age of just 21. The collection includes five Ferraris, five Porsches, three Lamborghinis, two Rolls Royces and a McLaren Mercedes to name a few. But the list doesn't stop there. Next year the value of his collection will double when he takes delivery of a Koenigsegg Agera for his 22nd birthday and a Bugatti Veyron worth £1.6million.
He was supposed to collect a Ferrari 458 Italia, but it was one of the unlucky 458s that suffered in a warehouse fire at Heathrow Airport. Including customizations such as a Dolce and Gabbana interior, the 458 Italia was priced at £300,000.
Dhiaa is currently pursuing an engineering degree in his home town, Riyadh. His father’s empire extends into numerous businesses from real estate to stock markets. I believe Dhiaa has no lack of choice for ladies too. Oh, how I envy him…
Source
Son of a mega wealthy Saudi businessman, Dhiaa is the youngest person to own a collection of 30 supercar and luxury vehicles worth £4.5million at the young age of just 21. The collection includes five Ferraris, five Porsches, three Lamborghinis, two Rolls Royces and a McLaren Mercedes to name a few. But the list doesn't stop there. Next year the value of his collection will double when he takes delivery of a Koenigsegg Agera for his 22nd birthday and a Bugatti Veyron worth £1.6million.
He was supposed to collect a Ferrari 458 Italia, but it was one of the unlucky 458s that suffered in a warehouse fire at Heathrow Airport. Including customizations such as a Dolce and Gabbana interior, the 458 Italia was priced at £300,000.
Dhiaa is currently pursuing an engineering degree in his home town, Riyadh. His father’s empire extends into numerous businesses from real estate to stock markets. I believe Dhiaa has no lack of choice for ladies too. Oh, how I envy him…
Source
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
How am i feeling ...
Extremely dissatisfied: 29.6%
Your score shows that you are extremely unhappy with your current life. Have you been through a tough time recently, such as the death of a loved one or a divorce? If so, this could explain your unhappiness. Otherwise, you might want to reassess your priorities in life. Are you being too harsh on yourself, always striving for maximum success yet often thinking that you're never good enough?
Yes, reaching life goals is important, but to be truly happy, you need to be at peace with yourself. It's important to set realistic goals: An office worker who is saving up to get a new TV will be more satisfied than a millionaire who wants to own a private jet, simply because the object of desire is achievable in the former case.
If you're not contented with your life, you'll never be happy. Try to have a more positive outlook on life, spend more time with your loved ones. It may also help to see a counsellor, a psychologist or a member of the clergy.
Happiness Quiz
Your score shows that you are extremely unhappy with your current life. Have you been through a tough time recently, such as the death of a loved one or a divorce? If so, this could explain your unhappiness. Otherwise, you might want to reassess your priorities in life. Are you being too harsh on yourself, always striving for maximum success yet often thinking that you're never good enough?
Yes, reaching life goals is important, but to be truly happy, you need to be at peace with yourself. It's important to set realistic goals: An office worker who is saving up to get a new TV will be more satisfied than a millionaire who wants to own a private jet, simply because the object of desire is achievable in the former case.
If you're not contented with your life, you'll never be happy. Try to have a more positive outlook on life, spend more time with your loved ones. It may also help to see a counsellor, a psychologist or a member of the clergy.
Happiness Quiz
Friday, August 27, 2010
Anybody wants to go North Korea jiak hong
http://universaltravel.com.sg/NorthKorea_10DaysNorthKorea.php
We cannot live without Google.
Killer interview question: Could you work as a developer if Google was banned in this bank?
26 August 2010
eFinancialCareers Singapore
A hiring manager asked a candidate this question during an interview for a C#/.NET developer role in a large international bank in Asia.
The question in full
Would you be able to work, code and deliver if I tell you that Google is banned in this organisation?
What the hiring manager thinks are the best and worst answers
Best: “No”
Worst: Saying “yes” and then not being able to answer the most basic object-oriented programming concepts.
Did the manager give the candidate the job?
I actually hired the candidate who answered no; that's for being truthful, and secondly he was pretty solid.
Source
26 August 2010
eFinancialCareers Singapore
A hiring manager asked a candidate this question during an interview for a C#/.NET developer role in a large international bank in Asia.
The question in full
Would you be able to work, code and deliver if I tell you that Google is banned in this organisation?
What the hiring manager thinks are the best and worst answers
Best: “No”
Worst: Saying “yes” and then not being able to answer the most basic object-oriented programming concepts.
Did the manager give the candidate the job?
I actually hired the candidate who answered no; that's for being truthful, and secondly he was pretty solid.
Source
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Tasty Mee Siam, only second to my mum's cooking.
Today was invited to join lunch with the sales team. Previously i told them my favorite food is mee siam and hard to find elsewhere. They had frequently visited a place for mee siam and wanted my review LOL.
The place is called The Royals Cafe near Siglap centre. As the place was rather small, the place is already packed. Inside you can see cakes and ice-cream on display. Other than that they also sell ala carte items like sandwiches, salads, nasi lemak, chicken chop ... , but i am here for the mee siam.
I ordered the mee siam set meal which costs $8.80, consisting of mee siam + coffee/tea/soft drinks and a cake valued below $2.20.
Impression of the mee siam, served in a big bowl with prawns? Now i know why this humble dish costs $4.90 alone. The sourness and spiciness of the gravy is just right. Also the gravy is abit thick with peanuts, elsewhere they don't put peanuts. The only disappointment was the tau gey put inside was not cooked or blanch slightly. I prefer the tau gey to cook longer so its doesn't has that raw taste.
Rating: 4.5/5. If the tau gey is less raw, it would score more.
Lastly was dessert, the American Carrot Cake, this is not your local chai tow kuay. The texture is different from normal cakes, less soft. Every mouthful, you can taste the slices of carrots and nuts, quite a funny yet nice taste. My colleague bought a cake back.
Hope to comeback more for the Mee Siam. Sorry dear readers no pictures.
Thanks Leslie, Siew Cheong, Andy and Thao for the recommendations.
The Royals Cafe
Upper East Coast Rd
19, Crescendo Bldg.
(beside Jalan Tua Kong)
Tel: 6445-6457
Open daily from 7.30am to 11 pm
The place is called The Royals Cafe near Siglap centre. As the place was rather small, the place is already packed. Inside you can see cakes and ice-cream on display. Other than that they also sell ala carte items like sandwiches, salads, nasi lemak, chicken chop ... , but i am here for the mee siam.
I ordered the mee siam set meal which costs $8.80, consisting of mee siam + coffee/tea/soft drinks and a cake valued below $2.20.
Impression of the mee siam, served in a big bowl with prawns? Now i know why this humble dish costs $4.90 alone. The sourness and spiciness of the gravy is just right. Also the gravy is abit thick with peanuts, elsewhere they don't put peanuts. The only disappointment was the tau gey put inside was not cooked or blanch slightly. I prefer the tau gey to cook longer so its doesn't has that raw taste.
Rating: 4.5/5. If the tau gey is less raw, it would score more.
Lastly was dessert, the American Carrot Cake, this is not your local chai tow kuay. The texture is different from normal cakes, less soft. Every mouthful, you can taste the slices of carrots and nuts, quite a funny yet nice taste. My colleague bought a cake back.
Hope to comeback more for the Mee Siam. Sorry dear readers no pictures.
Thanks Leslie, Siew Cheong, Andy and Thao for the recommendations.
The Royals Cafe
Upper East Coast Rd
19, Crescendo Bldg.
(beside Jalan Tua Kong)
Tel: 6445-6457
Open daily from 7.30am to 11 pm
Nice read
A healthy metabolism will keep you in shape and raise your energy levels, both of which are essential to smart money management. By staying healthy, you'll save money on health care costs while maintaining your ability to earn a living. Your metabolism - more specifically, your metabolic rate - is how quickly your body is burning calories. So if you're trying to lose weight, raising your metabolic rate means you'll see results faster.
You don't need fancy diets or expensive gym memberships to raise your metabolic rate. Here are 17 simple things you can do today to jumpstart your body.
[In Pictures: 8 Painless Ways to Save Money.]
1. Fidget. Tap your foot, twirl a pen, chew sugar-free gum while at your desk. Fidgeting uses energy, and while you won't be shedding inches instantly, the mini-aerobics on a daily basis adds up - highly fidgety people may burn up to 500 calories more in a day.
Not done, why not say typing on the keyboard?
2. Stay properly hydrated. Studies have shown that when we are dehydrated, our systems slow down. That includes our metabolism. Aim for at least 8 cups of water a day. An easy way to keep track is to get a 32-oz (4 cups) water bottle, and drink two full bottles a day. If water is too boring for you, there are several natural ways to make water more flavorful.
Office very cold, drinking more water means going toilet often.
3. Avoid diet soda. Water is king when it comes to hydration, but many people find it boring and look for alternatives like diet soda. But just because it has 0 calories doesn't mean it's as good as water. The problem is that the chemical sweeteners used in diet sodas can increase food and fat cravings, which can make sticking to a structured diet and seeing results much harder.
Done
4. Drink cold drinks. Research subjects' metabolisms increased by a third in the 30-40 minutes after drinking a glass of water. The metabolic rate increase is due to your body warming up the liquid.
I read somewhere its bad drinking cold water after a meal especially if the dishes are oily.
5. Spice up your meals. Spicy foods speed up the metabolic process by 20 percent or more for up to half an hour after eating them. Adding a dash of red pepper flakes to stews, pasta sauces, and other dishes is an easy way to turn up the heat and increase the burn.
My mum don't cook Indian or Mexican dishes.
6. Eat a balanced diet that includes "negative calorie" foods. Complex carbohydrates like whole grains, fruits, and vegetables fill you up and take effort for the body to break down. Some vegetables (like celery) and other complex carbohydrates (like high fiber foods) even require more calories to break them down than they contain, making them "negative calorie" foods.
Done
7. Eat more protein. Studies have shown that the body uses twice the energy to break down foods containing protein as it does food that has a high carbohydrate or fat content. (See also: 10 Things to Do With Bargain Beef.)
Will try.
8. Eat fish to store less fat. Eating salmon, tuna, and other fish lowers the levels of leptin in your body. Leptin tells your body how to store calories, and high levels of it trigger fat storage. Eat more fish, lower your leptin levels, and your metabolism triggers your body to store less fat.
If only i am living in Japan and Norway than every meal is Salmon and Sashimi !!!
9. Eat enough calories over the course of the day. Crash diets don't work. If you take in fewer calories than your basal metabolic rate (NYSE: BMR - News) - that is, the amount of calories your body needs when you're completely inactive - then your metabolism will slow down as your body goes into survival mode. So make sure you eat enough to keep your metabolism from stalling.
Don't understand
10. Don't skip breakfast. Eating breakfast is a signal to your metabolism that it's time to start working. Skipping breakfast for the sake of eating less throughout the day is counter-productive; not only does it keep your body in rest mode, but it also makes you hungrier throughout the day.
Doing now and its valid!
11. Eat consistently throughout the day. Eating introduces food into your system, which puts your metabolism to work converting that food to energy it can use. So constant snacking keeps your metabolism elevated throughout the day.
... Hmmms must try
12. Plan ahead for meals and snacks. Eating smaller meals more frequently has the added benefit of keeping your energy level from spiking up or down, which helps you avoid hunger, stay more active, and avoid stress. Have a food plan for the whole day, so you're not tempted by the vending machine in the afternoon and have the energy to exercise after work.
Eat also must plan so troublesome. I just eat whats on the table.
13. Kick your workouts up a notch. When you're walking, wear a weight vest, or bring dumbbells and do curls along the way. Use fitness bands and other resistance gear to get your body to burn more energy in the same amount of time. Need to stay organized? Check out these 8 fitness and diet smart phone apps.
14. Focus on muscle at the gym. Building muscle will help you burn more calories even when you're not moving. While cardio exercise helps to burn fat, muscle building speeds up your metabolic rate for up to 2 hours after every 20-minute session. Better still: every pound of muscle in the body burns 35 calories per day rather than the 2 calories burned by a pound of fat.
15. Perk yourself up with some caffeine. Whether it's a cup of coffee in the morning or a cup of tea in the afternoon, a little bit of caffeine increases your metabolism in the short term. Just be aware that milk and sweeteners add calories, which can counter the metabolic benefits. Also beware of having too much caffeine, which may lead to energy crashes or fitful sleep. (See also: Cheapest Ways to Get Your Caffeine Fix.)
Don't drink coffee.
16. Dodge stress. Stress raises cortisol levels; cortisol is a hormone that can make you hungrier and slow down your metabolism.
Unavoidable when we are working.
17. Never underestimate the value of a good night's sleep. Like stress, though, lack of sleep can elevate levels of cortisol. If the risk of slowing your metabolism down isn't enough to motivate you to try for 8 hours of sleep, how about this -- when you sleep, your body produces a hormone that increases your metabolic rate.
Trying to get min 8hs of sleep.
Source: http://sg.finance.yahoo.com/news/17-Cheap-Ways-to-Jumpstart-usnews-651306142.html?x=0
You don't need fancy diets or expensive gym memberships to raise your metabolic rate. Here are 17 simple things you can do today to jumpstart your body.
[In Pictures: 8 Painless Ways to Save Money.]
1. Fidget. Tap your foot, twirl a pen, chew sugar-free gum while at your desk. Fidgeting uses energy, and while you won't be shedding inches instantly, the mini-aerobics on a daily basis adds up - highly fidgety people may burn up to 500 calories more in a day.
Not done, why not say typing on the keyboard?
2. Stay properly hydrated. Studies have shown that when we are dehydrated, our systems slow down. That includes our metabolism. Aim for at least 8 cups of water a day. An easy way to keep track is to get a 32-oz (4 cups) water bottle, and drink two full bottles a day. If water is too boring for you, there are several natural ways to make water more flavorful.
Office very cold, drinking more water means going toilet often.
3. Avoid diet soda. Water is king when it comes to hydration, but many people find it boring and look for alternatives like diet soda. But just because it has 0 calories doesn't mean it's as good as water. The problem is that the chemical sweeteners used in diet sodas can increase food and fat cravings, which can make sticking to a structured diet and seeing results much harder.
Done
4. Drink cold drinks. Research subjects' metabolisms increased by a third in the 30-40 minutes after drinking a glass of water. The metabolic rate increase is due to your body warming up the liquid.
I read somewhere its bad drinking cold water after a meal especially if the dishes are oily.
5. Spice up your meals. Spicy foods speed up the metabolic process by 20 percent or more for up to half an hour after eating them. Adding a dash of red pepper flakes to stews, pasta sauces, and other dishes is an easy way to turn up the heat and increase the burn.
My mum don't cook Indian or Mexican dishes.
6. Eat a balanced diet that includes "negative calorie" foods. Complex carbohydrates like whole grains, fruits, and vegetables fill you up and take effort for the body to break down. Some vegetables (like celery) and other complex carbohydrates (like high fiber foods) even require more calories to break them down than they contain, making them "negative calorie" foods.
Done
7. Eat more protein. Studies have shown that the body uses twice the energy to break down foods containing protein as it does food that has a high carbohydrate or fat content. (See also: 10 Things to Do With Bargain Beef.)
Will try.
8. Eat fish to store less fat. Eating salmon, tuna, and other fish lowers the levels of leptin in your body. Leptin tells your body how to store calories, and high levels of it trigger fat storage. Eat more fish, lower your leptin levels, and your metabolism triggers your body to store less fat.
If only i am living in Japan and Norway than every meal is Salmon and Sashimi !!!
9. Eat enough calories over the course of the day. Crash diets don't work. If you take in fewer calories than your basal metabolic rate (NYSE: BMR - News) - that is, the amount of calories your body needs when you're completely inactive - then your metabolism will slow down as your body goes into survival mode. So make sure you eat enough to keep your metabolism from stalling.
Don't understand
10. Don't skip breakfast. Eating breakfast is a signal to your metabolism that it's time to start working. Skipping breakfast for the sake of eating less throughout the day is counter-productive; not only does it keep your body in rest mode, but it also makes you hungrier throughout the day.
Doing now and its valid!
11. Eat consistently throughout the day. Eating introduces food into your system, which puts your metabolism to work converting that food to energy it can use. So constant snacking keeps your metabolism elevated throughout the day.
... Hmmms must try
12. Plan ahead for meals and snacks. Eating smaller meals more frequently has the added benefit of keeping your energy level from spiking up or down, which helps you avoid hunger, stay more active, and avoid stress. Have a food plan for the whole day, so you're not tempted by the vending machine in the afternoon and have the energy to exercise after work.
Eat also must plan so troublesome. I just eat whats on the table.
13. Kick your workouts up a notch. When you're walking, wear a weight vest, or bring dumbbells and do curls along the way. Use fitness bands and other resistance gear to get your body to burn more energy in the same amount of time. Need to stay organized? Check out these 8 fitness and diet smart phone apps.
14. Focus on muscle at the gym. Building muscle will help you burn more calories even when you're not moving. While cardio exercise helps to burn fat, muscle building speeds up your metabolic rate for up to 2 hours after every 20-minute session. Better still: every pound of muscle in the body burns 35 calories per day rather than the 2 calories burned by a pound of fat.
15. Perk yourself up with some caffeine. Whether it's a cup of coffee in the morning or a cup of tea in the afternoon, a little bit of caffeine increases your metabolism in the short term. Just be aware that milk and sweeteners add calories, which can counter the metabolic benefits. Also beware of having too much caffeine, which may lead to energy crashes or fitful sleep. (See also: Cheapest Ways to Get Your Caffeine Fix.)
Don't drink coffee.
16. Dodge stress. Stress raises cortisol levels; cortisol is a hormone that can make you hungrier and slow down your metabolism.
Unavoidable when we are working.
17. Never underestimate the value of a good night's sleep. Like stress, though, lack of sleep can elevate levels of cortisol. If the risk of slowing your metabolism down isn't enough to motivate you to try for 8 hours of sleep, how about this -- when you sleep, your body produces a hormone that increases your metabolic rate.
Trying to get min 8hs of sleep.
Source: http://sg.finance.yahoo.com/news/17-Cheap-Ways-to-Jumpstart-usnews-651306142.html?x=0
Friday, August 06, 2010
Art of ordering lunch
Visit the stall near the end of lunch/dinner time.
Sure, some of the dishes may be sold out, but there will also be plenty of other dishes still available. Since the stall owner can't keep the dishes until the next lunch/dinner time, it is in his interest to give away larger portions so that he won't need to deal with leftovers later.
Get your guy colleague to order for you.
This only applies to girls. Stall owners tend to give a smaller portion to girls compared to guys. However, they charge the same price for both. So it is more value for money for a guy to place the order on behalf of the girl so as to receive a larger portion.
Ask for 'more rice' instead of 'add rice'.
Most stall owners will interpret 'more rice' as a larger scoop of rice which will result in more rice. This is generally free. However, 'add rice' entails adding a second scoop of rice to the first, and this generally cost additional money.
Make sure the stall owner has space to serve.
In many mixed vege stalls, there are usually two or more people serving dishes as the same time. When you are ordering, make sure to order dishes that are near the person serving you so that he won't have to stretch over his co-worker to reach your dish. If he is stretching to reach your dish, he probably won't give you more than usual serving since it is that much of a hassle.
Order the meat first.
This is to create a good impression with the stall owner. By ordering the meat first, your are signaling to the stall owner that you will not be ordering the cheapest items on the menu. This puts the owner in a better mood, so he may give you a larger serving.
Order 1 dish at a time and wait until he finished serving.
Point to your first dish, then wait until the stall owner finish serving it before pointing to the next dish. Do not rush him. Often, the stall owner needs time to gauge the portion of food to serve. If you give him sufficient time, it is likely that he will give you a larger than standard portion. Hurrying him results in less than standard portions.
Pause in between ordering dishes.
Pretend to ponder in between dishes. This gives more time for the stall owner to serve your previous dish which likely will result in a larger portion. When he is finished and noticed that you are still pondering overyour next order, he may feel bored and add a few more slices of your previous dish while waiting for you to make your next choice.
Order the same dish twice.
Use this technique very sparingly. After order a dish, pretend to look distracted and point to the same dish again. The stall owner will likely tell you that he has already served that dish. However, occasionally, he may instinctively go through the motion of serving the dish again and make your portion slightly larger, all for the same price.
Order dishes that are about to run out.
It takes practice to estimate, but it is worth picking dishes that are left with about 1.5 to 2 portions. Chances are, that if there is only about 1.5 to 2 portions of the dish left, the stall owner will think 'what-the-heck' and just give you everything. The good is that you get extra servings, the bad is that sauces right at the bottom of the tray are very salty.
Order vege dishes that contain meat sauces.
Some vege dishes have some meat in it to bring out the additional flavour. But it is sold at the price of vege becos the meat is usually in small amounts and only present in the sauce. Tofu dishes are an example of such. By ordering such dishes, you are getting some serving of meat for the price of vege. Nice.
Do not order meat dishes that contain vegetables.
These dishes count as meat but is usual half served with vegetables. It is very not worthwhile, do not order it. An example is the stir fried venison with leek. Go for fully meat dishes instead.
Ask for curry sauce.
Many a time, when you ask for curry sauce, some other ingredients in the curry sauce will find its way onto your rice, such as small pieces of chicken or potato. Cabbage curry sauce will probably bring you some cabbages and longbeans. And it's free.
Ask for meat sauces.
As mentioned earlier, some sauces are cooked with minced meat. It is near impossible to separate the mince meat from the sauce. So if you ask for meat sauces, you will definitely receive some serving of meat with it. And it's free.
Become a regular customer.
Talk to the stall owner on occasions. With good rapport, the stall owner will recognize you as a regular customer and will naturally give you extra servings the next time you visit.
Source http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=410500001830&id=711507292
Sure, some of the dishes may be sold out, but there will also be plenty of other dishes still available. Since the stall owner can't keep the dishes until the next lunch/dinner time, it is in his interest to give away larger portions so that he won't need to deal with leftovers later.
Get your guy colleague to order for you.
This only applies to girls. Stall owners tend to give a smaller portion to girls compared to guys. However, they charge the same price for both. So it is more value for money for a guy to place the order on behalf of the girl so as to receive a larger portion.
Ask for 'more rice' instead of 'add rice'.
Most stall owners will interpret 'more rice' as a larger scoop of rice which will result in more rice. This is generally free. However, 'add rice' entails adding a second scoop of rice to the first, and this generally cost additional money.
Make sure the stall owner has space to serve.
In many mixed vege stalls, there are usually two or more people serving dishes as the same time. When you are ordering, make sure to order dishes that are near the person serving you so that he won't have to stretch over his co-worker to reach your dish. If he is stretching to reach your dish, he probably won't give you more than usual serving since it is that much of a hassle.
Order the meat first.
This is to create a good impression with the stall owner. By ordering the meat first, your are signaling to the stall owner that you will not be ordering the cheapest items on the menu. This puts the owner in a better mood, so he may give you a larger serving.
Order 1 dish at a time and wait until he finished serving.
Point to your first dish, then wait until the stall owner finish serving it before pointing to the next dish. Do not rush him. Often, the stall owner needs time to gauge the portion of food to serve. If you give him sufficient time, it is likely that he will give you a larger than standard portion. Hurrying him results in less than standard portions.
Pause in between ordering dishes.
Pretend to ponder in between dishes. This gives more time for the stall owner to serve your previous dish which likely will result in a larger portion. When he is finished and noticed that you are still pondering overyour next order, he may feel bored and add a few more slices of your previous dish while waiting for you to make your next choice.
Order the same dish twice.
Use this technique very sparingly. After order a dish, pretend to look distracted and point to the same dish again. The stall owner will likely tell you that he has already served that dish. However, occasionally, he may instinctively go through the motion of serving the dish again and make your portion slightly larger, all for the same price.
Order dishes that are about to run out.
It takes practice to estimate, but it is worth picking dishes that are left with about 1.5 to 2 portions. Chances are, that if there is only about 1.5 to 2 portions of the dish left, the stall owner will think 'what-the-heck' and just give you everything. The good is that you get extra servings, the bad is that sauces right at the bottom of the tray are very salty.
Order vege dishes that contain meat sauces.
Some vege dishes have some meat in it to bring out the additional flavour. But it is sold at the price of vege becos the meat is usually in small amounts and only present in the sauce. Tofu dishes are an example of such. By ordering such dishes, you are getting some serving of meat for the price of vege. Nice.
Do not order meat dishes that contain vegetables.
These dishes count as meat but is usual half served with vegetables. It is very not worthwhile, do not order it. An example is the stir fried venison with leek. Go for fully meat dishes instead.
Ask for curry sauce.
Many a time, when you ask for curry sauce, some other ingredients in the curry sauce will find its way onto your rice, such as small pieces of chicken or potato. Cabbage curry sauce will probably bring you some cabbages and longbeans. And it's free.
Ask for meat sauces.
As mentioned earlier, some sauces are cooked with minced meat. It is near impossible to separate the mince meat from the sauce. So if you ask for meat sauces, you will definitely receive some serving of meat with it. And it's free.
Become a regular customer.
Talk to the stall owner on occasions. With good rapport, the stall owner will recognize you as a regular customer and will naturally give you extra servings the next time you visit.
Source http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=410500001830&id=711507292
Thursday, August 05, 2010
Chinese Apple hacker
If tough love is the best way to fix the world's software, then Wu Shi may be one of the information security industry's unsung heroes.
Since 2007 the 35-year-old Shanghai-based researcher has found and reported more than 100 critical flaws in Web browsers like Internet Explorer, Safari and Chrome that could be used to hijack users' computers when they browse to an infected Web page. In the last year alone he's sold more than 50 of those flaws to vulnerability bounty projects like Zero Day Initiative and iDefense, organizations at Hewlett-Packard and VeriSign, respectively, that pay researchers for bug information and use the data in security products before passing it on to affected software vendors.
In Pictures: Red White And Blue In Red China
Hong Kong's 40 Richest
Best Business Apps For Android
Ten Socially Responsible Mobile Apps
Waterproofing Your Vacation
Those numbers represent more flaws reported to Zero Day Initiative and iDefense in a single year--and certainly more vulnerabilities in Web browsers--than practically any other researcher in the world. And more than half those flaws have been in Apple's Safari browser.
In one security update last month, for instance, Apple released 64 new patches for its iPhone operating system. Only six of those security problems had been identified by Apple's internal researchers. Twelve had been identified by researchers at Google. Fifteen had been identified by Wu.
"Perhaps Apple should hire Wu Shi to help them, since apparently he can find more than twice the bugs their whole security team can find," fellow security researcher Charlie Miller told Forbes at the time.
In instant messenger and e-mail conversations, Wu explains how he uses a method known as "fuzzing" to harvest those bugs. Fuzzing a browser involves entering a stream of tweaked files into the program to see which cause it to crash, and then analyzing those crash instances to see which would allow a hacker to insert code that would give him or her control of the browser.
Wu uses his own unique algorithm to generate those test files, and throws them at his own Apache Tomcat server, allowing him to test more samples at a higher frequency than the average researcher. Instead of merely switching single variables in a file, he says his method changes the entire sample, making as many changes as possible that still allow a browser to recognize the file as HTML. "My fuzzing framework focuses on the software's structure, not the details," Wu said.
Wu doesn't perform deep analysis on the bugs he finds, says Aaron Portnoy, a research manager at ZDI who has examined his findings. But Portnoy says the Chinese researcher's full-file fuzzing catches bugs that other approaches can't. "These files have complex hierarchies of related items. Instead of changing one of those items, he can change how the relationship tree works," says Portnoy. "A lot of people fuzz data. He fuzzes relationships."
Wu says he came up with his bug-finding breakthrough after a series of career disappointments. As China's stock market bubble swelled in 2006, his job at a small IT firm began to feel like a sinking ship. "I fell deeper and deeper into despair," Wu said. "On my salary, I couldn't even feed myself."
He left the IT firm and launched a startup based on peer-to-peer file sharing technology. But when a big customer refused to pay for a major project it had commissioned, his partner took another job and the company collapsed.
Wu began assembling a security consultancy and experimenting with fuzzing ideas he'd first had as a student at Fudan University years before. He found several Microsoft security flaws and reported them to the company directly before a friend told him about "vulnerability buying" programs like ZDI. "From that time on, I became a full-time bug hunter," he says.
The hunt has been fruitful. ZDI has paid Wu at least $5,000 for each of the 50 bugs it's bought from him, and iDefense has on occasion paid more than $10,000 for a single flaw. Wu won't say just how much those rewards have added up to, though some simple math shows they go well beyond a quarter of a million dollars--a tidy sum in China. ZDI has also awarded Wu "platinum status," a title that comes with a $20,000 bonus and a free trip to the Black Hat security conference in Las Vegas.
The idea of hundreds of critical security bugs in the hands of a mainland Chinese researcher might worry some in the wake of several widespread cyber espionage networks recently linked to China. The very public hacking of Google, Juniper, Intel, Yahoo and several other companies by cyberspies seemingly based in the country, for instance, used a flaw in Internet Explorer that could have been found with techniques similar to Wu's.
But Wu says that he has sold bugs only to those that "don't do evil" and report the bugs directly to software vendors. For some Internet Explorer bugs, he says he's had offers of 10 times ZDI's bounty from black-market buyers. But moral questions aside, Wu wants none of the risks that come with criminal associations.
Even so, the sheer numbers of vulnerabilities that Wu has found may be troubling, particularly in Apple's software. Wu says that he focuses on Apple's flaws because it's clear that the company hasn't. (Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.)
While Microsoft has been busy hardening its software against a decade of attacks--Wu cites threats like the Code Red worm that spread to hundreds of thousands of computers in 2001 and defaced websites with the phrase "Hacked By Chinese!"--Apple has enjoyed complacent years of being ignored by cybercriminals.
But Wu says that lull can't last. The rise of targeted attacks, for instance, has meant that Apple's smaller market share can no longer shield the company from dealing with security issues. "The iPhone and Mac OS are much easier to attack than Windows 7," he says. "I think in the future there will be a lot of attacks on Apple's software."
In other words, Apple's turn to be "hacked by Chinese" may come soon enough. And not all of them will be as charitable as Wu Shi.
Source: http://sg.news.yahoo.com/forbes/20100720/ttc-what-this-chinese-hacker-could-teach-2aa1c1a.html
Since 2007 the 35-year-old Shanghai-based researcher has found and reported more than 100 critical flaws in Web browsers like Internet Explorer, Safari and Chrome that could be used to hijack users' computers when they browse to an infected Web page. In the last year alone he's sold more than 50 of those flaws to vulnerability bounty projects like Zero Day Initiative and iDefense, organizations at Hewlett-Packard and VeriSign, respectively, that pay researchers for bug information and use the data in security products before passing it on to affected software vendors.
In Pictures: Red White And Blue In Red China
Hong Kong's 40 Richest
Best Business Apps For Android
Ten Socially Responsible Mobile Apps
Waterproofing Your Vacation
Those numbers represent more flaws reported to Zero Day Initiative and iDefense in a single year--and certainly more vulnerabilities in Web browsers--than practically any other researcher in the world. And more than half those flaws have been in Apple's Safari browser.
In one security update last month, for instance, Apple released 64 new patches for its iPhone operating system. Only six of those security problems had been identified by Apple's internal researchers. Twelve had been identified by researchers at Google. Fifteen had been identified by Wu.
"Perhaps Apple should hire Wu Shi to help them, since apparently he can find more than twice the bugs their whole security team can find," fellow security researcher Charlie Miller told Forbes at the time.
In instant messenger and e-mail conversations, Wu explains how he uses a method known as "fuzzing" to harvest those bugs. Fuzzing a browser involves entering a stream of tweaked files into the program to see which cause it to crash, and then analyzing those crash instances to see which would allow a hacker to insert code that would give him or her control of the browser.
Wu uses his own unique algorithm to generate those test files, and throws them at his own Apache Tomcat server, allowing him to test more samples at a higher frequency than the average researcher. Instead of merely switching single variables in a file, he says his method changes the entire sample, making as many changes as possible that still allow a browser to recognize the file as HTML. "My fuzzing framework focuses on the software's structure, not the details," Wu said.
Wu doesn't perform deep analysis on the bugs he finds, says Aaron Portnoy, a research manager at ZDI who has examined his findings. But Portnoy says the Chinese researcher's full-file fuzzing catches bugs that other approaches can't. "These files have complex hierarchies of related items. Instead of changing one of those items, he can change how the relationship tree works," says Portnoy. "A lot of people fuzz data. He fuzzes relationships."
Wu says he came up with his bug-finding breakthrough after a series of career disappointments. As China's stock market bubble swelled in 2006, his job at a small IT firm began to feel like a sinking ship. "I fell deeper and deeper into despair," Wu said. "On my salary, I couldn't even feed myself."
He left the IT firm and launched a startup based on peer-to-peer file sharing technology. But when a big customer refused to pay for a major project it had commissioned, his partner took another job and the company collapsed.
Wu began assembling a security consultancy and experimenting with fuzzing ideas he'd first had as a student at Fudan University years before. He found several Microsoft security flaws and reported them to the company directly before a friend told him about "vulnerability buying" programs like ZDI. "From that time on, I became a full-time bug hunter," he says.
The hunt has been fruitful. ZDI has paid Wu at least $5,000 for each of the 50 bugs it's bought from him, and iDefense has on occasion paid more than $10,000 for a single flaw. Wu won't say just how much those rewards have added up to, though some simple math shows they go well beyond a quarter of a million dollars--a tidy sum in China. ZDI has also awarded Wu "platinum status," a title that comes with a $20,000 bonus and a free trip to the Black Hat security conference in Las Vegas.
The idea of hundreds of critical security bugs in the hands of a mainland Chinese researcher might worry some in the wake of several widespread cyber espionage networks recently linked to China. The very public hacking of Google, Juniper, Intel, Yahoo and several other companies by cyberspies seemingly based in the country, for instance, used a flaw in Internet Explorer that could have been found with techniques similar to Wu's.
But Wu says that he has sold bugs only to those that "don't do evil" and report the bugs directly to software vendors. For some Internet Explorer bugs, he says he's had offers of 10 times ZDI's bounty from black-market buyers. But moral questions aside, Wu wants none of the risks that come with criminal associations.
Even so, the sheer numbers of vulnerabilities that Wu has found may be troubling, particularly in Apple's software. Wu says that he focuses on Apple's flaws because it's clear that the company hasn't. (Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.)
While Microsoft has been busy hardening its software against a decade of attacks--Wu cites threats like the Code Red worm that spread to hundreds of thousands of computers in 2001 and defaced websites with the phrase "Hacked By Chinese!"--Apple has enjoyed complacent years of being ignored by cybercriminals.
But Wu says that lull can't last. The rise of targeted attacks, for instance, has meant that Apple's smaller market share can no longer shield the company from dealing with security issues. "The iPhone and Mac OS are much easier to attack than Windows 7," he says. "I think in the future there will be a lot of attacks on Apple's software."
In other words, Apple's turn to be "hacked by Chinese" may come soon enough. And not all of them will be as charitable as Wu Shi.
Source: http://sg.news.yahoo.com/forbes/20100720/ttc-what-this-chinese-hacker-could-teach-2aa1c1a.html
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
His one month pay is more than my annual pay WTF
Standard Chartered Plc was ordered by Singapore’s High Court to pay Fermin Aldabe for wrongful dismissal after the lender’s global senior risk manager said he would resign on his first day on the job.
The London-based bank must pay Aldabe at least S$40,333 ($29,384) including one month’s salary of S$27,500 and his wage from Nov. 17 to Nov. 30, 2008, Justice Steven Chong said in his judgment yesterday. Aldabe was fired after saying he’d resign when told he wouldn’t be paid for a two-week period before the start date stipulated in his offer letter.
More here
The London-based bank must pay Aldabe at least S$40,333 ($29,384) including one month’s salary of S$27,500 and his wage from Nov. 17 to Nov. 30, 2008, Justice Steven Chong said in his judgment yesterday. Aldabe was fired after saying he’d resign when told he wouldn’t be paid for a two-week period before the start date stipulated in his offer letter.
More here
Results are out, pleased with my performance.
After waiting for a month ...
Now waiting for another negotitations.
Now waiting for another negotitations.
Monday, June 21, 2010
IT 心声
Long hours
Long hours are a given in IT. Long hours in IT were an issue even before the economy tanked, causing more people to be laid off and the remaining staff forced to take on more responsibility. Some of the long hours are due to the nature of the work, but sometimes they’re due to the way you work. There are tons of sources out there that give good time management advice and teach you how to use your time more wisely. I’ve heard good things about Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity.
Lack of respect
While the CIO may feel a lack of respect in the boardroom, IT staffers are often faced with it every day. Help desk personnel will occasionally get the appreciative end-user but many times they’ll be treated as though they invented the technology that is causing the end-user problems.
Network administrators are usually below the radar, only showing up when the system goes down. People rarely recognize the time the system is up. In other words, the more successful a net admin is at the job, the lower his or her profile.
No recognition
Probably the complaint I hear most often from TR members is that they don’t feel they are rewarded properly. In a bad economy, raises and promotions aren’t forthcoming. Even despite these factors, IT can be a thankless job. After all, you’re not out there doing the things that get attention like other departments (e.g., Sales gets the glory if they land a big account). Savvy bosses will constantly sing the praises of their staffers. It’s the best way to get the IT department on the radar.
But if they don’t, you need to do it yourself. Throughout the year you should log your wins and keep track of the metrics that show you’re doing your job. Take the highlights of this and include them in your yearly review. I understand self-promotion is hard for IT pros who just want to do their jobs and not worry about their images, but if you don’t, you’ll be hit by another stressor:
Politics
I don’t care who you are or where you work, you will encounter people who seem to work less, but have more political clout. It’s infuriating but it shows the power of marketing oneself.
Source
Long hours are a given in IT. Long hours in IT were an issue even before the economy tanked, causing more people to be laid off and the remaining staff forced to take on more responsibility. Some of the long hours are due to the nature of the work, but sometimes they’re due to the way you work. There are tons of sources out there that give good time management advice and teach you how to use your time more wisely. I’ve heard good things about Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity.
Lack of respect
While the CIO may feel a lack of respect in the boardroom, IT staffers are often faced with it every day. Help desk personnel will occasionally get the appreciative end-user but many times they’ll be treated as though they invented the technology that is causing the end-user problems.
Network administrators are usually below the radar, only showing up when the system goes down. People rarely recognize the time the system is up. In other words, the more successful a net admin is at the job, the lower his or her profile.
No recognition
Probably the complaint I hear most often from TR members is that they don’t feel they are rewarded properly. In a bad economy, raises and promotions aren’t forthcoming. Even despite these factors, IT can be a thankless job. After all, you’re not out there doing the things that get attention like other departments (e.g., Sales gets the glory if they land a big account). Savvy bosses will constantly sing the praises of their staffers. It’s the best way to get the IT department on the radar.
But if they don’t, you need to do it yourself. Throughout the year you should log your wins and keep track of the metrics that show you’re doing your job. Take the highlights of this and include them in your yearly review. I understand self-promotion is hard for IT pros who just want to do their jobs and not worry about their images, but if you don’t, you’ll be hit by another stressor:
Politics
I don’t care who you are or where you work, you will encounter people who seem to work less, but have more political clout. It’s infuriating but it shows the power of marketing oneself.
Source
Monday, June 14, 2010
Let me teach you a new word today "ENVY"! You shall reply with WOAH! or OMG!
More here http://www.blu-ray.com/community/gallery.php?member=THE_FORCE&folderid=2051
Tuesday, June 08, 2010
Saturday, May 08, 2010
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Thursday, April 08, 2010
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Valentino Balboni, in my opnion the best job in the world !!!
I want to go Sant'Agata Bolognese, Italy to visit Lamborghini Nuova Automobili S.p.A.
Recently Starhub cable tv is showing the series "Mega Factories".
It had shown Ferrari and Porsche factories, but however after watching Lamborghini factory, Lamborghini is a brand that truly hand made sport cars.
Porsche had over 100++ stations with thousands of workers. Workers are responsible for fixing up the car at different station. The cars are moved on a conveyor belt to the next station. The episode on Ferrari i can't remember.
Lamborghini on the other hand had only 14 stations with less than 150 workers. Maybe due to having a smaller factory, work on another Lamborghini starts when one has ended production. The manufacturing of the engine and components are by machinery. But the mounting and installing of engine block, components are by hand. The staff interviewed takes pride and devote their soul when installing a Lamborghini.Each Lamborghini built is unique from another car and produced in limited quantities.
Valentino Balboni has the best job in the world !!!
From another cable show "Rides" on channel 72 Discovery turbo. This gentleman is the chief test driver for Lamborghini.
His job is to test drive each completed Lamborghinis before handing them over to customer.
More on Valentino Balboni http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valentino_Balboni
To give tribute to the most faithful and hardworking test driver, Lamorghini produced the 2010 Lamborghini Gallardo LP550-2 Valentino Balboni. More info below.
http://www.insideline.com/lamborghini/gallardo/2010/2010-lamborghini-gallardo-lp550-2-valentino-balboni-first-drive.html
Recently Starhub cable tv is showing the series "Mega Factories".
It had shown Ferrari and Porsche factories, but however after watching Lamborghini factory, Lamborghini is a brand that truly hand made sport cars.
Porsche had over 100++ stations with thousands of workers. Workers are responsible for fixing up the car at different station. The cars are moved on a conveyor belt to the next station. The episode on Ferrari i can't remember.
Lamborghini on the other hand had only 14 stations with less than 150 workers. Maybe due to having a smaller factory, work on another Lamborghini starts when one has ended production. The manufacturing of the engine and components are by machinery. But the mounting and installing of engine block, components are by hand. The staff interviewed takes pride and devote their soul when installing a Lamborghini.Each Lamborghini built is unique from another car and produced in limited quantities.
Valentino Balboni has the best job in the world !!!
From another cable show "Rides" on channel 72 Discovery turbo. This gentleman is the chief test driver for Lamborghini.
His job is to test drive each completed Lamborghinis before handing them over to customer.
More on Valentino Balboni http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valentino_Balboni
To give tribute to the most faithful and hardworking test driver, Lamorghini produced the 2010 Lamborghini Gallardo LP550-2 Valentino Balboni. More info below.
http://www.insideline.com/lamborghini/gallardo/2010/2010-lamborghini-gallardo-lp550-2-valentino-balboni-first-drive.html
Friday, February 12, 2010
Monday, February 08, 2010
Wendy's but no big deal
Last Saturday after my class, yes class on Saturday 9am -5pm, decided to try eating at Wendy's Restaurant to see whats so special.
Met Kai at Lau Pat Sat, then had dinner at Wendy's. The outlet was quite small compared to the other fast food restaurants with only 2 counters. Their specialty are beef burgers, but I don't take beef, so I ordered the ultimate grill chicken.
Tasted the burger, nothing special consisting of just grilled meat, lettuce and mayo sauce. Kai commented the beef was juicier compared to the rest.
So in my opinion if you are a beef lover give it a try, otherwise go Carl's Junior.
Coke is coke
Fries lose Macdonalds
Chicken meat rather dry but because using thigh meat taste still ok.
After dinner, we walked around Chinatown to get into the festive mood.
Met Kai at Lau Pat Sat, then had dinner at Wendy's. The outlet was quite small compared to the other fast food restaurants with only 2 counters. Their specialty are beef burgers, but I don't take beef, so I ordered the ultimate grill chicken.
Tasted the burger, nothing special consisting of just grilled meat, lettuce and mayo sauce. Kai commented the beef was juicier compared to the rest.
So in my opinion if you are a beef lover give it a try, otherwise go Carl's Junior.
Coke is coke
Fries lose Macdonalds
Chicken meat rather dry but because using thigh meat taste still ok.
After dinner, we walked around Chinatown to get into the festive mood.
Childhood luxury taste that never changes
Last Wednesday brought mum and sis to eat at Fatty Weng near our place.
Used to remember only get to eat here if only my dad strikes 4d! So in those days, when Singapore wasn't flooded with so many eateries, this was the best in the category.
Its a pity that the restaurant at Singapore Badminton Hall had closed down, not sure the reason but nevertheless, the original coffeeshop is still operating.
Chili Crab Do not be mistaken this is only 1 crab!
Fried garlic frog legs
Sambal Kangkong
Spare ribs King
Sweet and sour pork the best i ever tasted, try to believe !
Quality : 4.5/5 (I cannot give full as there's no such thing as perfect.)
Service : 4/5
Ambience : 3/5
Price : 4.5/5
All for less than $100 where to find !
Fatty Weng Restaurant
94 Guillemard Road
6345-2702
Used to remember only get to eat here if only my dad strikes 4d! So in those days, when Singapore wasn't flooded with so many eateries, this was the best in the category.
Its a pity that the restaurant at Singapore Badminton Hall had closed down, not sure the reason but nevertheless, the original coffeeshop is still operating.
Chili Crab Do not be mistaken this is only 1 crab!
Fried garlic frog legs
Sambal Kangkong
Spare ribs King
Sweet and sour pork the best i ever tasted, try to believe !
Quality : 4.5/5 (I cannot give full as there's no such thing as perfect.)
Service : 4/5
Ambience : 3/5
Price : 4.5/5
All for less than $100 where to find !
Fatty Weng Restaurant
94 Guillemard Road
6345-2702
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Friday, January 22, 2010
Month of Japanese Cruisine !!!
Sat 2nd Jan - Ishi Mura @ Paradiz Centre (Cheapest Japanese food in Orchard)
The dessert not from Ishi Mura, from Bugis.
Sat 9th Jan - Shabubu JB (Monthly appointment !!!)
Mon 11th Jan - Ma Maison @ Bugis (Japanese and French Fusion, place to bring loved ones)
Fri 15th Jan - Ishi Mura @ Paradiz Centre (Cheapest Japanese food in Orchard)
Sat 16th Jan - Himawari @ Mount Faber SAFRA Club (Best Japanese food I tasted !!!)
SAFRA Mount Faber 2 Telok Blangah Way #01-10 S(098803)
Tel: 62787778
Buffet nett price around $45/pax
The next closest competitor would be Kushinbo with its spider crabs !!!
The dessert not from Ishi Mura, from Bugis.
Sat 9th Jan - Shabubu JB (Monthly appointment !!!)
Mon 11th Jan - Ma Maison @ Bugis (Japanese and French Fusion, place to bring loved ones)
Fri 15th Jan - Ishi Mura @ Paradiz Centre (Cheapest Japanese food in Orchard)
Sat 16th Jan - Himawari @ Mount Faber SAFRA Club (Best Japanese food I tasted !!!)
SAFRA Mount Faber 2 Telok Blangah Way #01-10 S(098803)
Tel: 62787778
Buffet nett price around $45/pax
The next closest competitor would be Kushinbo with its spider crabs !!!
Thursday, January 07, 2010
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