Book Review: “Magic Street” by Orson Scott Card

Mack is a nice first name. Street is a nice last name. Mack Street is one neat full name. But hang on, what's the title of this book again? Magic Street. How creative. What's in a name anyway? We have come across this question more than a few times and we have strong fire power on both sides of the argument. Granted that there is more to a book than its title, such as the author and the book cover, it just begs the question why the person who chose the title couldn't have come up with a more original one. When I was reading the first few chapters of the book, I had to refer back to the cover to make sure I remembered the title correctly. I thought I might have misread either “Magic Street” or “Mack Street”, and that they are really one and the same. Before you think I am slamming down the book given that I have dedicated three paragraphs to its questionable choice of title, it's far from it. I like the book, so much so that I went past my bedtime and slept at 6.30am just so that I can finish the book. That wouldn't do too good to my health so I just hope that Puck will do something about it – without twisting the outcome of course. I have to point out that I am not a fan of the original “A Midsummer Night's Dream”. I am also not terribly fascinated by fairy queens or slugs with wings. When the story first mentioned reference to Shakespeare the schoolboy and his writings, I must confess I was tempted to just put the book down. But then, I had read quite a bit already and it seemed an unforgivable waste to not run the book to its end. The story centres on Mack who is really the pristine goofy half of Oberon, the King of fairies. At the beginning when he was still growing up and walking around in diaper, I thought he sounded too old for his age. Then again, I shrugged it off given that he wasn't that normal a child anyway. But subsequently in the book, when he grew up to be a fine lad who was almost 18, he didn't sound much different from when he was 6. Since he had to relearn the alphabet and study like a normal human child, I have to assume that the manner of his speech will change too as he matures in the human realm. If this was factored into consideration, I have not been meticulous enough to notice. I quite like the character of Ceese. After all, he is the only human representative into fairyland and one has to give one's own kind a leg up. Cecil Tucker first appeared in the story with his friend Raymo. From his interaction with this cool-guy-who-forced-him-to-smoke-weed, it just didn't feel like he was too strong-willed. Therefore, it is quite remarkable that he, of all humans, was able to withstand the magical charm of Yo-yo a.k.a. the Queen of fairies. It was suggested that Ceese was more dull than not – though he might have been conditioned to think this way seeing how he turned out to be not that dumb after all as the story progressed. The bag man is one amusing character. The image portrayed when he first appeared to Professor Williams was a stark contrast to the mischievous Puck who was slave to Oberon but in love with his wife. I have to give credit to the creativity of the author for the exchanges between Puck and Yo-yo. The bantering between the two was refreshing and I enjoyed it. The impression I had of Yolanda was more of a motorcycle mum than anything. Her wit and vanity were apparent, but I cannot easily feel her stature as Queen or her love as a wife. Perhaps the hip-hop image was too irresistible when creating the story. I have a gripe about the ending. When Mack found himself to be more Mack than Oberon when they were made one again, that part just felt a little too hastily done. After “waking” up, the strongest feeling Mack had was anguish for the wrongs he did. At this point, he was evidently more Oberon than Mack. If Mack was indeed so much stronger than Oberon, I feel that the feeling would be more like a memory long buried than a wound freshly opened. If you don't agree, you won't arch your eyebrow then over the hasty way I am ending this review. I'll give “Magic Street” by Orson Scott Card 4 out of 5 stars. *wink*

myLot - A place I call my home

This quiet community that is not at all quiet has been slowly spreading across the world. I would describe it as a benevolent virus that is catching people all around the globe and infusing them with hysterical ecstasy. It may not yet be as popular as e.g. myspace but at this time of writing, there are already 89,000 users. Some people might have stumbled upon the site while surfing; others might have been recommended there by friends. Whichever the case, we have many satisfied myLotters making this place their home. Many are so addicted that they cannot survive a day without myLot. They might suffer withdrawal syndromes no different from those addicted to caffeine or drugs. But, the good news is that myLot is definitely not a vice. To help you decide whether to take one more step and join this vibrant community, I have elaborated on 8 reasons below. ;-) 1. Like many other networks and communities, myLot provides a fertile ground for you to sow seeds of friendship, and reap them. If you are feeling lonely in real life or just want another person to talk to, it is hard not to make friends at myLot. Even in the first few days of posting discussions and responses, it is almost a guarantee that you would be hooked. 2. myLot is all about expressing thoughts and understanding them. It is a silver bullet for training your communication skills. You learn to read between the lines and figure what the discussion poster is trying to say. Thereafter, you try to put forward your response in a concise yet relevant manner. For "advanced" myLotters, wit and humor are often laced in their postings too. 3. You can brush up on your language skills and strengthen your grasp of the English language. Currently, there is a fair number of myLotters from countries where English is not the first language. For these people, they get to observe how the native writers write, and improve their own writing through postings. For those who can write well enough, they get to fine-tune their abilities and be even more succinct. 4. myLot trains your mind and hones your instinct. When you read a discussion topic, you can challenge yourself to come up with a response within a certain time frame. Instead of taking one day to mull over a question, you can practise being more mentally agile by starting to type a relevant response immediately after reading the question. This is very effective in preparing you to think on your feet and answer just about any question under the sun. 5. This is old, but practice indeed makes perfect. If you do many postings and/or postings of long length, you are going to hit the keyboard a lot. By typing so much, it is inevitable that your typing speed will increase. You become a more proficient typist and this will definitely help you in related tasks. 6. There are so many people at myLot and the community is only going to get bigger. There is a saying that "Two brains are better than one". Have you ever been stumped by a question that you have no answer for? That even a Google search cannot help with? With so many people here, it is quite likely that someone would have the answer to your query. 7. Ever started a blog to rant about your daily problems, and feeling even more frustrated since there is no one to listen? At myLot, there are so many pairs of ears always on the ready to support you emotionally. Think of it like many Aunties Agony cooing over you. If you have a problem, shout it out loud. The myLot community will give you a big hug and help you move on in life. 8. Would you believe if I tell you that you get paid for chatting? As ridiculous as it might sound, it is true. I can't provide you with any proof since that is against myLot regulations, but I can certainly tell you I have been paid real cash for my frivolous chatting. How's that for killing many birds with one stone? Excited? Want to get started right now? Check out http://www.mylot.com/?ref=lordwarwizard . I don't want to be sneaky about this and lie to you that this is not a referral link. It is. If you prefer to sign up without being my referral, just remove my username at the end and go to the root domain. However, let me just share why you want to consider being my referral. If you sign up as my referral, I get a cut of 25% of your earnings. In case you get all worked up wondering why you should pay me 25% just for reading my article, relax. This 25% is paid by myLot and it will not come from your earnings. So if you join without a referral, this 25% is just going to go back to the myLot coffers. But the real reason for joining as my referral is that I will then have a vested interest to see you succeed. I want to see you do well at myLot because the more you earn, the better off I am. If you are my referral, I will be your mentor for free. How's that for a deal? Cheers.

Digital Journal phases back!

Welcome back to the online world, DJ! Your absence was brief, yet sorely missed by many. Though I am new to your ranks, I have been instructed on the hold you have over mortals. May you reign supreme for many yottabytes to come! Read more about the rescue operation here . PS.: It's not supposed to sound sarcastic but just in case anyone takes it the wrong way, this be sincere congratulation! :P

8 lessons from Romance of the Three Kingdoms III

"Romance of the Three Kingdoms III" (RTK3) is one of my all-time favorites. I remember starting out on this game more than 10 years ago. Believe you not, I am still playing this game now. It's not that I don't tire of the game. I do. Even though the game play is different each time, the game gets easier and easier for me the more times I play it. After a decade of plotting and warring, my intelligence would be questionable if I didn't get better. And when there is no more challenge, your interest wanes. It used to be that I needed to start out with the stronger characters and at least a few sittings to complete the game. Now, I can win with any player and within the same day. How's that for improvement? In fact you can post me any question on the game and I am quite confident of answering you. For those who need a copy of the game, you can download it free at http://www.the-underdogs.info/game.php?gameid=927 , courtesy of The Underdogs. It's a small DOS game but one that will fill your days with endless entertainment. :P So now, I like to share 8 lessons I have gleaned from my years of experience with this game. I trust they have real life implications. 1. A mentor is worth his weight in gold. Ever started with a character without any adviser? Then you might remember how helpless you felt when there was no one to give "predictions" on your recruitment or war campaigns. It's like traveling on the high seas on a raft, and blindfolded. Even a lousy adviser is better than none. But of course, once you find a good adviser (e.g. one with at least INT 90 so that you can give him a Sun Tzu manual to make him super smart), keep him close and make him loyal. 2. Trust is tough to build, but easy to destroy. You might have come across an occasional hardcore officer whose loyalty to you is a miserable 8 or 23. Even with CHA 100 and using gold, it takes many, many turns before you can brainwash him completely. Yet what happens when you *accidentally* revoke an alliance with another player whose hostility is less than 70? The loyalty of all your officers abruptly and rapidly tumbles like a canoe down Niagara Falls. If a player is smart enough to try recruiting your officers, they will all leave you without much thought. And if they happen to be city governors, be prepared to wave goodbye to all your sheep and turnips. 3. Make friends with your enemies. Let's face it: Some people will be your friends and some people will be your enemies. There are neutral parties - I call them the rocks and shrubs. Learn how to recognize potential winners and befriend them early. In the game, it is easier to secure alliances at the beginning. And once they are your allies, keep on requesting aid from them in Jul and Jan. By doing so, you strengthen yourself at their expense. When you target just 1 player, he gets weaker by 1 notch and you get stronger by 1 notch. The result is 2 notches between you. When you target 2 players, you become 3 notches above the nearest competitor. The formula is simple enough to understand. 4. United we stand, divided we fall. I have observed a common mistake made by computer players - they tend to overextend themselves. Their armies are typically split up among their various territories and when I attack them individually with my crack force, the cities they defend fall like zealous dominoes. In fact, one of my favorite strategies is to collapse all my starting territories (if more than 1) into just 1. So instead of a few weak states with little gold/food and a weak military, I create a super state with much gold/food and a strong military. 5. Sometimes, brain is more important than brawn. This is a strategy game that contains quite a fair bit of warring. Naturally, one would salivate when he manages to recruit a general of high war ability. But, is brawn all? Sure, I love it when he can draft many soldiers and beat his opponents in the occasional personal combats. But have you seen an adviser use "confuse" or "incite" tactics on the enemies? It is a home run when an enemy platoon gets snared. He is literally helpless as you gang up to obliterate his troops. (Click to enlarge screen shot and see animation.) 6. Don't just work hard, remember to eat too. This may sound funny but it is dead true in real life. I know of workaholics who forgo food just so that they can work more. How silly if you ask me - why would anyone want to work? But these people do it day in day out and end up wrecking their health. Money is good; food is better. In the game, I have sometimes won battles without losing a single soldier. Simply, I beat them with food. Obviously I don't throw sacks of grain at them - I merely starve them out. When I see that they have too little food relative to their troops, I play a game of cat and mouse with them. They can't catch me, they can't hit me, but they still keep eating food. And once it runs out, the battle is lost for them. If they have no way to run, I capture their city, including every soldier, coin and padi. That's how delicious. 7. If you have tools, use them. Remember the bows and crossbows you find from time to time? Well, if you can afford more, buy them. When you equip your soldiers with them, they can inflict damages without taking any loss. If you are waging a prolonged war campaign in one of the extreme corners of the map, you might recall how even with a lot of gold, recruiting more soldiers would be a problem. The city's population just isn't enough to back you up. Using these bows and crossbows would save you precious soldiers and time - you wouldn't want to turn back like a dog with its tail between its legs when you can finish off your enemy within one campaign. 8. Tangible assets are desirable, but not necessary. Ever smiled when your search turned up a precious Sword of the 7 stars or a Red Horse? Well, they are nice items to have in the game but more often than not, I find myself keeping them with the ruler - more to admire them like art pieces than anything. I could have given them to my officers and have their abilities raised by a few points. But what for since the improvement would not have made any huge or significant difference? Like these 8 lessons? Try applying them in real life! ;-)

Digital Journal crumbles!

Breaking news! Digital Journal crumbles! This is good stuff and I want to be the first one to report on it. I quickly opened a tab on my original Firefox and tried to log in to my Digital Journal account... but hang on, did you say DIGITAL JOURNAL? The same DIGITAL JOURNAL I am supposed to report from? Yes. Alright guys, this is harmless poking. I am genuinely sorry to read about such tragic news. I can imagine one hard drive failing, but to have all fail on you at the same time, it must have been quite a blow (no pun intended). I have communicated with Christopher Hogg (Editor-in-Chief of DigitalJournal.com) via emails before and he came across as a really sweet guy. I do hope that users at DJ have patience and give these poor guys some time. The new equipment has to first arrive, and we will still need some miracles from CBL Data Recovery Technologies. I have one little hope though that instead of just reverting, do a complete overhaul. For one, I found the site-that-was too slow. I am not on an antique computer and I am riding on a 12 Mbps broadband. Still, every page took me a few seconds. DJ, maybe this is God's way of hinting that you need a faster engine. :P I do hope that the data can be successfully recovered. If not... this will make an even bigger dent in your reputation. Users, be they old or new, would hesitate to spend good time replicating their former efforts. What is there to assure them that there won't be a second or third time? I think a revamp of the site will at least smoothen some creases. For those who want more information, please check out the homepage of Digital Journal at http://www.digitaljournal.com where Christopher had left a detailed explanation. In case it gets taken down later on and you remain inquisitive, I have snapped a pdf and you can see it at http://www.divshare.com/download/472148-07c . To end off, here's wishing DJ success in rising from the ashes! ^^ PS.: Check out the upcoming Harry Potter - Order of the Phoenix... OOPS. Did I get carried away again? :P

I got ripped again!

I am so sick of being ripped. I spent good time and effort in my writing, and that is certainly not to give others opportunities to plagiarize my work. Please see the image above. That is the *original* I posted at the myLot forum. Now see this on the right. This is a direct copy. I have sent an email to the forum admin of bollyent and it is as below. I will post again if I receive word from them.

What happens if your phone goes dead?

I came across this gadget and I find it too irresistible to simply pass without telling anyone. So here goes. :P The Sidewinder is the world's smallest, lightest, and most powerful portable cell/mobile phone charger available! Weighing only 2 ½ ounces it puts out power greater than a plug-in charger. It fits easily into a briefcase, suit pocket, purse, vehicle glove box, backpack or household emergency kit. Two (2) minutes of charging equals over 6 minutes of talk time, even more standby time. Keep charging and talk indefinitely. Ideal for any situation away from a traditional power source where you need to complete a call. Use for camping, hiking, boating, hunting or when away from a conventional charging outlet. So basically, this gadget converts the kinetic energy which you supply into electrical energy. Just insert your phone into the Sidewinder and you can just wind the lever by the side to charge your phone battery. Imagine you are taking an important call and the battery is going flat - now this will come in very handy. There is a 30 day money back guarantee and it accepts paypal for payment. I am neither a seller nor taking commissions. If you are interested, you can check it out for yourself at http://members.shaw.ca/sidewindercharger . I believe it is retailing for US$24.95. In fact, at time of posting, they are offering a $5 discount so it costs only US$19.95 now. Do check that your phone model is supported before buying!

Only 244 copies of Genuine Windows Vista sold in China

I don't know how true this is but I got the information from http://preview.tinyurl.com/23y9vu . If it is true, it would indeed make for some laugh. Non-malicious in nature, mind you. :P I quote: Microsoft spent millions of dollars advertising its next generation OS 'Windows Vista' in China, in fact the IT juggernaut threw up the biggest Vista Ad on the 421 meter high Jin Mao tower in Shanghai China. However after 2 weeks (Jan 19 to Feb 2) from launch Microsoft managed to sell a mere 244 copies of Windows Vista. Software piracy is rampant in the middle kingdom and a pirated version of Vista sells for a mere $1 on the streets. The following numbers are quoted by Windows Vista chief distributor in Bejing. Piracy is still a serious concern in China and you can check out the link for more details, as well as photos of the pirated product.

10 Lessons of an MIT Education

I came across this article titled "10 Lessons of an MIT Education" written by Gian-Carlo Rota. I thought it is pretty interesting. Lesson One: You can and will work at a desk for seven hours straight, routinely. Lesson Two: You learn what you don't know you are learning. Lesson Three: By and large, "knowing how" matters more than "knowing what." Lesson Four: In science and engineering, you can fool very little of the time. Lesson Five: You don't have to be a genius to do creative work. Lesson Six: You must measure up to a very high level of performance. Lesson seven: The world and your career are unpredictable, so you are better off learning subjects of permanent value. Lesson Eight: You are never going to catch up, and neither is anyone else. Lesson Nine: The future belongs to the computer-literate-squared. Lesson Ten: Mathematics is still the queen of the sciences. Of course, by just looking at the listed lessons, you are not going to understand much. You will need the elaboration, and the full article is available at http://www.math.tamu.edu/~cyan/Rota/mitless.html .

Want to send faxes for free?

Wow, this is way too cool. Please check out http://www.tpc.int and suppress your gasp of pleasant surprise. I have my own fax machine and fax line but I am excited nevertheless. This site allows you to send free faxes from either your browser or email. Absolutely free... try beating that. I took a look at the coverage list at http://www.tpc.int/fax_cover_auto.html and I must say I am so surprised that Singapore is included. Despite our many achievements, we are just a mere dot on the map so we are often brushed aside. So check it out if you are interested... but do watch out for the catch. If you value your privacy, this is not for you. You have no choice but to still rely on your own fax machine. And please note that this is still an experiment in progress. :P Update (18 Jul 07): I was informed by a friend that the coverage no longer includes Singapore. :(

Have you found the secret?

What exactly is this "The Secret" that has been quite the hype recently? Is it really going to herald some new era for humankind as the website claims? I read that this secret has been passed throughout the ages, traveling through centuries... to finally reach us and humankind. This is supposedly The Secret to everything - the secret to unlimited joy, health, money, relationships, love, youth: everything you have ever wanted. Well, I guess they are exaggerating a bit. I certainly am not brainwashed enough to kiss the cover of the DVD casing and think it is some secret work of God. :P One of my friends bought the DVD and I had the good fortune to sponge off his generosity. So there I was, tucked into a comfortable armchair, and with a packet of chips in my hands. If you are not as lucky as me, you can at least check out the trailer at http://thesecret.tv/movie/trailer.html . The video features several distinguished names such as John Assaraf, Michael Beckwith, Jack Canfield, Bob Proctor and John Gray, to name but a few. To see who else, you can refer to http://www.thesecret.tv/teachers.html . After watching the DVD, I must say that it is one neat piece of work. I like the beautiful canvas landscape against which the speakers were filmed. I don't know who drew those pictures on the canvas, but they look real nice. With a matching music repertoire to boot, I think it is a very well compiled video. At this time of writing, it is retailing for US$29.95 only. For the quality of this film "art piece" alone, I would say the price is worth it. Personally though, I feel that it is more hype than not. The law of attraction that was talked about is really some common sense which they tried to package into something special. Someone brilliant just thought of this law (that isn't really that new), got together all these famous people to lend their experience and credence to it, and ka boom, THE SECRET is born. But like I said, no harm checking it out. The main website is at http://www.thesecret.tv if you are interested.

Rare Cloud Formations

Wow, check out these pictures. They are awesome... Some even look as if they are from some fantasy worlds. I have included 8 of those that I particularly like. Please see http://leenks.com/link70511.htm for the rest of them. ;-)

Google buys DoubleClick for 3.1 billion dollars

Is it just me, or are you one of those whose eyes are popping out? OMG, 3.1 BILLION DOLLARS!!! Yes I know Google is rich. Yes I know Google has too much money. Yes I know 3.1 billion is more like peanuts to Google... but still, 3.1 BILLION DOLLARS!!! :P Google's previous investment in Youtube is still a big question mark. It is still not clear if that investment will pay off. And now, Google has gobbled up DoubleClick. What exactly is DoubleClick? Basically, "DoubleClick enables agencies, marketers and publishers to work together successfully and profit from their digital marketing investments. Its focus on innovation, reliability and insight enables clients to improve productivity and results.Since 1996, DoubleClick has empowered the original thinkers and leaders in the digital advertising industry to deliver on the promise of the rich possibilities of our medium. Today, the company’s DART and Performics divisions power the online advertising marketplace. Tomorrow, we will continue to enable clients to profit from opportunities across all digital advertising channels as consumers worldwide embrace them." Well, to cut the long story short, it is another advertising heavyweight to add to Google's already impressive arsenal. I guess Google must have analyzed it and found it worth the price. But, 3.1 BILLION DOLLARS!!!

Want to dig up someone's background?

At first glance, I thought it is another Google. After all, if we need some background information on someone, all we need to do it to google their name. And quite often, it works well enough if that person has an online presence. So what's so different about pipl? Let me paste here what pipl says about itself: There are various reasons why you might need to search for people, you may need to find a lost relative, an old flame, a classmate or a business contact, but if you are using a search engine such as Google or Yahoo to search for people you have probably realized by now that it might work in some cases but in most cases it won't. How come the best search engines fail so miserably when it comes to people search? The answer lies in a little known but very important part of the web called "the deep web". Also known as "invisible web", the term "deep web" refers to a vast repository of underlying content, such as documents in online databases that general-purpose web crawlers cannot reach. The deep web content is estimated at 500 times that of the surface web, yet has remained mostly untapped due to the limitations of traditional search engines. Since most personal profiles, public records and other people-related documents are stored in databases and not on static web pages, most of the higher-quality information about people is simply "invisible" to a regular search engine. WOW... it sure sounds scary, doesn't it? I went to do an experiment with my name and I must confess that I am *so glad* that it didn't work. True enough, there were several people who seem to have the same name as me (darn, I thought I am unique) but none of the dug up identities was me. PHEW! Perhaps it's because I am in Singapore. Such offerings normally cater well to only places like the United States. But no harm trying if you need to check up on someone. After all, even if it doesn't work for me, it doesn't mean it won't work for you. It is always better to have more tools at your disposal than one. *wink* Oh yea, here's the link - http://www.pipl.com . :P

8 Habits of Highly Ineffective Emailing

Got an email? Well, that's a silly question, isn't it? Of course you've got an email. In fact, you've got MANY emails. The Cranking Widgets Blog located at http://blog.crankingwidgets.com shares 8 Habits of Highly Ineffective Emailing. I will list just 3 here, and you can read the rest for yourself at http://blog.crankingwidgets.com/2007/04/09/8-email-habits . Saying Way More than is Necessary - This is one you won’t know the message has committed until at least a third of the way through it. If you find yourself thinking “for Pete’s sake, get to the point…” - you’ve got one of these messages. You see, many people like to treat email like a lazy Sunday afternoon conversation over mojitos - they drone on and on, giving you details and subplots that are only somewhat relevant (and decidedly unnecessary). If you’re a bit of a stickler like I am, these get round-filed with the quickness. Straying Wildly from the Topic - When the email subject reads “TPS Report Cover Sheet Format” and half-way through you’re reading about Tom’s lunch plans or the new policy on chewing gum in the break room, you know you’ve found one of these jewels. If the author of the email can’t be bothered to formulate a coherent message, a pox on them and their message. Shift+Delete (bypasses the ‘Deleted Items’ folder in most email programs - use with caution). Set the Priority to ‘High’ on Every Single Message - Ever heard of “The Boy Who Cried ‘Wolf’”? Same deal. If you think that I automatically jump to read every email with this indicator, you’re sadly mistaken. In fact, I’ll probably just roll my eyes and move on to the next email. Maybe I’m just jaded, but if an email is that important, maybe it ought to be a phone call or an in-person visit. But believe me when I say that, personally, I judge these messages very harshly and will often completely ignore them if they don’t present a situation that is actually of “high priority”.

Ikea's drive to reduce waste

The more we say it, the less we waste. It's amazing how a little word like "NO" can have such an effect on how we reduce waste. In turn, it can have a real impact on our environment and indirectly even our own pockets. Consider this sobering fact – Singaporeans use 2.5 billion plastic bags a year. That is 2,500 plastic bags per year, for each family. Or almost 7 plastic bags a day per family. Most of these are often thrown away because although we use them for our trash daily, we can't deny that there will always be more bags than we actually need. This waste only means greater costs to our environment. And don't forget the big bucks spent on making these bags. One way or another, these costs trickle down and it is you who pays the price in the end. That's why plastic bags never have been or will be "free". So, how does "NO" help? It's simple. When you shop at IKEA, just saying "NO" to plastic bags will be a small but important step to reduce wastage and usage. And what better day to start this effort than on 22 April, Earth Day itself. From this day onwards, IKEA Singapore, together with your help, will take a stand by not giving away plastic bags to our customers. Instead, we encourage you to bring your own reusable or recyclable shopping bags. You may also purchase a reusable and durable blue IKEA shopping bag at $1.20 reduced from $2.90. We know breaking the "plastic bag habit" may take getting used to so should the need arise, we still have our plastic bags available for 5¢ or 10¢ depending on the size. To make the effort even more worthwhile, proceeds from plastic bag sales will be donated to the WWF Singapore Conservation Fund to assist fieldwork that helps fight against the haze that affects Singapore every year, and at the same tim e global warming, a long term threat to our island. So say "NO" to plastic bags now and you automatically say "YES" to less waste, haze and global warming. That's the power of a simple word. DID YOU KNOW? About 2.5 billion plastic bags are used every year in Singapore. That's about 2,500 bags used per family per year. Plastic bags are made from oil, a finite resource. If each family uses one less plastic bag a week, Singapore could save 40 million bags each year. By using reusable bags during our shopping trips, we will use fewer plastic bags and help to conserve the earth's resources. Plastic bags thrown away as litter, dirty our public places, rivers and canals, and may even clog up drains, and this would lead to stagnant water and mosquito breeding. Plastic bags litter despoils nature trails, beaches and even chokes up mangroves and poses a threat to marine lives. Source: National Environment Agency The above is an advertisement that came out on Straits Times today. Straits Times is the leading newspaper in Singapore. The link to this advertisement is at http://www.ikea.com.sg/special/no_plastic_bags.asp . When I first saw it, I didn't realize it was the word "No" till I looked closer. I must say though that the advertisement was very tastefully done and creative enough. However, a thought just ran through my mind. I strongly suspect that a whole big batch of plastic bags has been ordered for the purpose of this advertisement shoot. It seems a big waste, no? But I guess if one was to look at the bigger picture, then it is a small "investment". I do hope though that the bags are channeled back to the stores for use. If they were simply dumped, it would be such a sinful waste, not to mention a step back on its initiative to cut waste.

Loans that change life

Ever wanted to donate money yet hesitant because you don't know where the money would go? Many charities have been set up for noble causes and many dollars have found themselves in the coffers of these organizations. However, one issue often crops up on the minds of donors. Exactly how is the money being spent? How much of it goes to offset administrative fees? How much ultimately reaches the recipients? More and more of the super rich have jumped onto the bandwagon of setting up their own foundations. They know exactly which areas they want to contribute their money to and they contribute their money to see to precisely that. Having their own foundations gives them more control over how the money would be used - this is something not realizable for a public charity organization. So does this mean that if you are not rich, you cannot contribute the way you want it? Check out Kiva at http://www.kiva.org . Kiva partners with existing microfinance institutions. It lets you connect with and loan money to unique small businesses in the developing world. By choosing a business on Kiva.org, you can "sponsor a business" and help the world's working poor make great strides towards economic independence. Throughout the course of the loan (usually 6-12 months), you can receive email journal updates from the business you have sponsored. As loans are repaid, you get your loan money back. Make a loan to an entrepreneur in the developing world for as little as $25. You know where your money is going, and you can choose which business to help. To top it, you are helping to give someone the ability to help himself. This makes it better than a simple one-off donation. Check it out and open your heart. ;-)

Ever wondered how dense your page is?

Have you ever wondered how many "keywords" you have on your web page? And how dense they are? Well, enters the keyword density tool. Check out this free tool located at http://tool.motoricerca.info/keyword-density.phtml . This online form is an analyzer that calculates the keyword density for a web page, analyzing single keywords and keyphrases of two or three terms. The checker applies the keyword density formula, taking into account many parameters that you can customize to your satisfaction. Just enter your web page address and choose your options, and you will receive an analysis of the frequency and density of main words and phrases of the submitted page.

How to display html codes without executing them

Might you be having trouble displaying codes on your page without actually executing them? For a quick solution, you might want to try converting all the codes into ascii. For instance, I might want to show <b> bold </b> instead of bold. If you "do nothing", both cases will show up as simply bold - without the <b> tags at all. I came upon a handy tool for this purpose at http://www.addressmunger.com/display_code . You can use the script provided to munge everything into ascii. In fact, there is another option there for you to munge it into a JavaScript function as well. If you need this too, you are in luck. :P

How to make Amazon Context Links work in your Blogger blog

I had an uncomfortable time tearing my hair out with this problem. I followed the instructions to the letter yet cannot make it work. I even wrote Amazon about this but despite their prompt reply, it wasn't too helpful. After analyzing the source code and putting my unmeasurable brain power to the task, I finally figured that Amazon needed the information in the comment tags as well (the details between the comment tags were not showing under "View Source"). After all, the JavaScript script we are calling is a general one and they needed our affiliate ID. If it doesn't show on the source code, it will likely not work properly. It would actually be worse if it works since purchases will be made because of our site but we won't get the proper credit. :P So why won't the comments show? I tried a simple <!-- This is a comment. --> html test and to my surprise, it didn't show up in the source code as well. It struck me then that the template was in xml format and not the plain vanilla html. After doing some research, I realized that there are some special characters in xml that cannot be used in normal xml strings. I found at least 5. Namely, they are &, <, >, " and '. So it seems that for them to be used properly, we need to use their unicode versions. So if you need an ampersand &, use &amp; instead. If you need a left angular bracket <, use &lt; instead. If you need a right angular bracket >, use &gt; instead. If you need a double inverted comma ", use &quot; instead. If you need an apostrophe ', use &#39; instead. If you don't want to go through the hassle of changing it one by one, a nice person by the name of B.Suter has put up a free online converter at http://www.stanford.edu/~bsuter/js/convert.html that you can utilize. Note though that the form works for the 2 angular brackets only. After all, these are the ones usually causing the problem. So there, I went to my Template >> Edit HTML in blogger (beta) and pasted in the modified code for Amazon Context Links. The context links show up just fine now. ^^

Ever wanted to look thinner on photo?

I came across this article on about.com that is really interesting. Have you wondered why celebrities can look so thin on photos when they look quite different from you bump into them across the street? Well, there are tricks. ^^ If you are ever interested in looking slimmer on photo, head over to the article and take a look. ;-) How to Look 10 Pounds Thinner in Photos [About.com]

Just how nice are you?

Have you come across this website www.helpothers.org ? It is an experiment in kindness and I like to do my part to spread the word. In fact, to go further and be more precise, it is an experiment in ANONYMOUS kindness. Sounds cool right? It *is* cool. Let me quote verbatim from the website: "It's a universally recognized symbol: smile. Sometimes you smile because you're happy and sometimes you smile to get happy. The purpose of our effort is to bring more of those smiles in the world through small acts of kindness. To that end, we feature a fun SmileCard game, kindness stories from around the world, and SmileGroups where people commit to a daily act of kindness in their local community." So what they are encouraging is that you do someone a kindness quietly, and slip him a "card" to let him know that he is "tagged". It is the hope that he will pass on the kindness too. So what exactly is this "card"? Well, see the embedded picture? This card can be ordered in batches FREE. This is no scam and the cards are funded by donations. I have ordered these cards before and they arrive quite quickly. I forked out not a single cent - yes, not even for shipping! So here's the challenge. Go to the website and order your batch of free SMILE cards today, do someone a kind deed, and then tag him with one of the SMILE cards. And if you want to help spread the word too, give this article a digg. ;-)

Want a FREE fax number?

What do you say if you can get a fax number for FREE? Not only that, you can receive FREE faxes too. Especially if you are located in the following countries, it would be a double bonus for you - since the number would be in the country where you are based. - Austria - Belgium - France - Germany - Italy - Netherlands - United Kingdom - United States If you are not residing in the above-mentioned places, you still can get a free fax number - it just won't be a local one. Whoever's faxing you something would then need to pay the international toll charges. But hey, it's doesn't cost you any money to receive faxes. ;-) So try it if you want. At time of posting, the direct link is https://www.efax.com/en/efax/twa/signupFree?rqcp=1 . In case it gets moved in future, just access it from the main site at www.efax.com . And for those wondering how they can receive faxes without a fax machine, eFax will provide you with a free software. When someone sends you a fax, you will receive it in your email and you can open your fax using that software. The faxed document can also be converted to picture format e.g. a jpg file. It's *very* neat receiving your faxes in your emails. Have fun! ^^

Is your bank robbing you?

Do I hear a resounding yes? YES!!! I know you hate your bank; we all do. Whether or not we have a real reason to, we still hate them anyway. What are they paying you for the money you keep with them nowadays? In Singapore, we make use of decimal places - because our interest rate is not even 1% per annum! In Japan, no, I dare not even begin. In the US, probably around 5% - but have we forgotten that the dollar isn't exactly the most healthy specimen around? This really depends on the country you reside in - it may not be the best bet to place your savings in the currency of that country. I know it is certainly not the case for Singapore - I get a few pathetic cents for interest every month while paying out dollars for what banks call "maintenance fees". Is there justice in this? Just looking at the factor of interest rates alone, I would urge that you convert your money to a currency that offers higher rate and keep it that way. I have 3 recommendations - the Australian dollar that pays around 6%, the British Pound that gives roughly 5%, and the New Zealand dollar that offers 7ish%. This may sound complicated if you are new to this whole thing. The easiest way for you to start would be to place a simple time/fixed deposit. Look for those that are foreign currency denominated so that your dollars would be converted to that currency of your choice at the on start, and earn interest rate applicable to that currency. For me, if I put my Singapore dollars into e.g. the kiwi, then I would get 7% p.a. instead of the<1% I am currently "enjoying". Sounds all good? It is. But that is a catch - what if the value of your second currency drops against your primary currency? Then it would be one tough cookie - you can either continue holding your money in the second currency till things brighten up, or choose to run. That's why if you want to take my suggestion, make sure it is money you are not likely going to need for quite some time. In the long run, I do believe that your money would be better protected and grow faster this way.

8 Firefox extensions you don't want to live without

I am not going to start a browser war here. I am just going to assume that the entire IT-savvy world is using Firefox. If you are not yet there, there is still hope. Please seek it at http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox . *chuckle* And if you are using Firefox, you will need to add on extensions. I used the word "need" because not loading Firefox with extensions is really not doing it justice. Extensions literally e-x-p-a-n-d the capability of this already-powerful browser. Here, allow me to introduce 8 extensions that I am currently using. You risk your neck if you try to take any away from me. :P #1: All-in-One Gestures Get this extension at either https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/12 or http://perso.orange.fr/marc.boullet/ext/extensions-en.html . This extension allows you to further exploit your mouse. There are some wonderful shortcuts that we can customize. (I will share more in a coming article... stay tuned!) #2: Clear Private Data... Get this extension at https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/1280 . I like it because it helps to clean my browser with just 2 clicks. With it, I can clear my cache and cookies easily. Good for those who are paranoid about privacy. ^^ #3: CoLT Get this extension at either https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/1812 or http://www.borngeek.com/firefox/colt . CoLT adds two menu items to the browser's context menu that will show when you right-click on a hyperlink. If you need to copy regularly underlying link locations or link text, this is a very handy extension. #4: Download Statusbar Get this extension at http://downloadstatusbar.mozdev.org . This extension replaces the default download window. Instead of viewing the status of your downloads by pressing ctrl-j, you can cut to the chase by monitoring the progress at your status bar. You also get several other useful options without needing to click elsewhere. #5: Fasterfox Get this extension at https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/1269 or http://fasterfox.mozdev.org . This extension provides performance and network tweaks for Firefox. If you are always complaining of slow surfing, you need to get this. Enable the "Turbo Charged" preset and you are all set to fly. #6: Greasemonkey Get this extension at either https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/748 or http://www.greasespot.net . It allows you to customize the way a webpage displays using small bits of JavaScript. There are many free scripts available at http://userscripts.org that need Greasemonkey to interface. (I will share more in a coming article... stay tuned!) #7: IE Tab Get this extension at either https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/1419 or http://ietab.mozdev.org . I know I have said that Firefox beats other browsers hands-down. However, there remain some obstinate websites that need Microsoft Internet Explorer to work properly. This extension will then come in useful since you can get IE tabs within Firefox itself. #8: Inline Google Definition Get this extension at https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/2083 . I simply love this extension. Just with a simple highlighting of the word and choosing the command in the context menu, I get the definition straight away in a very pretty popup window that can be resized and floated. It is the equivalent of typing "define:xxx" in google search. PS.: If you need any help with any of the 8 extensions I have recommended, please feel free to contact me for free assistance. ^^

Reiki - The healing touch

Reiki is an intangible force that is hard to be described in words. It is a healing energy that is best experienced for oneself. Someone who is being treated with reiki might experience a spectrum of sensations ranging from e.g. hot to cold, or vibration to even "no feeling". Yes, you might experience absolutely no sensation at all but this has no bearings whatsoever. If you are being healed by someone properly attuned, reiki *is* passing through you and healing you. Practitioners believe that they are accessing power from a higher source for the greater good. It is impossible to use reiki to harm another person. Reiki can only be used to heal, and even that, a recipient can choose to reject the sending of reiki if he feels uncomfortable. Much to the disappointment of mercenary charlatans, reiki cannot be taught or learned from books or websites. If you come across a website asking you to pay money in exchange for a reiki attunement via some picture or video, it is 100% a scam. To learn reiki, you need to approach a reiki Master for a face-to-face session. Courses for each of the 3 levels may range from hundred to thousands of US dollars. The rate will differ from place to place and I would suggest you do your due diligence and get your attunement from a reputable Master. Once attuned, you have access to reiki for life. There is no "maintenance fee". At reiki level I, you gain the ability to do hands-on healing. This means that as soon as you place your palm on someone, healing energy will automatically flow from your crown chakra through your body, and then finally out via your palm to the recipient. Ergo, when you heal someone, you are consequently healed too. How's that for a win-win situation? ;-) Unless you wish to attempt long distant healing, there is no real need for you to move beyond this level. At reiki level 2, you gain the additional ability to use symbols. There are 3 symbols granted you at the second level. The first is cho-ku-rei. This is the power symbol that increases the potency of the reiki energy available. The second is sei-hei-ki. This is the mental symbol that is especially effective for healing ailments of an emotional nature. Lastly, there is hon-sha-zei-sho-nan. This is the distant healing symbol. Using this symbol, a reiki practitioner is able to heal across distance and time. And because reiki is such a "smart energy", I can simply arrange for sending of reiki energy to a recipient at any time, date or place. For instance, you might wish me to send reiki to you 10 days from now when you reach London from Canada. I can in fact arrange the sending today, in advance, for the energy to reach you there and then. Got you excited so far? Don't worry, I am not selling you anything. I am also not at Master level so I will not be able to con you of your money to attune reiki for you online. However, I have been a level II practitioner of Usui Reiki for several years already. If you are keen to try distant healing, I am willing to offer a free treatment with no strings attached. Feel free to contact me for more information. ^^