Talk Is Cheap

Chicka chicka chicka

2012-01-29T19:56:00.000+08:00

So here I am, back again at this blogging business. If you're a previous visitor, you'll have notice the changes that have been made notably to the contributors to this blog though Medulla remains to be seen if she wants to continue this project. To our new readers, we welcome you to our humble settings.

The contents of this blog remain the same..random thoughts, world events, my continuing bag obsession, fluff! I plan to introduce new things along the way provided I can keep up with this along with my other commitments outside the blogosphere! Baby steps...

To mark my return here's a little something to get us through the last remaining hours of the weekend

Fondly remembering...

2009-06-28T00:31:00.002+08:00

One of Michael Jackson's earlier works and an all-time favourite

Surviving the outbreak

2009-04-27T22:48:00.005+08:00

Unless you've been in hibernation, by now you're probably fully aware of the swine flu currently grappling a number of countries, particularly Mexico and the United States. Although the US has declared the outbreak as a 'public health emergency', the world awaits with abated breath as to the level of severity (of this outbreak) from the WHO. In the meantime, before we all start to panic - which our authorities have assured us not to, yet - here's what we all can do to reduce the effect of transmission:

1. Sanitize -- i.e. Wash Your Hands Frequently. It may sound obvious, but hand-washing with soap and water for around 20 seconds is the single best thing you can do (if you're going to go out into the world and interact with other human beings). The CDC estimates that 80 percent of all infections are spread by hands. If you can't wash your hands regularly, try hand-sanitizers with 60 percent alcohol content.
2. Avoid -- i.e. Engage in "Social Distancing." That's the fancy term for reducing unnecessary social contact, staying away from crowds, and avoiding people if you're sick or if you're concerned that they may be infected. It may not be especially practical when you have to go to, say, work, but experts believe it's worth repeating: Isolation and avoidance reduce your chances of getting infected or infecting others.
(Researchers in the UK - mentioned above and sponsored by a cold remedy company - found that 99 percent of commuters suffer at least one cold per winter. By contrast, 58 percent of people who work from home and 88 per cent of those who walk to work caught a cold last winter).
If you need to go someplace crowded, the CDC says, try to spend as little time as possible and try to stay six feet away from potentially infected people. Wearing a surgical or dental facemask - cleared by the FDA as a medical device - "can help prevent some exposures," the CDC says, but they're not foolproof.
3. Be Alert -- i.e. Recognize the Symptoms and Get Help. Swine flu symptoms are similar to regular flu: Fever, body aches, sore throat, cough, runny nose, vomiting, diarrhea, and lethargy. If you don't feel well, seek medical attention. So far, it's important to note, this swine flu is treatable (and absolutely survivable). It's resistant to two of four antiviral drugs approved for combating the flu: Symmetrel and Flumadine. But two newer antivirals - Tamiflu and Relenza - appear to work.

Excerpt taken from Ben Sherwood @ Huffington Post

TGIF

2009-03-27T18:38:00.001+08:00

Awwwww!

Oh Mama!

2009-03-27T00:26:00.003+08:00

As the saying goes, a mother's love for her children knows no boundaries. But when a mother posts a disturbing account of her 19-year-old son's penis problem in a public forum, one has to wonder whether she has taken this whole 'no boundaries' issue a wee bit too far.

Check out an excerpt of her opening post:

My son is 19 and though I have not seen him nude since he was a boy, I had seen him by accident about 6 months ago, when he had somehow ended up falling asleep naked in his room after a shower with his door wide open. He was on his back and erect in his sleep. I noticed his hard-on had a severe curve upward. It was bent very sharply like curling up backwards. I had never seen anything like that on any man. It is about 7″ long approximately and is bent more toward the tip in a definite shape of a letter “j”, or a hook, to attempt to describe it to you.

I was so shocked that I panicked, and woke him up right then and there. Thinking back, it was not very tactful, but I could not wait to try to get at what appeared to be a real problem. It all made sense, how he would not shower at gym class, and didn’t date, despite being a very well built and handsome boy into sports always. I had always wondered if might be gay, though he denied it always. He awoke surprised and shy that he was naked, but I moved his hands from his erect penis, and asked him what was the matter.

We sat and talked after locking his bedroom door. He told me it had started when he was like 12 and got worse, and as I examined it more closely and attempted to straighten it out, it would straighten only very slightly before it would hurt him to force it any further. It being erect, it was very hard and stiff. We allowed it to subside by him putting on his robe a while, and was considerably more normal in the soft state, yet still tending to be curved upwards slightly.

I could straighten it easily while soft, but it would bend back up like rubber. As he became erect again it curled up before my eyes into the “j” hook shape. For more, click here.

Splattt!

2009-03-25T21:58:00.003+08:00

Boredom at its best?

R.I.P Jade Goody

2009-03-23T22:47:00.004+08:00

Photo by Chris Joseph / Landmark / JPI

Another week has gone by, and now another week to get through. Yes, everyone is still talking about the economic downturn alongside the sudden turn-of-luck (perhaps?) between Manchester United and Liverpool, sudden passing of Natasha Richardson and the not-so-sudden passing of Jade Goody. Who would've thought she'd be mentioned in the same breath as Prez Obama, Meredith Kercher and Steven Gerrard, let alone be described as "a kind of Princess Di from the wrong side of tracks"! Shocking isn't it?

I mean what was she famous for in the first place? Sure I'd heard of her way back when I was still slogging my way through bar school but even then she was relegated to the tabloids and weekly gossip magazines. And just when I thought I'd hear the last of her, out came the whole hoo-ha on Celebrity Big Brother for her racist remarks towards her then housemate and fellow E-list celebrity Shilpa Shetty. And when all that passed by, her celebrity radar hit the jackpot upon discovering that she was battling cervical cancer, and that the cancer had spread, thus paving the way for the never-ending coverage of her day-to-day life as the cancer spreads and her death imminent.

So again I ask what is the legacy of Jade Goody's life, battle with cancer and sad passing (no, I am not that cold-hearted) on popular culture?

"Perhaps this is because Jade Goody filled the role of reality TV star to the extreme: she was "famous for nothing," she once said, a woman who went from obscurity to a national sensation due to the public's desire to create heroines and villains out of their neighbors, their peers, people who look and act quite like they do. Her short life was defined by public opinion; she was loved, then fiercely hated, and then pitied, but all of these things came through a lens, a distanced view; she was simply another character for the public to follow, and she knew and seemingly accepted this, giving her blessing to the tabloids to follow her until the very end. As Jeffries notes, "Like a working-class Princess Diana, Goody became the object of strangers' intense feelings, and she became a sacrifice, a woman whose suffering and death made it possible for people to ritually cry for someone they scarcely knew."

Goody hoped that her public struggle would raise awareness about cervical cancer and inspire young women to be more proactive about their health. But Goody's legacy may be her ability to use the reality tv/tabloid media to her advantage, even in dark times: for example, she recently held an elaborate wedding to her prisoner boyfriend, Jack Tweed, in order to sell the media rights and leave her sons with a substantial amount of money, knowing she'd be leaving them soon. Jade Goody was able to make a living out of living; as long as there was a camera present, and a photographer ready to chase her every move, she was able to capture the minds of millions, for better or worse. She forced the public, however unwittingly, to discuss racism, the challenges of cancer, and ultimately, the boundaries of fame."

Do you agree?

p/s: That comparison between Jade and Princess Di was observed by Stephen Fry, who knew!

Justice done?

2009-03-20T00:31:00.005+08:00

The face of evil?

After days of deliberation in court, Josef Fritzl has been sentenced to life in a psychiatric ward for imprisoning his daughter (yes, his very own flesh and blood) for 24 years, fathering her seven children and letting one his sons die whilst in captive. Has justice finally prevailed, particularly for those involved?

Have a good week ahead!

2009-03-15T22:51:00.002+08:00

Another week almost gone. Another new week to get through although we'll all have to get past Monday first. What is it about Mondays that has us singing the blues? Log onto Facebook or MSN Messenger tomorrow morning, and almost everyone will be wishing they'd be elsewhere other than work! In any case, just to keep everyone's spirits up for the much dreaded day of the week check this l'il beauty out. You might've seen this before but I thought with the added lyrics, makes it easier to get what he's singing about - or not!!

TGIF

2009-03-13T01:16:00.003+08:00

Set Your Piggies Freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee everybody!!!

Muthu Oh Muthu

2009-03-11T23:40:00.002+08:00

Got this via e-mail. No offense to the namesake but you gotta admit the jokes are funny!

Enjoy some light moments.......at Muthu's expense
-----------------------------------------------
*MUTHU & THE INTERVIEWER*
Interviewer : 'What is your birth date?'
Muthu : '13th October.'
Interviewer : 'Which year?'
Muthu : 'Every year.'
*****

* MUTHU & HIS MANAGER*
The Manager asked Muthu at an interview....
'Can you spell a word that has more than 100 letters in it?'
Muthu replied: 'P-O-S-T-B-O-X.'
*****

* MUTHU & LONDON TRIP*
After returning from a foreign trip, Muthu asked his wife, 'Do I look like a foreigner?'
Wife: 'No! Why?'
Muthu : 'In London , a lady asked me,

'Are you a foreigner?'...that's why.'
Wife : ?????????
*****

*MUTHU & TOURIST*
A tourist from U.S.A. asked Muthu whether any great man was born in his village... and Muthu said ..

'No sir, only babies were born here.'
*****

*MUTHU & HIS EXPERIMENT*
Muthu was doing an experiment with a cockroach.

First he cut off one leg and told it to 'WALK! WALK!'

The cockroach walked..
Then he cut off it's second leg and told the same.

The cockroach walked.
Then he cut off the third leg and did the same.

Finally, he cut off its fourth leg and ordered it walk!

But the cockroach didn't walk.

Suddenly, Muthu said loudly, 'I found it.

If we cut a cockroach's four legs, it becomes deaf.'
*****

*MUTHU & DRIVER*
When Muthu was travelling with his wife in a motorised tricycle, the driver adjusted the mirror. Muthu shouted, 'You are trying to see my wife, eh?

Sit in the back. I will drive.'
*****

* MUTHU GOES TO HOTEL*
Muthu went into a hotel. To wash his hands, he went to the washbasin.
Then when he had finished, he started washing the basin. Seeing this, the manager asked what he was doing. Muthu pointed to the signboard
'*WASH BASIN * '
*****

*MUTHU & INTERVIEWER - FINAL PART*
Interviewer : 'Just imagine you're on the 20th floor of a building and it's on fire. How will you escape?'
Muthu: 'It's simple.. I will just stop my imagination.'
*****

*Oh... Lest I forget ............. the funniest part...*
At a political rally, Muthu was arrested. Why ????????????
Because a lady journalist with a badge which read
'*PRESS*' pinned on the right part of her blouse walked past him... and he did it!

Squeeeeee!

2009-03-09T20:34:00.005+08:00

Less than 2 months to go and my inner geek-ness is getting all excited after seeing this trailer last week! Time to take out my Star Trek video collections and rehash my favourite Star Trek moments - yes, I still own a VCR. In the meantime let's make do with this til May 8 2009 arrives.

She said what..?

2009-03-09T19:58:00.003+08:00

Meant to post this up yesterday to commomerate International Women's Day, but as the saying goes "better late than never".

"Women in particular need to keep an eye on their physical and mental health, because if we're scurrying to and from appointments and errands, we don't have a lot of time to take care of ourselves. We need to do a better job of putting ourselves higher on our own 'to do' list."
First Lady, Michelle Obama

And this has never been more accurate.

Loony bin

2009-03-07T00:30:00.005+08:00

Words cannot describe nor fully justify what actually goes on in this woman's head. And I'm not even going to bother.

Right to choose?

2009-03-06T01:20:00.006+08:00

Is abortion murder? Or is it a choice?

Now consider this: is abortion murder when a 9-year old girl, carrying twins after being raped by her stepfather, had an abortion because "(S)he is very small. Her uterus doesn't have the ability to hold one, let alone two children,"? Should age (or the size of one's uterus) matter? Does it matter that her pregnancy was caused by her own family member? Where does religion fit into all this?

So many questions, yet there is never a right (nor wrong) answer. The debate will certainly go on but for this girl, nothing would have been more horrific than the ordeal she went through.

Take that b***ch!

2009-03-06T00:30:00.000+08:00

Sign O The Times (Part II)

2009-03-04T22:07:00.003+08:00

It's been a rather stressful week so I thought what better way to unwind than to give myself afew good laughs...at times like these I wish I was back in London..

Unbreakable?

2009-02-23T23:16:00.004+08:00

What's the Oscars without a dash of wannabe celebs pushing their way into these post-Oscar parties just to get their five minutes of fame? And who better to lead that pack than my favourite celeb aka Posh looking disgustingly thin and channeling Morticia Addams at the same time.

On a serious note, how much thinner is this useless woman aiming to reach?? Her arms alone look like they could break IF someone came up to shake her hands. How does Becks even manage not to break any of her bones when they're in bed?

Anniversaries galore

2009-02-23T14:22:00.004+08:00

25. Today's magic number. Has it really been that long? Let's give ourselves a massive clap for reaching such milestone - we've come a long way baby!

Speaking of milestones and magic numbers, let's also give a shoutout to our dear friend Medulla who celebrates her "25th" birthday on this very day. Some of you may know that Medulla and I go back a looooonng way so what better way to prove that by showing this.

Isn't she cute?

Happy Birthday Medulla and Brunei Darussalam!

Over the Moon

2009-02-22T01:53:00.002+08:00

Mark your calendars ladies

Smile

2009-02-20T21:54:00.003+08:00

Can I help it if I'm such a fan??
Look at that smile..

Picture Perfect

2009-02-20T21:35:00.003+08:00

Look at how Shiloh has grown! I just can't get enough of that blonde bob of hair, round cheeks, luscious lips, leggings and trendy sneakers (can't imagine Suri Cruise looking this adorable and hip at the same time) - you're definitely gonna be a heartbreaker one day....

A hidden gem

2009-02-16T23:43:00.003+08:00

Well well well, who would've thought...Never in a million years would anyone ever associate the words "up-to-date" or "hip" with "RTB" up until this evening.

Two words. The Mentalist.

Incase you're wondering what I'm talking about, here's why you should check it - and ultimately RTB2 - out.

So anyway back to this whole issue about RTB2 being "hip" has anyone ever noticed the surge of interesting tv shows it has been screening over the past year or so? Two and A Half Men..24..Supernatural..House..Heroes..Prison Break. Prior to the second RTB channel, the premier channel was only known for its local news, religious programmes and local dramas, and unless you subscribed to Astro then you'd be at the mercy of such programmes. But all that is slowing changing now what with this latest addition to their schedule. Not even AXN, Star World or 8TV has shown signs of screening this latest breakout show which is currently beating out the likes of House, Heroes and Grey's Anatomy back in the States!

Oh and it doesn't help that I'm a HUGE fan of Simon Baker (anyone remember The Guardian..?) who is definitely beyond a sight for sore eyes. Yummmm..

Still want proof?

Check out The Mentalist every Mondays at 9 pm, RTB2.

Love thyself

2009-02-14T23:40:00.003+08:00

Still on the subject of Valentine's Day..thought I'd share this with my fellow single, independent and beautiful ladies (and gents too?) out there.

"Valentine's Day is around the corner and I'm already super depressed. I am single and have been valentine-less for four years now. I just want to crawl under the covers and pretend like this day doesn't exist. I'm a total romantic at heart and I don't know how to not get down around this holiday, any suggestions?"
- Valentine-less, 28, Atlanta

Here's the reply.

Je T'aime?

2009-02-14T23:11:00.004+08:00

Do we need one specific day just to tell our loved one/s how much we love them? After all this is the one day where flowers, chocolates, cards, jewellery and other tokens of love become so much in demand and restaurants hike up their prices - just because. What's wrong with saying "I Love You" say, next week? Does it make it less meaningful or romantic.....?

36

2009-02-13T00:06:00.004+08:00

I know I've been slacking on this whole blogging thing, even more so where American Idol is concerned. So what better way to start my Idol blog with the unveiling of this season's Top 36 which I'm pretty sure most of you must have seen from this evening's episode.

While I'm quite disappointed with the exclusion of 1-2 favourites (Jamar anyone??), it looks like this season's Idol hopefuls are a strong yet interesting bunch (Norman Gentle, blind pianist Scott MacIntyre, diva wannabe Nathaniel)..

..and no, Tatiana does not count as strong nor interesting. That laugh and OTT whining makes Bikini Girl look harmless (and the lesser of two evils). I feel another Sanjaya moment being revisited again *SIGH*

A new addition

2009-02-12T23:49:00.003+08:00

Lips - check. Huge eyes - yet to see.

Ladies and gentlemen, presenting Kasyfi 1.0 a.k.a Kasyfi's new sibling who made his entrance mid-morning today 12th February 2009. Welcome little one..it'll be interesting to see how his older brother reacts to you.

In the meantime, if you're wondering what Kasyfi looks like now (and probably how the l'il one will look like)..seriously, who could resist those lips!!

Determination

2009-02-05T12:22:00.003+08:00

SKorean granny fails driving test 771 times

Now this brings the phrase "If at first you don't succeed, try again" to another level

Human After All

2009-02-04T11:52:00.002+08:00

It's not often hearing someone admitting to making a boo-boo. And it usually involves someone with courage, sincerity, true grit, balls and, most importantly (to me, anyway) conscience. So when President Obama said he screwed up and owns up to it, you know this person has guts.

Such a rarity in today's world indeed. Just goes to show that he is human after all, just like you and me.

TPC : Pink Velvet Cupcakes

2009-01-06T00:40:00.003+08:00

Greetings and a happy new year to all our readers. I haven't blogged for a while, I know. Been away for spiritual enlightenment and reassurance.
Anyhow, I have been busy in the kitchen and this is my latest experiment.
Kitty, Medulla, Miss J, Adam's Mama and various other friends were very very happy with them. Made for the girlie get-together for new year. Enjoy!

A hunting we will go

2008-12-23T00:13:00.004+08:00

MISSING

90 yellow rubber duckies
Last seen: 3 months ago bobbing down from the Jakobshavn glacier on Greenland's west coast
Reward: $100 to the first person who finds a duck

Love at first bite

2008-12-13T23:58:00.003+08:00

It's official. I have jumped on the Twilight bandwagon, joining countless numbers of adoring/drooling/swooning girls..oops I mean fans who have invested their time outside Facebook/MySpace/Multiply/Friendster/etc etc. And here's why..

And this too!

He's no dimwit

2008-12-12T00:58:00.003+08:00

After reading a review-slash-spoiler of the movie two hours before actually watching the movie last night, I had this sinking feeling this movie was heading in the direction of Tom Cruise's War of The Worlds-logic. Could Keanu save the day..for me and Medulla?

Turns out reviews can sometimes be wrong. And in Keanu's case, biased. Despite being a remake of the original 1951 black-and-white film of the same name, The Day The Earth Stood Still is thoroughly enjoyable even if the premise of the show is somewhat environmentally cliche - planet Earth in danger of dying..due to abuse from humans..in order to save planet Earth, need to get rid of humans. Plus Keanu makes such a believable alien (yes, I do admit his dimwit reputation does affect his box-office ratings but that's something I'm willing to overlook *hehehe*) that I can't imagine any other actor in the role as Klaatu, although he does show his age in this movie (again, who cares!?!)

In the meantime, I'll be dreaming of Keanu tonight *DROOL*

Karma

2008-12-07T00:50:00.002+08:00

AS the saying goes "what goes around, comes around". So with news of O.J Simpson being sentenced to 15 years in prison for a botched hold-up in Las Vegas a year ago, it got me thinking whether this is payback for his past..

Happiness

2008-11-18T00:25:00.005+08:00

After

How far would you go to achieving perfection?

Apparently as far as injecting oneself (face to be exact) with cooking oil.

Each to their own, I guess...but at what cost?

Before

Sign O The Times

2008-11-12T22:39:00.004+08:00

I know my recent posts have been on a serious tone so let's lighten things up with these:

To enter or not to enter, that is the question.

This is just too funny! Hahahaha...

The choices we make

2008-11-12T21:20:00.005+08:00

Do our young ones have the right to say "NO" when it comes to making grave decisions about their health and ultimately their life? While the general presumption is the capacity of children and young people to make such decisions is limited by their ability to fully understand the consequences of their decision, nevertheless cases like Re M illustrates otherwise, although it must also be borne in mind that such decisions will also take into account the best interests of the patient.

13-year old Hannah Jones' decision to refuse a potentially life-saving transplant might not be welcomed by all but it goes to show that perhaps our young ones deserve to be heard and respected for their choices they make.

Toilets rule!

2008-11-10T14:13:00.004+08:00

Another Monday folks and I know some, if not all, of you are already counting down the days to Friday (and ultimately the weekend!)...wouldn't it be cool to have at least one Monday off for each month? Wishful thinking aside, here's something we don't often hear or read about. Who would have thought "toilets" and "lifesavers" could be uttered together where our health is concerned?

Shaken but definitely not stirred

2008-11-08T23:54:00.005+08:00

After watching trailers for the latest Bond movie, naturally I was on a high. After all, James Bond is like an international institution - charming, sexy, smart yet dangerous. Not forgetting those wonderful gadgets and cars that have been featured.And let's not forget all those girls who has succumbed to his charms *sigh* heck, with the gorgeous Daniel Craig on tow, I definitely wouldn't mind!

Unfortunately, that high didn't last long. Without going into too much details, let's just say I was left feeling stumped and disappointed when the movie ended. [spoiler alert!] Where was Q? Where were the gadgets? How did Bond not end up getting the girl? Who tried to **** M? Whatever happened to the first baddie after he disappeared? Unless I was sleeping halfway throughout the movie, everything seemed to going at top speed without any breathe/stop/pause button for us moviegoers to digest.

In the meantime, here's something for all you Daniel Craig fans out there to digest on.

SIGH!

Crunch time

2008-11-04T23:05:00.006+08:00

First and foremost, my sincerest apologies for the lack in blog activity. With Raya (I lost count over the number of open houses I'd visited this year!!), work commitments as well as a recent family loss all happening within the space of my last post, I must admit that blogging was the least of my priority although some of you might argue "if I can go on Facebook on a daily basis, then what's so different about blogging?" But let's not debate much on that for I am back peeps!

And what better way to get back into the swing of things by imparting my thoughts on the US presidential election. Yes, in less than 48 hours' time, the new leader of the world will be revealed. For now we will hold our breaths while the Americans put down their votes. Will history beckon for Obama as the first black American President? Or will there be an upset? Has McCain done enough to convince the population that he is nothing like the soon-to-be former prez?

The odds are stacked in favour of Obama. That is if we are to believe what the press have been feeding us. And let's not forget the high octane celebrity endorsements that have been shoved down our faces from day one (Oprah..Scarlett...JT..Madonna..Gwyneth..just to name a few) Heck, even the rest of the world are hoping for Obama to hit the jackpot! That, my friends, is saying a lot about what the rest of the world thinks of the Yanks.

I, for one however, can't seem to understand nor find any solace in Mr O's appeal. Is he really all that? Or just some? Perhaps I'm still reeling from my disappointment over Hilary Clinton's loss *sigh*

Whatever the outcome may be, at least I can be comforted in the fact that the reign of ho**or aka Dubya will be gone...gone baby gone!

Road to nowhere

2008-10-08T09:25:00.003+08:00

Between this and the earlier post, I'd probably take the latter!! This is scarier *hahaha*

To go or not to go?

2008-10-08T09:23:00.003+08:00

Proceed at your own risk...

What not to do

2008-10-08T09:16:00.002+08:00

How assuring!

The real world?

2008-10-06T23:56:00.004+08:00

Not sure whether Bill Gates did say these but it's hard not to disagree with them. This is particularly true where our young ones are concerned. While admirable, not everything in life can be seen in black and white and until the day real life actually hits them hard on their faces, that's when they'll realise real life isn't all that they'd aspired it to be.

Bill Gates recently gave a speech at a High School about 11 things they did not and will not learn in school. He talks about how feel-good, politically correct teachings created a generation of kids with no concept of reality and how this concept set them up for failure in the real world.

Rule 1: Life is not fair - get used to it!

Rule 2: The world won't care about your self-esteem.

The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.

Rule 3: You will NOT make $60,000 a year right out of high school. 

You won't be a vice-president with a car phone until you earn both.

Rule 4: If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss.

Rule 5: Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. 

Your Grandparents had a different word for burger flipping: they called it opportunity.

Rule 6: If you mess up, it's not your parents' fault, so don't whine about your mistakes, learn from them.

Rule 7: Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as they are now. 

They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you 

thought you were. So before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parent's generation, try 

delousing the closet in your own room.

Rule 8: Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life HAS NOT. 

In some schools, they have abolished failing grades and they'll give you as MANY TIMES as you want to 

get the right answer. This doesn't bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.

Rule 9: Life is not divided into semesters. 

You don't get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you FIND YOURSELF. 

Do that on your own time.

Rule 10: Television is NOT real life. 

In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.

Rule 11: Be nice to nerds. 

Chances are you'll end up working for one.

Eid Mubarak

2008-10-01T21:00:00.004+08:00

As we bid adieu to Ramadhan and welcome the new month of Syawal (and endless invitations to open houses!!), we'd like to wish our readers Selamat Hari Raya Aidil Fitri as well as thank you for supporting us here @ T.I.C

Have a good celebration everyone!

Best wishes, T.I.C

The price of perfection

2008-09-29T23:51:00.005+08:00

This reminded me (and the writer even made it a point to include this in this article) of an episode from FRIENDS when Ross accidentally left the bleach on his teeth far too long than the prescribed time, and ended up looking like a glow-in-the-dark idiot. Sometimes too much a good thing does have its fair share of disadvantages..

Tippy Toes

2008-09-29T01:41:00.003+08:00

How is this comfortable?!? I don't care if this is trendy or the way forward in how we define shoes but this is just ugly.

Even more unfortunate is the owner/wearer herself...ugghhh!

Have a good week ahead peeps :D

About time!

2008-09-27T13:22:00.004+08:00

She's coming!!

KylieX2008 is coming to this part of the world! And I can't wait!!

Wooohooooooo

How about that

2008-09-27T13:14:00.002+08:00

We've heard of elephants, even people, being tasked to pull airplanes - for the sake of producing records (Guiness World Book of Records anyone?). But for people to actually push a plane, well now that definitely takes it to another level...this is just too funny.

More magical experiences

2008-09-24T21:02:00.003+08:00

Or how about this?

Magical Experience

2008-09-24T20:53:00.004+08:00

This must be one special toilet! And it only costs 50 cents to experience the "magic" behind it *LOL*

Would you wear these?

2008-09-23T13:19:00.005+08:00

Aminaka Wilmont sole-less heels

Wooyoungmi men's clear plastic, lace-up boots (fellas, would you wear these?)

Marc Jacobs

I love shoes. Ask my family/friends and they can attest to that. But my love for all things shoes has its limits too. Case in point these shoes taken from the recent Spring 2009 fashion shows. Although I can somehow picture Posh wearing the near-to-impossible-to-walk Marc Jacobs stilettos and successfully pulling it off! D*** you Posh!?!

Posh Bunny

2008-09-23T01:57:00.004+08:00

Breaking news folks!

Posh..exercising (GASP!!)...daily four-mile runs (SHOCK!!)...eating more (DOUBLE SHOCK!?!)

And even more horrific, she's giving up shopping!! *Sudden silence*

Just when you (and I) thought there's nothing this useless person wouldn't do or say to stay in the spotlight. This is just too good to be true *hahahahahahhaha*

For more

Mamma Mia here I come...

2008-09-18T22:34:00.003+08:00

As I wait in anticipation to catch Mamma Mia, I thought I'd start the ball rolling with this.

Still my favourite ABBA song..

Lazy Sunday

2008-09-14T23:20:00.002+08:00

...and to Kake too

Congratulations ladies!

Amour

2008-09-14T01:48:00.004+08:00

Each time I hear this song, I turn to *ahem* mush.

One of my favourite scenes in The Lake House, the dancing-in-the-backyard scene between my beloved and Sandra Bullock's characters while this song was playing. I loved these two in Speed and I loved them even more in here. And if Sandra hadn't gotten married to that biker dude, I'd have rooted for them in real-life!

What were they thinking?

2008-09-13T23:03:00.004+08:00

First making their 'appearance' on Thursday, I was initially at loss for words that I didn't even think of taking pictures of them (yes, that was how shocking it was!) at that time. So during a quick visit to the hospital this morning, I thought I'd share this with everyone..

A few points to make. Firstly, this is a hospital, not a hotel. Hardly appropriate. And the chandeliers...oh my..not sure what to make of them but several words come to mind: loud, garish, gaudy, excessive, tacky and the list goes on.

On a positive side, at least the hospital will look brighter than ever before *LOL*

Girl Power?

2008-09-12T01:43:00.005+08:00

Ever since the world was introduced to one Sarah Palin, there isn't a single website/newspaper/magazine/news channel/tv programme that hasn't mentioned her name. As Obamania appears to be fading away, Palinmania has hit the States as per The Telegraph, - she 's even got her own action figures now!

Hillary who?

Useless

2008-09-12T01:10:00.005+08:00

This bag j'adore. Shame about the owner though. You'd think she'd have at least some sense when it comes to getting the right shoe size. Oh but wait, this is Posh we're talking about. The very same person, if my memory serves me correct, once said something along the lines of (still) getting the shoes even if they didn't come in her size but she'll make do by stuffing 'em with tissue.

Yes we know you can afford to do that but what is the point?

I still want her bag!!

ONE

2008-09-11T23:43:00.006+08:00

The birthday cake!

My Boy Wonder is 1 today. Though unaware about all the fuss that was going on earlier this evening, the birthday boy still managed to make the most of his big day, particularly when he opened his presents!

H-A-P-P-Y B-I-R-T-H-D-A-Y
WITH LOVE FROM Auntie Kitty and everyone at T.I.C

All I want for Xmas

2008-09-10T10:24:00.006+08:00

Those Apple people..they're so darned sneaky and clever! Here's more reason for them to make more dosh...and for us to fork out more money! Sigh...

Features of the new iPod Nano:
* in-built accelerator i.e. the image on the screen flips to fit whichever way the device is being held
* shake-to-shuffle mode. No, it's not some new dance move..what it means is that users can shake the device and play a random tune from its downloaded library of music.
* more colours, 9 altogether.
* bigger capacities: 8GB and 16GB
* stop-watch and video-recorder functions
* longer and thinner than its original predecessor, with a curved aluminium design
* 'Genius' function. Basically what it does is it will scan a user's iTunes library, and suggest other songs and artists they might like based on their musical tastes.

Top photo courtesy of Reuters.
Bottom photo courtesy of Monica M.Davey/EPA

Here we go again

2008-09-10T01:35:00.004+08:00

Oh boy, this must be my lucky day...

She hasn't exactly been flying under the radar - God forbid that she'd ever do that! - it just so happens that her recent activities have been somewhat tolerable (yes, even the baggy jeans and sandals/slippers stint a couple of months back) ... shocking isn't it?? Until this.

As is her style, Posh has never been one to slack in the one arena where she actually shows any kind of talent: fashion. With her supposed good friend making headlines lately with her rolled-up baggy jeans and ever-shortened haircut, one would think Posh has lost her touch to "shock". That would almost be akin to Paris Hilton deciding to pursue a degree in Yale/Harvard/Oxford University!

Of course the critics didn't deride her for her efforts. She played the game well. Stick to something safe (although the black dress looks eerily similar to Roland Mouret's infamous Moon dress) . Well done...
..but as for Posh...what is up with the two shades of tan?? And the scary looking skeletal neck and lack of flesh thereof? Yes, we all know how you only feast on sushi and the like just so you can compete with the rest of the other shallow, self-centred celebrities...but heck, even JLo looks healthier, not to mention miles better and more au naturale (yes there was makeup involved but Posh looks so forced in contrast to JLo) than you ever will be!

What it should have been

2008-09-10T01:31:00.004+08:00

Brooke and Eric's daugther is Bridget, not Ashley. Cupcake, I think I got a wee bit excited over this whole B&B saga. Infact the actress who plays Bridget is Ashley Jones..hence the mistake.

My bad..

More guilty pleasures

2008-09-08T23:45:00.004+08:00

The past couple of days have seen me revert back to my rather embarassingly guilty pleasure: THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL. Actually I'm not even sure calling it a guilty pleasure is the correct term seeing how I have this love-hate relationship with soaps where B&B is no exception. However with the shortened working hours during this particular month, the lure of B&B is simply too strong to resist particularly when a) one wants to kill time before the breaking of the fast, or b) there's nothing remotely 'interesting' on tv, althoughI can just hear some of you smirking or scratching your head, thinking "What could be less interesting than B&B???"

Here's why: where else can you find plots and relationships that are complicated, ludricous, far-fetching and dare I say, incestuous. Case in point: Brooke Logan Forrester - formerly married to Eric Forrester (the patriarch of the Forrester family), then married Eric's son, Ridge Forrester followed by Nick Marone, who was in a relationship with Brooke's daughter with Eric (Ashley, who is also Ridge's half sister) only to realise that she (Brooke) was still in love with Nick, who then got together with Ridge's ex wife, Tyler, with whom he (Nick) had a baby only to discover that the baby had Brooke's DNA (mix-up of eggs or something of the sort), and now she (Tyler) is seeing Rick (Brooke's son with Ridge) despite Tyler's daugther (with Ridge), Phoebe being helplessly in love with Rick. And that's probably not even half of the whole story!

Now how could you resist ALL THAT?

And one of the cool things about watching these shows is how you can jump in any time and learn the background (well not the complete background but you get what I mean) of the plotline within days!

The art of studying

2008-09-08T23:33:00.003+08:00

Well now, me thinks it's a bit too late for us, ahem, young adults...

7 Ways to Learn More Without More Study

"1.Get to bed and go to sleep. Sleep enables memory consolidation, which is psych-speak for saying that you remember stuff after you sleep on it. What's more, overall performance, attention, and the ability to concentrate are damaged by lack of sleep..... Teenagers need nine to 10 hours of sleep a night for optimum performance.

2. Start studying a few days in advance of a test. Memories are embedded better if the brain is exposed to information repeatedly. Cramming doesn't work, because your brain doesn't have enough time to embed and consolidate.

3. Feed your head. The brain is an energy hog, and it runs badly if it doesn't get high-octane fuel. That means protein and complex carbs--eggs and wheat toast for breakfast, say, rather than sugary cereal and orange juice. The biggest mistake teens make, Wilson says, is to skip breakfast or to go for sugar, which raises blood sugar, followed by a quick crash.

4. Body exercise is brain exercise. Aerobic exercise really improves brain function, perhaps because it increases blood flow, or perhaps because it reduces stress and anxiety. Exercise also prompts growth of new brain neurons, at least in rats. Twenty minutes or so a day of activity that raises your heart rate will do it.

5. Learn now what you want to remember for the rest of your life. Teenage brains are much better at remembering things on a conscious level than the brains of young children or adults. Scientists aren't sure why, but they know that human brains are primed to notice and remember what's new, and teenagers are exposed to lots of new stuff. "You're going to remember the first time you had sex more than the 33rd time," Wilson says. Whatever the reason, the teenage years are the time to learn new languages and acquire other lifelong skills.

6. Harness the power of risk-taking. Adults are always harping on the downside of teenage risk-taking, and it's true that teenagers are more apt than adults to get themselves in trouble with drinking, driving, and unsafe sex, to name the biggies. But the fact that the parts of the brain that drive people to try new, risky, and exciting things appear to be more developed in teenagers can be a huge plus. Pick appropriate challenges--difficult sports, a tough job, mastering a performance art, traveling overseas--and the teenage brain is uniquely primed to tackle them.

7. Learn what you love. Because emotional systems develop faster in teenager brains than do inhibitory systems, teenagers learn things they're passionate about quickly and well."

Story courtesy of Yahoo!news.

About time

2008-09-08T22:02:00.003+08:00

Teddy bears and fashion. Words that have nothing in common with each other, the former generally associated with soft toys, children, childhood pets and even adults with the latter, Dior, Paris, Milan, trends and the list goes on.

Up until now.
"Fashion’s latest accessory fetish springs from controversial roots. The teddy bear came into being, or so the story goes, when President Theodore Roosevelt refused to kill an American black bear on a hunting trip, and the resulting political cartoon inspired a soft toy. Now it has inspired a thousand fashionistas, too: this season, add a furry bear to your outfit for the ultimate in ironic faux-naïf style. Of course, there is the fashion icon of the autumn, Brideshead Revisited’s Sebastian Flyte, or, for once, take your cue from Paris Hilton, with a candy-sweet princess version. Even Karl Lagerfeld has got in on the act, with a stern-looking teddy made in his image. Here, he explains the appeal of the toy bear.

How do you explain the fact that a man like you still refuses to give up his teddy?

I like animals very much — above all, when they are stuffed with cotton or plastic. It is the best way to be sure they do not bite, eat, smell badly or mess with your things. " [For more]

It's high time teddy bears get the deserved recognition! If Mr Lagerfeld is cool with having his own teddy bear, then maybe it's time to start looking for my old teddy. Or maybe I can ask Kittabee if I can borrow her Teddy Buruk *hehehe*

Venting

2008-09-03T22:46:00.004+08:00

There's nothing more annoying when some idiot driver appears from behind you, inching ever so closely behind you, hoping you'd move onto the slow lane in case s/he just might end up hitting your car...only to find that that same idiot had to slow down either because the fast lane had a longer queue (than the slow one) or s/he missed the green light thus having to stop - anyway.

So to all you road bullies out there, including the driver of a certain black SUV : karma's a bitch!

Still waiting...

2008-09-02T23:43:00.003+08:00

Despite all the criticisms and gossip, from his acting to his sexuality, Keanu Reeves will always be my ultimate guilty pleasure, and at 44, the man still makes me go weak in the knees and this ol' heart skip a beat....SIGH!

Now, if only he'd get back to me..I've lost count on the number of phone messages, text meesages, e-mails and letters I've sent to him!

Happy Birthday Keanu
xoxo Kitty

Strangers in the night

2008-08-29T23:47:00.002+08:00

When Stephen King wrote "That's why I can't imagine that anything in X-Files will match Liv Tyler's exchange with one of the masked home invaders in one particularly terrifying scene of The Strangers.

''Why are you doing this to us?'' she whispers.

To which the woman in the doll-face mask responds, in a dead and affectless voice: ''Because you were home.''

In the end, that's all the explanation a good horror film needs."

..I knew I had to check this one out.

Based on true events, a couple find themselves menaced by a trio of masked psychos in the middle of the night and in the middle of nowhere. There were so many memorable scenes to choose from, mostly which involved a whole lot of ear and eye-closing as well as hiding behind bags, but one that stuck out was when Liv Tyler's character tried to hide underneath the bed, only to discover she can't fit there!!! (Note to all: check your beds. If you can't fit underneath it, get a new one. Or if junk is stored, get rid of them!)

If you like a good scare, which certainly did it for me, then this is a must-see (sorry mozart and Miss J, this one is definitely off-limits to the both of you) - currently showing at Q-lap Mall @ 11.20pm.

But the moral of the story: never buy or stay at a house where there are no nearby neighbours.

Oh, and if someone knocks in the middle of the night, let it be.

Think before you swat..?

2008-08-29T23:26:00.003+08:00

A pesky fly buzzing about...find a newspaper, roll it up..SWAT! No sign of the dead fly..infact it's still happily buzzing about..another attempt on its life is taken...SWAT!! Buzz..buzz..buzz...missed again. After a couple more missed tries, the frustration finally ends with a quick spray from Ridsect/Shelltox etc. We've all been there before..

But wait..there just might be a way to beat these flies to their own game, courtesy of scientists at the California Institute of Technology who have apparently identified why these insects are so evading rolled-up newspapers - and how they might be outwitted.

" The right approach is to aim not at the insects themselves because they are extraordinarily good at anticipating where exactly your blow will land. “It is best to aim a bit forward of the fly's starting position, to anticipate where it is going to jump when it first sees your swatter,” said Michael Dickinson, of the California Institute of Technology, who led the study " For more.

Now either these scientists have run of original ideas to work on...boredom maybe..or perhaps their workplace is badly infested with houseflies, that they've decided to find a way of outwitting them annoying, pesky flies!

Overheard

2008-08-19T01:58:00.002+08:00

"I hope the nation and the people will forgive my mistakes"
The now former President Pervez Musharraf in a televised address largely devoted to defending his record following his announcement of resignation as president.

For idiots only?

2008-08-18T03:01:00.003+08:00

Unless you're an idiot....hahahaha

Olympics Galore

2008-08-18T02:10:00.004+08:00

The fastest man...in the water!!

If I have bored anyone with my recent Olympics' posts, be prepared *muahahahahahahahahahhaaha* Come on now, with Michael Phelps setting new records and winning all eight gold medals as per his target...Federer getting his ass kicked (again)... Jamaica sweeping the medals in both the men's and women's 100m races, officially killing all hopes of the Americans in their bid to maintain their dominance over the track and at the same time, catching up with Chinese in the medals standing...Federer finally winning gold tho in an unfamiliar territory aka men's double tennis...a 41-year old proving that age isn't a barrier...surely any one of these would've gotten you sitting at the edge of your seat/s, shouting and screaming as if these people can even hear you?? Watching Michael Phelps earlier yesterday morning in his bid to win his 8th gold medal was simply riveting and nerve wrecking. Those last 30 seconds or so when Jason Lezak had 50 metres to go with Eamonn Sullivan from Australia matching him arm to arm..the thought of Phelps possibly losing that 8th and final gold by a hundreth of a second or two...'til Lezak finally touched the wall ahead of Australia, and everything was right in Michael Phelps' world. It would've been cool to be there at the Water Cube, to witness sporting history in the making as well as to check out the lovely bods of the swimmers *yummm*, but that's a different story altogether...

..But in the meantime, let's join in the celebration of these talented people who have provided us with plenty of entertainment over the past 10 days or so, with more hopefully to come..

The fastest man...on land!

Birthday sprees

2008-08-17T01:52:00.003+08:00

Many happy returns to Auntie H and Elfa on their birthdays today.

xoxo
T.I.C

50 and still going strong

2008-08-16T00:19:00.003+08:00

She's about to embark on her World Tour, cheekily called Sticky and Sweet (that's Madonna for you). She's courted controversy, from ruffling religious feathers to dabbling in sexual fantasies (Sex anyone?) to divorce rumours, and still is. Forget about Kylie or Katie Holmes or Posh Spice, she is the mother of reinvention (virginal vamp, Marilynesque bombshell, Material Girl, ambisexual dominatrix, spiritual diva, lady of the manor, disco diva). She's shrewd, tough, disciplined and has a smart command of what's "in"..and let's not forget, she's bloody rich too! Probably will be even more richer when her Live Nation deal kicks in. Love her or hate her, she's one smart, tough chica and from the looks of it, she isn't showing signs of slowing down, let alone letting the big 5-0 affect her.

All hail the Queen (no pun intended to the actual Queen) and Happy Birthday!

I still love this...such a happy song :D

Did you know...?

2008-08-14T17:02:00.004+08:00

Ever wondered why divers immediately head to the showers, right after coming out of the pool?

Here's why: Divers shower in between each dive to keep their muscles warm after getting out of the pool. The temperature of the pool water and the air are usually different (the pool is usually around 80 degrees, with the air temperature between 68 and 72 degrees). This difference can cause muscle tightness. To combat this, divers warm up in either the showers or a hot tub.

Mystery solved.

OUCH!?!

2008-08-14T01:17:00.003+08:00

I find it both fascinating and amusing how grown men and women spend most of their time lifting these things everyone calls "weights", just for what? To be called the strongest man/woman in the world. I've been watching the Olympics since it started and to watch these men and women dressed in these ridiculously tight and funny outfits, competing against each other to see who can lift the most weights...how funny! And let's not forget the background support in the form of their coaches/mentors "giving" their utmost support...where sometimes it works..and sometimes it backfires. But there was always one thing that bore in my mind, reminding me how dangerous it can be if something should go wrong.

And this confirmed my belief. *WARNING: PROCEED WITH CAUTION.*

"This is the moment Hungarian weightlifter Janos Baranyai's first Olympics ended in agony when he dislocated his right elbow in the ugliest moment yet of the Olympic weightlifting competition.

Baranyai was trying to snatch 148kg in his third lift in the men's 77kg division, when his elbow popped out of its socket.

No longer able to support the weight of the barbell, his right forearm bent backward. The 24-year-old Hungarian fell to the floor in shock, shaking and crying out in pain.

Hungary's coaching staff and competition officials rushed to Baranyai's aid as he lay trembling on the floor, his arm limp and twisted out of position."

This is no laughing matter folks, even seeing the photos give me goosebumps!

Story courtesy of the Daily Mail

The One

2008-08-12T01:07:00.004+08:00

Prefer the original version but this is still a favourite of mine..

Lesson learned

2008-08-10T00:44:00.003+08:00

Whatever had gone on behind the scenes prior to yesterday, there's no denying last night's "boo boo" probably became the talking point of everyone's conversation. Perhaps this could be a lesson learnt for all of us - respect the rules and regulations (as was highlighted by one of the President of the IOC)

Let's not speculate nor play the blame-game...let's just enjoy the Games for the next 15 days or so.

R.I.P

2008-08-10T00:37:00.003+08:00

Bosley a.k.a Bernie Mac has left the building...

Best wishes Cupcake

2008-08-09T01:58:00.005+08:00

Today we celebrate and welcome Cupcake into our Club ** (purposely withheld, but for the sake of our other readers, let's just put it as "21") . Cupcake, hope you'll have a happy happy birthday filled with lotsa goodies and happy memories. Here's to many more cupcakes, double chocolate muffins (still waiting...), brownies, banana-date muffins, carrot cakes and plenty more goodies from your oven!

With love from all @ T.I.C and beyond

One World One Dream

2008-08-09T01:20:00.008+08:00

Image courtesy of EPA

It was billed as THE event of the year and man, did the host (China) go all out! The fireworks! The performances! The colourful costumes! The amazing Bird's Nest Stadium! My favourite being Li Ning walking round the top of the stadium, whilst attached on wires, to light the main torch...how cool was that!!

Image by Jeff Gross/Getty Images

Image courtesy of Adam Pretty/Getty Images

If the opening was this good, there's no doubt the Chinese will also spare no expenses in churning out a spectacular closing ceremony. After all they spent seven - yes, you heard me right there..S-E-V-E-N - years preparing for all this. Yikesss! Looks like the Brits will have a hard time trying to top this.

On a more serious note, did anyone catch what the commentators said about our country being absent from the list of participants? The only words I caught were "late" and "admission"...anyone?

Heroes

2008-08-08T01:24:00.003+08:00

A couple more hours to go before the 2008 Olympics officially begins..

There's Something About David Caruso

2008-08-08T00:57:00.003+08:00

Of the three CSI shows, CSI:Miami wins hands down with its impausible characters (who in their right mind - and in real life!?! - would wear 4-inch boots whilst investigating a crime scene? Or has time to wear make-up while carrying out a post-mortem examination?), sometimes-ridiculous plots and constant over-acting..David Caruso anyone? Head tilt...funny one-liners..sunglasses..gives supposed meaningful stare/hands on hips/leaves the scene before anyone could retort back - surely after 5 seasons you would have noticed!!

Apparently so did Jim Carrey...

..loved the Tweety joke *LOL*

Hide and Seek

2008-08-04T00:39:00.003+08:00

Just when you thought it was safe to come out and play...this hideous creature came out!

Have a good week ahead peeps

Stuck?

2008-08-03T23:27:00.004+08:00

"Stuck in Wrong Career"

A published survey in Singapore reports that more than half of the workers in Singapore have regrets about what they chose to study during their stints in school, polytechnics or universities, with one in three respondents also (being) uncertain about their ultimate career choices and about 10 per cent saying they definitely selected the wrong career.

Without dissecting the credibility of this survey (and plenty others similar to this too), I can't help but agree with the above headline.

Don't get me wrong, I've always wanted to be what-I'm-currently-doing (though it's pretty hazy as to when that ambition came to fruition). It's just that lately I've been questioning my enthusiasm and motivation, often wondering whether I'm in the wrong career, whether I'll get out of this rut and whether I'm brave enough to venture out into other fields (bearing in mind the responsibilities that I have taken up since I started work almost 8 years ago).

As much as I'd like to be able to look into my future via a crystal ball, at the end of the day it all boils down to me and whether I'm willing to take the risk or continue being miserable or demotivated for the next couple of years..

Six Degrees of T.I.C

2008-08-03T23:07:00.004+08:00

Is the world such a small place that we are all linked by chains of acquaintance meaning that you are just six introductions away from any other person on the planet? Apparently Microsoft has proof that the theory of six degrees of separation rings true - well, almost.

"(But) yesterday researchers announced the theory was right - nearly. By studying billions of electronic messages, they worked out that any two strangers are, on average, distanced by precisely 6.6 degrees of separation. In other words, putting fractions to one side, you are linked by a string of seven or fewer acquaintances to Madonna, the Dalai Lama and the Queen. The news will come as no surprise to film buffs who for years have been playing the parlour game Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon, in which they link other actors to Bacon in six films or fewer.

Researchers at Microsoft studied records of 30 billion electronic conversations among 180 million people in various countries, according to the Washington Post. This was 'the first time a planetary-scale social network has been available,' they observed. The database covered all the Microsoft Messenger instant-messaging network in June 2006, equivalent to roughly half the world's instant-messaging traffic at that time.

Eric Horvitz and fellow researcher Jure Leskovec considered two people to be acquaintances if they had sent one another a message. They looked at the minimum chain lengths it would take to connect 180 billion different pairs of users in the database. They found that the average length was 6.6 hops, and that 78 per cent of the pairs could be connected in seven steps or fewer. But some were separated by as many as 29 steps.

The researchers wrote: 'Via the lens provided on the world by Messenger, we find that there are about "seven degrees of separation" among people.'"

Call it what they want, I still say it's a small world out there..

Cupcakes galore

2008-08-03T00:54:00.007+08:00

Vanilla Buttercream Colors

I'm officially declaring this week as Cupcake Week!

Thanks to Cupcake for posting those mouthwatering pictures of her creations as well as the countless photos currently circling around in Facebook of friends either sharing their own creations and wishlists, I thought it's about time I introduce the ultimate cupcake of all cupcakes.

Introduced by a cousin 2 years ago during my summer holiday in NYC, Buttercup Bake Shop makes these divine cupcakes which will make you forget all the cupcakes you've eaten all this time. Freshly made daily, they come in various kinds, from good ol'fashioned vanilla with chocolate frosting to German Chocolate to Spicy Sour Cream to the sumptuous red velvet - courtesy of F who, upon my recommendation, brought back and introduced me to probably the best-tasting cupcake out of all the Buttercup cupcakes I've tasted. Definitely not for the faint-hearted!

So if you're ever in NYC, do check it out. As the saying goes, "don't miss out on what life has to offer", or in this particular case, what Buttercup Bake Shop has to offer!

Assorted Cupcakes

Are you drooling again?

Photos courtesy of Buttercup Bake Shop

Mr Big?

2008-08-02T01:14:00.003+08:00

Meet Chunk (formerly known as Powder after an animal shelter mistakenly believed he was a "she"), the current media darling because of ... well I don't need to explain any further, do I?

Baking spree - response

2008-08-02T01:04:00.005+08:00

Cupcake, speaking on behalf of our readers,

*drooooool*

*sluuurrrrrrrrrrpppp*

How could anyone NOT resist those cupcakes and muffins??!??

TPC on a baking spree : my signature Pink Cupcake

2008-08-01T17:59:00.002+08:00

this has to be my signature cupcake. everyone loves these.

TPC on a baking spree : Banana Date Muffin

2008-08-01T17:47:00.003+08:00

also from the recent girlie get together, at the request of Hannan's papa, his favourite muffin.

TPC on a baking spree : Blue Iced Chocolate Cupcakes

2008-08-01T17:39:00.004+08:00

at a recent get together with the BFF's , cupcakes need to be made. i am usually a pink cupcake kinda girl. but i decided to go for baby blue this time. also to show off my brilliant Wilton Cupcake Stand.

TPC on a baking spree : Mini Double Chocolate Muffin

2008-08-01T17:20:00.004+08:00

i know i have been neglecting to contribute to the blog. sorry kitty! as you know, i have been distracted! hehehehe! anyhow, had the nieces over today and they requested this. presenting..... Mini Double Chocolate Muffin.
from the top, fresh from the oven and paper peeled off, then just to show the dark inside, then going....going...and GONE!!!

Game Over

2008-07-31T01:15:00.004+08:00

It's official. Adios Scrabulous.

"Scrabulous, the popular Scrabble-based game on Facebook, has been taken down from the US version of the social networking site.

The makers of Scrabulous said today that they had agreed to a request from Hasbro, the toymaker which owns the rights to the board game in the US, to remove their application from Facebook.

The decision ends a long-running dispute about Scrabulous, which Hasbro claims infringes on its own trademark, and will mean that any US-based Facebook user will no longer have access to the game. About 450,000 people use the application every day worldwide."

For more.

Taken from The Times online

Another week goes by...

2008-07-27T23:36:00.005+08:00

As another weekend draws to a close, and the thought of going back to work/school tomorrow doesn't exactly bode well for most of us (as is generally the case), I thought I'd share this with you.

Birthday

2008-07-25T00:42:00.004+08:00

Many happy returns of the day to the ever-effervescent Jerry who turns THIRTY TWO "3-2" today. I know you're gonna hate me for that but that's payback for the countless "someone's-older-than-me" jokes! *LOL*

Happy Birthday
with love from T.I.C

What's in a name?

2008-07-25T00:34:00.006+08:00

In this day and age, it's not surprising for parents, with celebrities leading the pack, to try their creativity when it comes down to naming their kids ...Tiger Lily Heavenly Hiraani...Moxie CrimeFighter...Tabooger....Moon Unit..Pilot Inspektor...Tu Morrow..just to name a few. Gone were the days of simple names such as Michael, Tom, Elizabeth, Anne etc.

Everyone wants to be unique, or so they claim.

Until one 'Talula Does The Hula From Hawaii' came along who thought otherwise. Yes, that is, or rather was her name.

..from yahoo news

"WELLINGTON, New Zealand - A family court judge in New Zealand has had enough with parents giving their children bizarre names here, and did something about it.

Just ask Talula Does The Hula From Hawaii. He had her renamed.

Judge Rob Murfitt made the 9-year-old girl a ward of the court so that her name could be changed, he said in a ruling made public Thursday. The girl was involved in a custody battle, he said.

The new name was not made public to protect the girl's privacy.

"The court is profoundly concerned about the very poor judgment which this child's parents have shown in choosing this name," he wrote. "It makes a fool of the child and sets her up with a social disability and handicap, unnecessarily."

The girl had been so embarrassed at the name that she had never told her closest friends what it was. She told people to call her "K" instead, the girl's lawyer, Colleen MacLeod, told the court.

In his ruling, Murfitt cited a list of the unfortunate names.

Registration officials blocked some names, including Fish and Chips, Yeah Detroit, Keenan Got Lucy and Sex Fruit, he said. But others were allowed, including Number 16 Bus Shelter "and tragically, Violence," he said."

Poor girl. I can understand the trauma she must have gone through! By the way, Moxie CrimeFighter is the actual name of Penn Jillette's daughter (one half of the infamous magician duo Penn and Teller)...so do her parents call her "Moxie" or "Mo" or "M" or "Moxie Moxie Foofighter"?

Something to think about

2008-07-24T00:49:00.006+08:00

Last weekend, an unfortunate and sad tragedy occurred whereby precious lives were lost. Having heard stories pre and post incident and the devastating impact it had on their loved ones, imagine my horror when I heard a video recording has been circling around where strangers were shown stealing from the victims in plain sight! And on top of the video, there's also an email containing pictures of the aftermath going round the internet as we speak. Although I have seen those horrifying pictures (unfortunate on my part and certainly not for the faint-hearted), I have not seen the video nor do I intend to see it...and people, so should you!!

Shame on the idiot who thought forwarding the video would show the rest of the world first-hand pictures/information of the incident.

Shame on the other idiots who had the audacity to steal whilst people were injured, lying in pain, confused, in shock and in dire need for help - is there no humanity left in this world?

Shame on you too for watching that video (and e-mail I might add). It's one thing to be curious but how would you feel if those pictures or recordings involved your loved ones?

Not a nice feeling innit?

Go get 'em leopard!

2008-07-24T00:38:00.005+08:00

Let's for a minute forget about the heinous wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and the lot, and indulge in these magnificent sights of nature at its terrifying best..

Images courtesy of Hal Brindley