security threat by the numbers

did you know:

• online ads are 182 times more likely to deliver malicious content than pornography sites?
• ... and that online shopping is 21 times riskier than counterfeit software sites?

just some interesting snippets :)

Fairly Legal - kiss me

i'm an avid TV girl, i watch quite a bit of TV on the cable channels, though mostly random. with an irregular schedule, it's difficult to follow a specific tv series through all its episodes, but thankfully for the Starhub hubstation, i get to pre-record selected shows that i love.

one such newer series that has gotten me hooked since season 1 is this fun and light-hearted "legally blonde" style drama - Fairly Legal on the Diva Universal channel. starring Sarah Shahi, Michael Trucco, Virginia Williams, Ryan Johnson et al, it's a story about character Kate Reed who quit her profession as a lawyer to become a charming mediator in an over-zealous quest to help anyone she meets.

so, i've always been captivated by the funny and impulsive Kate Reed, her never yielding sense of justice, as well as the chemistry, dynamics and conflicts between all the key characters... but now, one more reason that has gotten me more into the show is the budding romance and tension between Kate and her fellow colleague Ben Grogan (a filthy rich douchebag who's actually quite a sweetheart deep down inside) - yea, i know... fairytale, but who doesn't enjoy one every now and then? ;)

can't wait for the next episode to show tomorrow evening here, i'm actually rooting for them, they look cute together (and i'm no teenager, mind you). in the meantime, for those of you who follow the show, and also love what i love, this is for you :)

ps: love the sweet song in this clip too ("kiss me" by Ed Sheeran)

(courtesy of Im4Clois on youtube)

watch Olympics 2012 sporting events - LEGO style! ;)

don't miss these amazing stop-motion videos of the Olympics 2012 events by designer Fabian Moritz... love them all! :) commissioned by The Guardian.

"animated reconstructions of the best moments of the global sport event taking place in the UK from 27 july to 12 august 2012."

women's gymnastics final

men's swimming 200 individual medley final

they even included a funny bit about Michael Phelps' 12,000 calorie diet! lol!

Usain Bolt wins gold in 100m run final

click here for the complete series (more videos).

Mentos singapore - national night??!

9th august is Singapore's national day... but have you heard of the 'national night'? ;)
LOL... hilarious (and very Singaporean) viral video by - guess who? - MENTOS SINGAPORE! hehehe...

has anyone used Skype via CallByText on your iPhone?

i was just surfing around for some information on Skype and stumbled upon this site called CallByText. it claims to allow you to make phonecalls via your Skype account even when you are not connected to the internet. sounds too cool, isn't it?

but has anyone actually tried and tested this?
does it really work?

here's how it supposedly works:

 

it's free, it offer good savings, and there's even have a free app for iphone users, what's there not to like about it? so i tried downloading the app onto my phone, and went on to register myself for a free account. i got all the way through to the email verification part, and then i stopped and decided to just drop the whole idea.

so you see, this site that claims to be "not affiliated with Apple Inc. nor with Skype" actually asked for my Skype login and password as part of the registration process? oh no no no! that is one big security compromise! as attractive the thought of being able to access Skype calls without internet connection is, i just don't agree to the idea of providing my Skype login access to an unauthorised third-party.

not even the fact that CallByText was listed on CNET download.com, and its mediocre presence on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter could convince me to do otherwise. on the contrary, after giving it some thought, the realisation that this service has been around since october 2010, yet hasn't quite taken off or garnered warm response or reviews... made me all the more skeptical of it.

don't get me wrong, i so look forward to the day when i can make Skype or some form of  VoIP calls without relying on my data plan or WiFi access - that would be too good to be true. but for now, without positive reviews and affirmation from the general target audience out there, i shall not risk it... and will just continue to pay for my international calls or enjoy my Skype-to-Skype free calls via the internet / data plan :)

would you like to own a petite lap giraffe?

this is not exactly new but i've only come across a picture of the oh-so-adorable petite lap giraffe (PLG) on Facebook over the weekend via a friend of a friend's profile picture.

 

the utter cuteness and intriguing (tiny) size of the giraffe made me stop and instantly google for answers... i just had to find out for myself, whether a giraffe that tiny really exists in this world.

and here's my answer - the petite lap giraffe - nothing but another make-believe story spun off as the anchor of a viral marketing effort of DirecTV.

here are the two TV commericals that started it all (courtesy of directv on youtube):

read all about it here - Petite Lap Giraffe Story Controversy - and visit the website to see how unsuspecting audiences worldwide fell in love with the cutest little fictional creature, and fell into the marketeers' trap :) even more remarkably, there is a 24/7 live feed of the farm on the homepage, if you're lucky, you might even spot the PLG strutting around right in front of your eyes!

in today's buzzling world of social media and citizen journalism, it is getting increasingly difficult for one to differentiate between real vs. fiction. there is often controversy around such tactics and the unorthodox engagement of social media marketing. but if you asked for my take on it, i'd say that's the beauty and power of the social media today. it's the flexibility, the possibility of creating anything out-of-the-box, things so bizarre and unbelievable, and actually making it convincing and viral. the onus is on you and i, to have an open mind, to question and investigate, to understand what's real and what's not, and while at it, take time to enjoy the ride, and appreciate some of these "how does anyone come up with something like this" kind of strange ideas and marvels :)

enjoy! and perhaps indulge in the thought that somewhere out there, in some far far away land, there could really be a colony of petite lap giraffes, yet unknown to the rest of the world...

an epic marriage proposal - 13 million hits on YouTube!

although i wouldn't exactly consider it the 'greatest marriage proposal ever'.. it is indeed a special and sweet one, made me tear up a little at the beginning when the girl realised what was happening...

i applaud the guy's creativity and courage (it must take some level of certainty and confidence for a guy to pull off such a 'involve everyone' kind of proposal, doesn't it?) :)

(courtesy of MattandGinny on youtube)

first posted on 16 May, this youtube clip has already garnered over 13 million views, and still counting! whoa... incredible! they're like some mini celebrities now. if you're keen on 'stalking' them further, you can follow their very own website at www.MattandGinny.com

thanks to davis for sharing this on FB.

remember your first kiss?

haha.. so cute.. young and innocent, yet with a little cheekiness ;)

(courtesy of heyharmony on youtube)

we are Singaporeans. double confirm! :)

i'm a true blue Singaporean, grew up in the HDB neighbourhoods, love the hustles and bustles of the old estate, the familiar hawker centres, void deck shops, comfort food (and teh siew dai) :) even managed to tolerate and survive the noisy common corridors and screaming kids from the playground beneath the block.. hehe.

of course, i do have my fair share of complaints, discontent and gossips about the society, the education system, the not-so-gracious behaviour of some fellow Singaporeans etc. but at the very core of it, i am still happy and very proud to be a homegrown part of this little red dot.

once in a while, we come across local TV/movie productions that just blow you away - movies like "i not stupid"(Jack Neo), "881" (Royston Tan) etc. that have made a name even outside of Singapore, and i am proud of their achievements. 

even on our local TV, i have gotten addicted to some very entertaining 'homemade' small bites that are simply hilarious. here are two current must-watch on Mediacorp Channel 5, if you haven't already become a fan:

1) The NOOSE

premiered back in 2007, the Noose is now already into its 4th season, yet i have enjoyed and continue to enjoy every single episode of this (thanks to the recording feature on HubStation). don't miss the most entertaining impersonations from funny bones like Chua En Lai, Michelle Chong, Alaric Tay etc., on local news and heartlanders stories with a twist (and lots of humour)!

2) We are Singaporeans

"... a gameshow about everything and anything to do with Singapore - from history to culture to trivia! Hosted by Hossan Leong, contestants will get the chance to walk away with $10,000 every week. We Are Singaporeans debuts on Channel 5 on 6 April, Wednesday at 8pm."

i think the trailers are superb and very successful! just seeing how funny Hossan Leong is makes me wanna watch the gameshow and find out what it's all about. if you don't believe me, watch the series of trailers below (my favourites are the supermarket and 'kopitiam' versions). i couldn't stop laughing everytime it comes on TV, and i didn't even mind watching them again and again! lol. soooo good and soooo Singaporean! :)

(all clips courtesy of mediacorpch5 on youtube)

so much pollen...

just saw this random video via xinmsn.
wow! the amount of pollen from that one single tree.. it looks almost unreal!
no wonder people in some countries get serious hay fever.

hmm.. is it just me? think my nose is feeling a little itchy now.. hehe ;)

(courtesy of peaveykid2 on YouTube)

Denver, did you do this?

lol.. saw this via Yahoo! news today.
some animals just have the funniest and most incredible personality and expressions :)
makes you go awwww....

can't embed the original clip from Good Morning America, so you'll just have to view it here on YouTube. see how guilty Denver looked when confronted by her owner... hehehe.

nissan LEAF commercial - so awwww..

not a new one but this is such a cute commercial (yes, a little corny too), makes you go awwww... :)

it's also very sad though, being reminded once again, the cruel effects of global warming on magnificent creatures like polar bears and many many others.

(courtesy of on nissanusa youtube)

see the world through Barbie's eyes (or chest) :P

toys nowadays are really changing so quickly to catch up with the times. meet VideoGirl, this very cool Barbie doll released earlier in July this year - she's a doll and a video camera at the same time! makes me wonder what's the age of the youngest film-maker on youtube now :)

anyway, as with all things, with the good stuff.. comes some bad stuff too.
check this out too: FBI warns Barbie doll could be used for child porn

to squeeze... or not to squeeze?

i once saw a documentary on TV, showing a giant octopus squeezing through the tiniest of holes (probably 100 times smaller than itself), and yet possesses such amazing instincts and perfect familiarity of its own body and limitations, that if the hole was made just a notch smaller, it would know in an instant that it's too small for it to fit, and wouldn't even bother to waste effort trying at all.

i was in total awe of the magnificent slimy creature after watching the entire documentary - such an intelligent, witty, quick-learning aquatic 'transformer'. so much so that i've decided to avoid eating octopus if i could have a choice.

with that in mind.. the following youtube clip just says a completely different story of another curious creature.. lol.

i love kitty cats. this one is just too funny.
you HAVE to wait and watch the part at time stamp 2:08 - simply hilarious!

intelligent? cute? stupid? or simply unconcerned with the conventions?
you decide. hehe ;)

(courtesy of mugumogu on youtube)

next stop - mega zip @ sentosa singapore

people who know me usually wouldn't associate me with the outdoor, adventurous kind, and they're right. i'm quite conservative and am generally happy staying within my comfort zone most of the time. but that doesn't mean i don't like to try new things, i do! and i also enjoy an adventure or two every now and then - be it new food, explore a new place / city, attempt a new activity or a new experience... i guess it depends on who i'm doing all that with :)

two weekends ago, i tried the forest adventure @ bedok reservoir park and enjoyed myself more than i'd expected. it was not entirely an easy breezy course for me, but i guess that makes it all the more exciting. and now that i've tried my first 'flying fox' adventure here in singapore, i'm actually craving for more *smile* - so this is what i would love to do next...

(courtesy of MegaZipAdventurePark on youtube)

check out the megazip adventure park @ sentosa singapore.
i've heard of this when we're planning for the forest adventure earlier, but haven't actually checked out the site until i received an email mailer two days ago. whoa! this looks like a lot more challenging and exciting than forest adventure. there seems to be only one 'flying fox' (they call it the MegaZip) but from the pictures, it looks much higher (75m high), steeper and further (450m long) than the one at the bedok reservoir park! it goes across the Imbiah Walk, pass the Siloso Beach, all the way over the water, finally landing on an offshore smaller isle. so cool!

the forest adventure @ bedok is a complete outward-bound-type course that incorporates 3 - 4 'flying fox' rides within it, like a combination of activities that you can find at megazip. whereas the MegaZip @ sentosa is one single ride on a longer and probably more exhilarating 'flying fox' journey across the zip wire. they do have other activities such as the ClimbMax, ParaJump, NorthFace but can be done as a combo package or separately on its own. everything looks really fun and hugely challenging (at least to me), i'm sure this will be a big hit with extreme sports lovers. i've experience something similar to the ParaJump at the forest adventure, and it sure was the most dreadful part for me. lol... i hate the part where you step off the platform and just jump into thin air, but it's also the part where i felt the most accomplished after :) so i'm very certain ParaJump will be a 'killer' activity for me, one that will so tempt me and yet repulse me at the same time.

i haven't actually set a date or make plans to do this yet... still looking for the right friends to try it together. but this is a definite to-do on my list. if not everything (i'm not sure if i'm fit enough to conquer NorthFace), at least MegaZip and ParaJump, and perhaps ClimbMax too, if i feel confident enough *adrenaline rush*... woohoo!

• what: megazip adventure park
  
• where: imbiah bill, sentosa
  
• prices:
  - (MegaZip) S$29 per flight
  - (ClimbMax) S$24 per circuit
  - (ParaJump) S$12 per suicide jump
  - (NorthFace) S$20 per climb
  - (Combos) S$49 - S$69 for combination of activities
  
• URL: www.megazip.com.sg
  
• see what you're in for (virtual tour)
  

kung fu cats

i don't know why this is so funny... perhaps just because it's so silly and totally meaningless. lol. life's simple pleasure - to be able to watch a silly youtube clip about two cats, and laugh ;)

beautiful felines by the way.

(courtesy of on hkbecky youtube)

baby in watermelon

hahaha.. there's been debate whether the watermelon is real or fake...
but whatever it is, this is just super cute :) the baby looked pretty content licking within the watermelon.. lol.

(courtesy of sharma193 on youtube)

Kotex designs - sanitary pads with pretty prints..

(both clips courtesy of kotexspore on youtube)

hmm.. i can't figure out how i feel about this.
i mean, i do like the pretty floral (and butterflies) prints but i don't see the point in this. i can understand where the marketers are coming from... i'm just not quite buying into the idea.

don't get me wrong, i'm ALL for pretty, girly, sexy underwear and lingerie - polka dots, satin, lacy, florals, wild safari prints etc., you name it. some ladies may not be particular with them since underwear stays underneath our daily outfits, but i like the way i feel in the pretty ones.

i tried to apply that same 'feel-good' theory to the Kotex printed sanitary pads but it just doesn't feel the same. short of getting into the details, i'm sure everyone knows where that pad will eventually end up no matter how pretty it is.. erh was. besides, i'd be a little paranoid with the added colour/inks, it can't be too good that close to our skin.

hmm.. but you know what's the odd thing? for me, i suspect i would actually be lured into buying the product if all those pretty designs were to go onto the exterior packaging, not on the pad itself. hehe.

so what do you think? will you give this a try?

Ris Low's YOG cheer

i don't really know why i'm posting this here, i don't even find this amusing.
looks like Miss Ris Low makes a come back again *horror*.. her attempt at creating some YOG cheers in response to The New Paper contest.

makes you wonder what was she thinking again.
view only if you really wanted to.

perhaps in a week's time, she'll issue a press release to say that The New Paper paid her for this, to draw publicity to the contest... just like her "guest appearance" joke on april fools' day for radio 987FM? remember?

(courtesy of ElectricNewPaper on youtube)

would you smile for an ice-cream? ;)

i would! :)

check out this really cool smile-activated vending machine - Share Happy Ice-Cream Machine, commissioned by Unilever.

(courtesy of LionsDailyNews2010 on youtube)

it's a very cute idea, though i doubt it'll continue to give our free ice-cream forever...
i certainly wouldn't mind smiling for a free cone or creamy scoop on a hot summer afternoon, though i'm not so sure about the uploading to Facebook part, but i guess it'll be quite funny seeing photos of grown-up men and women trying to smile as big as possible to pass the detector. lol.. cute.

also check out: Coca-Cola Happiness Machine (both developed by SapientNitro)