Been awhile since I had a drink. Stomach/Gastric problems have seriously hampered my lifestyle in the past few months. Well, here's to recovery then!
Picked up a Tiger Crystal for this chilly rainy season. Looks-wise, it really looks much like a light beer similar to Corona and such. But take a swig and you will know the difference. It does have a light refreshing taste to it, but it is the aftertaste that really sets the kick. Unlike Coronas, the aftertaste here is really rich and distinct.
As someone who had his fair share of cheap Tigers in NS to last a lifetime, I gotta say that I love the balance that Tiger Crystal has managed to achieve. Not too gassy, light tasting, not too bitter, but with a rich aftertaste.
If you have a chance, do try it. It will likely change your view of Tigers.
PS: Been trying out the Rainbowbrush app on my N9, thus the visual effect. The green tint/glow from the bottle is merely a reflection of my desktop.
Yeah, the upgrading at the site is not complete as of yet, but there are some stark changes already visible across the barbed fence. For starters, the addition of red into the school's colour scheme? There is a hint of red in the school's crest, but the colour scheme for the uniforms have always been blue and white. So, any changes to that too in the near future?
And as stated by the guys on FB, yes, the arch designs for this missionary school does look a tad Turkish/Muslim/Monastery-like. Guess we'll have to wait till later next year to find out the interior changes.
PS: And yes, as Carradine pointed out, sadly, barbed wires do make a school feel more like an institution.
A really novel idea from this San Francisco startup. There's just something about it being made from torn down barns that just adds that whimsical feel to it. Large and small ties all going for USD $34!
For years, scientists have studied the inner workings of a psychopathic killer, trying to isolate traits that could be used to identify one. However, as history has shown through the XYY saga, correlating isolated genetic traits to that of violent behavior, often led to unjustified stigmas, that brought more harm than good.
With scientific advancements, there in an increasing library of markers, both genetic and physiological, that are characteristic of a psychopathic mind. However, even with this wealth of knowledge and tools, the question still remains. If someone actually fits the scientific profile perfectly, possessing all of the identified markers, is he or she definitely a psychopath?
In this documentary, we meet a scientist who discovers that he has the scientific profile of a psychopath, proving that nurture does play a role in shaping nature.
For all unfamiliar with Rico Genest aka Zombie Boy, since earlier this year, he is the current Guinness World Record holder for the most insects (178) and bones (138) tattooed on a human body.
In addition, he also appeared in Lady Gaga's video for "Born This Way" earlier this year. Yes, he's inks are real, while Gaga's are make-up meant to mirror him.
Now, he has appeared in Dermablend Professional's latest advert promoting their line of concealers, and I must say, dang, it is really impressive.
" It took three makeup artists for the one day shoot to cover Rico. During the transformation approximately 4 tubes of Dermablend Leg and Body Cover were used along with Leg and Body Tattoo Primer and Original Loose Setting Powder... The video was shot in one take with only one opportunity for Rico to reveal his true face. "
Love the concept and here! For Charleen, you'll understand when you see it.
So the Lytro is finally up for sale, 8GB going for $399 and 16GB for $499, though shipping only starts in 2012. I'm so hoping that it will be slightly cheaper during Black Friday!
I just love-love-love the ability to refocus in the same photograph. Just view the photos on their blog or photo album and you'll get what I mean!
" Lytro lets you take pictures like never before. Unlike a conventional camera that captures a single plane of light, the Lytro camera captures the entire light field, which is all the light traveling in every direction in every point in space.
Since you'll capture the color, intensity, and direction of all the light, you can experience the first major light field capability - focusing after the fact. Focus and re-focus, anywhere in the picture. You can refocus your pictures at anytime, after the fact. "
Planned Obsolescence. A term we live by everyday, but one that many might not even know or be aware about.
To simplify, it is:
"... a policy of deliberately planning or designing a product with a limited useful life, so it will become obsolete or nonfunctional after a certain period of time. "
And as such, it has successfully become the driving force in today's consumer market, where consumers buy products repeatedly to sustain market growth.
Today, we are surrounded by all forms of obsolescence. Technical/functional obsolescence determines that a product fails after a given lifespan, and that cost of repairs is comparable to a replacement unit. Proprietary lithium-based batteries that not only discharge after a fixed number of cycles, but are also soldered into your gadgets making replacement almost impossible.
Obsolescence in healthcare, in which patients are offered life-long drugs instead of a one-off cure. Systemic obsolescence, in which new systems or OS are released periodically, and newer programs are not backwards compatible. The consumer is not given an option to improve/upgrade his/her older system or OS and thus is forced to buy the new releases. Finally, style obsolescence in which fashion changes and repeats in a cycles, thus pushing you to re-buy items that you once deemed obsolete and had discarded.
It is true that in some areas, the issue of safety demands the need for planned obsolescence, such as changing of needles in healthcare, or disposables in laboratory work. It is also true that in a profit-driven market, planned obsolescence is a necessary evil.
However, in a world where resources are finite, and the strain or even monopoly of such resources has started taking place, perhaps it is time for us to ponder and reflect. As consumers, we do have a choice against planned obsolescence. Are we able to look past the immediate benefits/drawbacks, be it cost, fashion or function, and settle for something more sustainable?
Over the past few months, we have seen many international proposals go viral, from movie trailers, to video games like Borderland and Portal 2, to being mobbed on national television, to transmissions over airwaves, and finally even an "Inception Reception".
And as we try to out-do one another, trying to make the moment as perfect as possible, sometimes, we forget that there are still simpler ways of saying those 3 words. Indeed, sometimes, the aww, sweet moments are in everyday events. And for us, Singaporeans, sometimes the local flavour really just adds to the sentimental feel.
" Moomedia went stealth and shot a real proposal with our thoughtful groom to be...
Yiming, the moo, together with students and teachers of Crescent Girls School... devised a plan to throw Jerene off guard to give her a proposal she deserves.
The students pulled their unsuspecting teacher to their classroom to view and comment on their "promo" video... she totally didn't expect what was to follow.... "
For those really dark and hopeless times when Murphy's law is onto you. Maybe someone can make a Singaporean version online? Would be cool to consolidate all the unique swears in cultural diverse Singapore!
Embedding is sadly disabled, so you'll have to watch it at Vimeo
One of those movies that we still reflect about years after watching it.
" Is the sunshine of a spotless mind really worth...
... missing out on the rainbow that comes only with the rain? "
Some day in the future, I hope I will still be as random, and still wanna lie down with that special someone in a totally random place and just watch time go by.
" How happy is the blameless vestal's lot!
The world forgetting, by the world forgot.
Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind!
Each pray'r accepted, and each wish resign'd... "
Ever since Facebook started giving users the option subscribe to someone, the wall feeds have been flooded with quote sharing. In all honesty, subscription was a great idea, but the resultant scene of all the reposts does get a tad annoying.
One of the most common themes seen, I guess would be on lying.
Yes, an honest world may seem really idealistic and all. But realistically, as House puts it, everyone lies. Generalizing that you can never ever trust someone else again after being lied to once, is just unrealistic. Unless you are into radical honesty, it is unlikely that you too have ever been through a day without lying. Common lies like "I'm fine", "It's alright", "Give me 5 minutes", "I've read and agreed to the Terms of Services" are said so often that you probably do not even notice yourself saying them.
There is a Science to spotting liars, as publicized by "Lie to Me". But chances are that, most of us are not even consciously aware of these liars until they are found out, or until they had a destructive effect.
So yes, maybe a more accurate quote would be "I'm against destructive lies/liars". Cause, in the end, idealistic as we may all be, white lies do tend to soften the harsh truths of life. Everyday life is already hard enough without some b*tch coming up to you, in all honesty, to tell you how much you truly suck.
When Apple released the iPhone 4S, they also unveiled Siri, a function that allows you to use your voice to send messages, set reminders, place phone calls, and more.
I guess it was just a matter of time before someone adapted it to our favourite Genetic Lifeform and Disk Operating System. Ah, good old cynicism!
Love the light-hearted sense of humour at Inherit the Mirth. Somedays I feel that all the religious tension worldwide came about, because somewhere down the line, we just forgot how to laugh at ourselves.
Rube goldberg machines have always fascinated me. The biggest problems to tackle with building one is usually finding methods of transition from one set-up to the next.
The most common way would be using dominos and popsicle sticks. However, the overall effect is usually less dramatic.
That's where the Cobra Weave comes in. I'm sure some of you have heard of it in Scouting or Guiding, and yes, it is a rather decorative weave for campcraft, which you can use to make rather pretty bracelets or keychains.
Well, the weave has since been translated for use on popsicle sticks. And interestingly, this variant also adds an additional characteristic of the cobra to it, as the weave will dramatically rise upwards as it travels down its explosive path. If only we learnt about it years back. Well, enjoy!
So, about 24 hours ago, Apple did not announce the dawn of the iPhone 5 but rather, the release of the iPhone 4S. And as the truth starts to slowly sink in, the social media is going abuzz with outspoken thoughts if one should get the iPhone 4S, despite the presence of iPhone 5 in the near horizon.
To me, it is just seemed like an adult version of the Stanford Marshmallow Experiment. It is true that in real-life, there is often no end point or eventual goal, as life goes on.
However, similarities can be drawn if we look at such events as independent cases. Such as iPhone 4S now? or iPhone 5 months later? Even as adults, do we suffer from poor impulse control? Is deferred gratification really that abstract and distant?
What are your thoughts?
An interesting piece by GAMBIT game lab - the Singapore-MIT collaboration. The short gameplay, fresh game mechanics, and surreal atmosphere, just leaves one in a state of self-reflection after the entire experience. Take my advice and don't attempt to brisk forward in this game. Let it all in and ponder each line. It will be the best 5 minutes you've spent in a long run.
Great short film made about Aperture Science by independent film makers. Documenting the great minds at work before the fateful completion and debut of the Genetic Lifeform and Disk Operating System. A tad long at 20 minutes, but filled with lots of juicy geeky references from all around. Enjoy!
1000th post.
Big thanks to all who have been here throughout the years and listened to my rambles =P... yes, I do know that at times the content is a tad random and all, but yeah that's who I am =3
1000th post... I guess it also hints of a tinge of maturity. Well, a resolution that I'm making as of this post onwards would be to change my blogging style. I will still contain my rambling thoughts and all. But without the smileys and all. Hopefully, this will aid me in my professional writings in the years to come!
So yes, come 36 hours, I will be taking the GRE examinations. I guess this is where reality sets in, and my cynicism steps in. It does seem to appear that even with tons of hard work and dedication, there is will always be an unbridgeable chasm that separates prodigies and true brilliance from the pack.
PS: To those who know me - I know it has never been the habit on this blog, but you know, I do enjoy it when I read the comments left by you guys/girls. So yeah, do leave some in the future, either by the post or the chatbox. Yes, I do check for them! ^^x
Didn't sleep much last night. Kept thinking about the match. We were totally outplayed. The tricks used weren't new to me, but I was just too rusty to prevent my team from being ripped apart.
Felt so frustrated at my own helplessness. In that match, I wasn't a game changer at all. Sat up all night reflecting over it. Thoughts went back to a time in TP, when I was an avid gamer... part of a DOTA team... we were going to take part in the Nationals... and then priorities shifted... and I gave it all up.
But even then, I was the same. I always shunned the role as DPS or Hero Killer... but rather trained solely as a supportive healer or stunner. Preference I guess. Maybe there was a time when I would have craved for the power rush that came with domination. But it had come to pass. The peak, it was a lonely place.
I would be the prankster. I would be the lamester. I would be the protector. And I would find fulfillment. That's what I told myself.
But, on days like this... bad days like this... doubts gather. Practice makes perfect. The more you fight, the more you hurt, the more you kill... the better you get.
So then... can the one who protects... really be strong enough to save his loved ones... from the one who takes? Or is it all just poetic justice limited to literary works?
He who fights with monsters should be careful, lest he thereby becomes a monster...
Sometimes, it's moments like this that really motivate me to work on long hours for research... these awww moments =3
" I was born deaf and 8 weeks ago I received a hearing implant. This is the video of them turning it on and me hearing myself for the first time :) Edit: For those of you who have asked the implant I received was Esteem offered by Envoy Medical. "
and in case you're wondering like dang.. how come she speaks so well? From her blog, she explains that she had been living life barely hearing out of only one ear through a hearing aid.. so yeah, that explains alot =3