Singtel APN

My wonderful father gave me a HTC Hero mobile phone recently and I consider it an iPhone rival. I love it and it's perfect. The only annoying thing is that the phone's from UK and when I tried to setup the APN so that I can connect to 3G/GPRS - I am unable to find any manual settings/configuration on Singtel's website. It's ironic considering that Singtel (my phone telco operator) sells HTC Hero here in Singapore too.

Anyway I googled frantically and finally managed to find the following, courtesy of taz:

Name: SingTel Internet
APN: Internet
Proxy:
Port:
Username: 65IDEAS
Password: ideas
Server: 165.21.42.84
MMSC: http://mms.singtel.com:10021/mmsc
MMS proxy: 165.21.42.84
MMS port: 8080
MMS protocol: WAP 2.0
MCC: 525
MNC: 01
APN type: default

You ARE What You Sing

Alright, perhaps this is kind of silly but I just came back from a buffet where I over ate and I was thinking "you are what you eat" when a Michael Jackson song played on TV. I'm sorry if you find it insulting (this is purely entertainment), otherwise enjoy!

Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough - or until it's too late, in the case of Propofol

Gone Too Soon - and we're all missing you already

HIStory - Sadly, that's all you are now

Black or White - the real story of your colour changing skin

In the Closet - is that where you keep your sexuality?

Smooth Criminal - how you were acquited of child molestation charges (I personally believe that you are really innocent, though)

We're Almost There - I'm guessing that you've already arrived at the Pearly Gates by now

You Rock My World - Yes, you rocked the hearts of many with your songs

They Don't Care About Us - Not everyone, actually. Just Dr Conrad Murray

Remember the Time - We will always remember you, Michael. Remember the time when you sang Ben as a fifth of The Jackson 5, remember you as a werewolf in Thriller, remember when you were brown... then white, remember your sell-out concerts, remember your humanitarian/charitable efforts, remember when you kissed Lisa Marie Presley...

Why, god? Why?

I was in the MRT, listening and playing games on my iPod on my way to work when a gentleman casually remarked "you playing games?" and I just responded "Yeah" and smiled at him. I think he was a middle-aged guy who looked rather charming and had a fit body. I continued playing my game when he started a casual talk.

"Are you going to work?"
"Yeah"
"Where do you work?"
"Oh at ..., opposite Lau Pa Sat"
"Oh, that's a nice building. I work at ..."
"What does your company do?"
"It's a fund management company"
"Perhaps we can meet for lunch one day" (passes me his business card)
"Oh ok~" (fake a smile)
"What's your name?"
"Yen"
"How long have you been working at ...?"
"3 years"
"You look very young"
"Well, it's just the look. I'm not that young. Well, see you around" (scurries off)

Perhaps you might think that this guy is really smooth but the weird thing is - I looked so shabby this morning! This was exactly how I looked (minus the headphones & iPod in hand):

Can I ask you Men - are you in the least bit attracted by the way I looked this morning?

AMP's 'Satu Malaysia' Song

Written and Composed by Uno & AJ
Featuring the voices of Rudy, Moots!, JJ & Ean

Responding to Prime Minister Najib's call for Malaysians to compose and submit songs for the 1Malaysia song competition (click to read more about the competition) - local radio DJs from Hitz.fm has come up with their own version. I really like it, probably cause it's more upbeat compared to the usual national theme songs. Enjoy!



Here's the lyrics if you would like to sing along:

1Malaysia - Rakyat Didahulukan, Pencapaian Diutamakan

Verse 1
Oh indahnya pabila
Kita bersama
Kau, aku, kita semua
Tiada bezanya

No matter whatever the challenge may be
We’ll face it together, the stronger we’ll be

*Tamil lyrics*
Ondraga seinthu, endrendrum vazhvom Santhosham neeranthaeram
(Together we come united as one, and live forever, Our happiness is permanent.)

Chorus
Satu Bangsa
Satu Suara
Satu Nada
Satu Irama
Bersama kita capai semua
Satu Malaysia

Rap
Satu Bangsa we're united in music
Satu Irama united we stand
I feel the hearts of my people when we struggle everyday to be the best that we can
We share the food that we eat, we share the words that we speak, I say what’s up? You say “apa cerita?”
You hungry bro?, jom makanlah!

Verse 2
We go up, never go down
We go up together

*Chinese lyrics*
Wo men shi yi ge Malaysia (we are one Malaysia)
Wo men yong yuan zai tong yi ge jia (we are one family)

Together we are strong
Tuan jie yi qi bu fen bi ci (unity with one vision)
Together we are strong
Xiang qin xiang ai wan zhong yi xin (we love each other and we share a vision)
United we stay, forever and ever
That's the way it's gonna be

Chorus 1x

Bridge Sketch

Ean: Dude, JJ!
JJ: Yes Ean.
Ean: You know what part is this in the song
JJ: Yes it’s the part where they go 1 key higher
Ean: Okay we’ll be quiet now okay
JJ: Yea coz we can't sing but everyone else, 1 key higher!

Chorus 2x

Eh, dah habis? Saya nanyi bila?
Eh engkau dah tua dah.
Engkau dengan aku tak nanyi.
Tepuk tangan je.

SMS to Twitter in Singapore

I don't like using Twitter but my geeky boyfriend who's based in Malaysia thinks that I should use it to stay in touch with him. And we all know that Twitter offers text service where you can send an sms from your mobile phone to a US number. The service is free but you'd have to pay at least 18¢ (or more depending on which telco you're using) per text message.

So for my dear geek's convenience, I've gone on an Internet hunt to look for services which will allow users to send sms to a local Singapore number to update their Twitter. Users would only need to pay 5.35¢ per text message (or free, if your mobile plan comes with pre-bundled sms). Here are the results, for your benefit:

	sms to Twitter	Twitter to sms
widgeo.us	works	doesn't work
sgBEAT	works	works but a little slow

If you would like to read more about the websites, click on these:
widgeo.us - http://blog.widgeo.us/category/odds-and-ends/
sgBEAT - http://blog.nus.edu.sg

roundfish is full of shit, literally

Sunday, 10am - go toilet

Monday 2am - go toilet

Monday 7:30am - go toilet

Monday 5:30pm - go toilet

Harrowing Toilet Break

The whole shopping floor was quiet and empty as all the shops were closed, but I had to go to the toilet. So I headed toward the toilet sign and pushed open the huge exit door. I had to turn left, walk a bit then turn right before I reached the toilet. Just outside, there was a cleaning trolley but no one was around. I went into the toilet, expecting to see a cleaner but I was all alone. The 2nd cubicle was closed so I assumed there was someone inside. But the whole toilet was just too quiet and I was a little suspicious. Perhaps some men are in the toilet trying to secretly record a video of girls pee-ing, I thought.

Although doubtful, I still chose the cubicle next to the one with the closed door because it was the cleanest. I locked the door behind me, hung my bag on the door hook and started pee-ing. When I finished and was about to wear my pants, I heard the door to the toilet creak open and then of course, I heard footsteps. Perhaps I was very paranoid and my imaginations were running wild because of all the hundreds of emails that I've read about such incidents happening in public toilets.

Anyway, I was wearing my pants when I saw a shadow just outside my door. I quickly pulled up my pants and listened... and tried to look at what the shadow was doing. Nothing happened. Perhaps the person is trying to was her hands at the sink just outside my door, I thought. Then all of a sudden, I saw my toilet door being unlocked, from the outside. The latch was slowly but surely being sled opened...

Alarm bells ringing in my head, I immediately pushed and slammed the door shut and latched the door lock. I didn't manage to close it the first time so I tried nervously to slam the door again and latch the door. Then I shouted "EH, WHO'S THAT?!", hoping desperately to scare away the person outside my toilet cubicle. I guess it worked because I heard some male noises and the person scurried away.

Being all alone, locked in a cubicle of a totally empty toilet and wondering what I should do next, I stayed in the cubicle for 2 seconds. Then I decided to go out. I figured that if I just stayed, he was gonna come get me anyway and I probably had a better chance running. So I came out of the toilet and even remembered to wash my hands then walk toward the main toilet door. I hesitated. What if he was waiting for me outside? What if there was a bunch of crazy men? Well I didn't wanna stay in the toilet too so I thought I'd just open the door to check and if there were crazy men then I'd run back into the toilet. So I pushed opened the door and I saw them standing there!

The indian lady cleaner was standing by her cleaning trolley and there was a male security guard beside her. I thought I looked nervous and scared but perhaps my face showed otherwise. The security guard upon seeing me started to apologise profusely and said that the cleaner told him that the toilet was empty. He tried to explain that he was just checking the toilets but I wasn't really listening. I was just happy and so damn relieved to realise that it was just the security guard trying to do his last round of checks before locking the toilet doors.

Although there was nothing to be afraid of, but the sight of my door latch opening and the whole experience gave me a good fright. Even 5 minutes after it all happened, I was still a little shaky and my fingers were shivering. Now I know why some girls just stand rooted to the ground when faced with danger and aren't able to fight back.

a series of blur-dom

It usually takes 10-15 mins on a direct bus from where I live to my aunt's condominium but today, I boarded 3 different buses, walked quite a bit and the whole journey took almost an hour.

I was listening to my iPod when I saw bus 109 approaching so I retrieved my EZLink card from my bag and boarded the bus as soon as it reached the bus bay. I chose a seat near the TV to watch (and listen) with 1 ear while the other was still listening to my iPod. After a few turns, I looked out the window and realised that the route didn't look familiar. I walked toward the bus driver to ask him where the bus was headed when I saw a sign that said 105!

Knowing that I boarded the wrong bus - I immediately sounded the bus bell and got off at the next stop. Luckily, the bus had not gone very far and so I back tracked. After a 15-mins walk, I arrived at a bus stop and looked at the bus guide. There was a bus which was headed to my aunt's home and as soon as I saw it, I boarded bus 156. As I wasn't sure how long the bus ride would take, I took out my iPod and started playing games on it. After some time, I looked up and didn't recognise the roads. It looked like I was going in the wrong direction so I immediately pressed the bus bell and again, got off at the next bus stop.

So I looked at the bus guide at the bus stop and realised that I was on the correct bus! Because I had taken a wrong bus at first, that made me lose my bearings and I forgot where I was. In the end, I boarded bus 109 (which I was supposed to board at first) and arrived at my aunt's place late and hungry.

Rid Odours in Refrigerator

How to Get Rid of Refrigerator Odor

Cleaning

---

Materials:

• Hot water • Sponge/Cloth • Empty container

• ½ cup of baking soda • Ice • Clean, damp cloth

Steps:
• Fill container one-third with ice.
• Place all perishable items like meat and fish into ice box or a cooler.
• Unplug the refrigerator from the power outlet.
• Remove all items from the refrigerator and freezer. Throw away all spoiled and spoiling food.
• Dissolve baking soda in a sink filled with hot water.
• Remove shelves, drawers and trays from refrigerator and wash with soda water. Allow to dry.
• Using soda water, scrub out all the mold, food particles, and other stuff stuck on the refrigerator and freezer walls. Don't use a scouring pad or steel wool as much as possible, because you may scratch the coated surfaces of the inside walls.
• Wash the inside walls of the refrigerator with soda water. Pay attention to the magnetic rubber seals, the meat chiller compartment, and the egg racks.
• Use a clean, damp towel and go over the refrigerator interior to rinse away cleaning residues.
• Allow the walls to air-dry before plugging it back and returning shelves, drawers and trays.
• Return the perishables to refrigerator.


Deodorizing

---

Materials: 1-2 cups of coffee grounds or 1 box of baking soda

Coffee grounds are useful in a number of ways, and coffee grounds are very effective at removing bad odors in refrigerators. Don’t expect bad odors to disappear immediately. Allow a few days for the coffee grounds to absorb bad smells.

VS

Baking soda, also known as sodium bicarbonate, is a very effective deodorant. It has a unique chemical property that works by attracting the molecules of the foul odors into itself. Foul odors come in the form of moist air, which then clump with the baking soda and stay trapped for a long time. One box of baking soda can last up to a year inside your refrigerator, and keep it smelling fresh and odor-free.

Steps:

Coffee grounds • Dump coffee grounds on a large plate and leave it in the refrigerator. • If the smells are extreme, use multiple shallow bowls, and place the bowls on different shelves in the refrigerator.

VS

Baking soda • Either slice off the top of the baking soda box or pour baking soda in plastic container. • Keep the box on a door shelf, or the far corner of the refrigerator.

Tips

---

• Newspaper or charcoal can also help absorb odors.
• To prevent odors in the future, make a point to look in once a week or so and remove expired food. Try looking right before you take out the trash. It's a good reminder and items don't sit around in your kitchen trash smelling bad.
• As much as possible, contain foods in airtight containers. They will stay fresher longer and the odors will not spread as much if they do spoil.
• If your refrigerator smells exceptionally bad, mix about ½ cup of baking soda with a tablespoon or two of vanilla extract.
• Keep baking soda away from vegetables, because sodium bicarbonate can sometimes cause green leafy vegetables to wilt faster.

Limonium sinuatum

This is my favourite flower. Not roses but dried statice.

Mosquito Trap (Home Made)

I just received the following in one of those forwarded emails. Not sure if it works but it sure looks believable. Good luck!

Blood Donor No More

I am devastated.

2 years ago, I found out that I had hyperactive thyroid (read about it here) and was on medication for 2 years until February this year. While I was on Carbimazole (medication to treat Hyperthyroidism), the Doctors told me that I can't donate blood. Now that my Thyroid is back to normal and I'm off medication - I decided to call the Blood Bank and check when I can start donating blood again. The Doctor asked me what was the cause of my hyperthyroidism and I told him it's genetic. He explained that it falls under the autoimmune category and that means that I cannot donate blood - for life.

I have never believed in donating money or material goods so I always looked forward to donating blood, to giving life... but I can no longer do that and I'm really disappointed.

Hot vs Cold

I claim that I neither drink coffee nor tea.

But I realised that's not true. I drink iced coffee and I really enjoy Coffee Bean/Starbucks' ice blended coffees. During my recent trip to Phi Phi Island, Thailand - I loved the iced lattes so much that I ordered it at almost every meal.

One of my favourite drinks is freshly made Ice Lemon Tea. I drink iced tea on its own too but it just tastes so much better with lemon, or lime. I don't quite fancy Chinese tea but I like Chrysanthemum tea and order it quite often at coffee shops.

So I do drink coffee and tea! But I only like them served icy cold.

Precordial Catch Syndrome

Do you ever get a piercing pain in your chest, usually on your left side under your rib, which almost feels like a bubble ready to burst?

It causes you to catch your breath, and you try not to breathe in or breathe out too much because it’s extremely painful either way. You take short, staggered breaths and try not to move. Finally, you work up the courage to take a sharp inhale or exhale. You feel a sensation similar to a bubble bursting and the pain is gone.

I used to experience this and still do, sometimes. Never knew what it was called but I managed to find out that the medical term is Precordial Catch Syndrome. It is actually a very common condition and most people have experienced it.

Many people mistakenly believe that they are having a heart attack at the onset of this type of pain. While the pain is strong and located in an area that would seem like the heart, this condition is not a heart attack, nor is it heart related.

Precordial Catch Syndrome (PCS) is the most common cause of recurring chest pain. It is also sometimes known as “a stitch in the side” or “Texidor’s twinge”. It occurs most often in children and teenagers, but does persist into adulthood as well. The pain occurs just under the left nipple, near where you feel the heart beat most strongly on the front of the chest, and comes on very suddenly.

This extremely sharp pain causes a person to not want to move or breathe. This is where the “catch” part of the name is derived. Any movement or breathing only seems to intensify the pain. The pain usually lasts for around 30 seconds to 1 minute before disappearing. Sometimes the pain will suddenly disappear upon taking a strong breath or moving suddenly as well. This can almost feel like a pop of an imaginary bubble. After the pain is gone, there is usually a dull ache that lingers.

These onsets of pain can occur frequently, sometimes several times a day, and can occur when exercising, resting, or when in virtually any other state. Doctors have not been able to correlate PCS with any particular triggers, such as heavy activity or the like. However, there are some doctors that believe things like heavy or irregular breathing or even posture could play some type of role in bringing about an episode of PCS.

At this time, doctors and researchers do not know what causes the pain associated with PCS. The most accepted theory is that the pain is the result of a pinched nerve somewhere. Due to the fact that the onsets of PCS are so quick and disappear just as quickly, it’s hard for doctors to actually see the condition in action.

While doctors aren’t sure of the actual causes, they are sure that it poses no danger. They believe it to be a completely benign condition and is most certainly not cause for alarm. For this reason, there is not a lot of information or studies regarding the physical cause of PCS available. Doctors feel no need to intensify study of something they know to be only a minor inconvenience.

The only real worry is that sometimes, what seemed like PCS, could possibly turn out to be something more serious. The following are signs of more concerning illness:

• Chest pain that extends into the left side of the jaw or arm
• Chest pain that a person describes as a “heavy” feeling
• Pain that does not improve at least a little after 24 hours of regular doses of ibuprofen
• Fever
• Cough, especially a cough that produces phlegm ("flem," or “flame")
• Extreme anxiety with the pain or a feeling of “impending doom”
• Blueness or paleness of the lips or fingernails
• An irregular, rapid, or pounding heart rate
• Marked difficulty breathing or catching one’s breath (different from mild pain with breathing)

If any of these occur, please be sure to call your doctor’s office right away. These could be indications of a more serious and potentially threatening condition.

People experiencing PCS need no particular treatment at all. Usually, just the reassurance that they aren’t having something dangerous happening is all that they need to hear to set their minds at ease. PCS should not interfere with normal activity, and there’s no reason to use any form of medication.

If you are experiencing PCS, it may be worth a visit to the doctor just to go over the symptoms to be sure that it is not a different condition that could be more serious. Doctors can easily tell the difference between a serious heart condition and Precordial Catch Syndrome just by talking with the patient, and doing a physical examination.

In the meantime, you can rest assured that your extremely painful, stabbing feeling is completely normal and only a minor inconvenience. And remember, the key to getting rid of the pain quickly is to just work up the courage to take that deep breath, scream in pain, and be done with it.

For more information, go to http://www.failedsuccess.com/index.php?/weblog/comments/precordial_catch_syndrome_chest_pain/

Always Look on the Bright Side of Life

Taken off the last scene from Monty Python's Life of Brian, this is my favourite video clip for now. Supposedly during filming, all the actors were bored and hot sitting up on their crucifixes so Eric Idle started singing. Everyone (but Eric) liked it so much that they decided to use it for the movie.


Words and music by Eric Idle

Some things in life are bad
They can really make you mad
Other things just make you swear and curse.
When you're chewing on life's gristle
Don't grumble, give a whistle
And this'll help things turn out for the best...

And...always look on the bright side of life...
Always look on the light side of life...

If life seems jolly rotten
There's something you've forgotten
And that's to laugh and smile and dance and sing.
When you're feeling in the dumps
Don't be silly chumps
Just purse your lips and whistle - that's the thing.

And...always look on the bright side of life...
Always look on the light side of life...

For life is quite absurd
And death's the final word
You must always face the curtain with a bow.
Forget about your sin - give the audience a grin
Enjoy it - it's your last chance anyhow.

So always look on the bright side of death
Just before you draw your terminal breath

Life's a piece of shit
When you look at it
Life's a laugh and death's a joke, it's true.
You'll see it's all a show
Keep 'em laughing as you go
Just remember that the last laugh is on you.

And always look on the bright side of life...
Always look on the right side of life...
(Come on guys, cheer up!)
Always look on the bright side of life...
Always look on the bright side of life...
(Worse things happen at sea, you know.)
Always look on the bright side of life...
(I mean - what have you got to lose?)
(You know, you come from nothing - you're going back to nothing.
What have you lost? Nothing!)
Always look on the right side of life...

from Stingingly Painful to Sweet Scrumptious Sio Bak

I went out to the nearby coffee shop to buy lunch and as I was walking home, I tripped. There was no obstacle in my path and I wasn't wearing heels so I have no idea how I fell. One moment, I was swinging my lunch and walking happily with a song in my head and in an instant - I sled across the cemented floor, crushed my chicken rice lunch (which was still edible), hurt the back of my right palm, left knee, leg and toe.

Minutes after the fall


4 days after the fall


Doesn't the wound on the knee look like barbecued pork?

Love is...

...buying the cheapest toothbrush for yourself and splurging S$15 for a loved one.

Oral-B Pulsar

Oral-B Pulsar is a battery-powered toothbrush with a split head and Micropulse bristles that penetrates and cleans deep between teeth. Just turn it on and brush away.

- Penetrates deep between teeth
- Sweeps away food and plaque from the tooth surface
- Adjusts to the contours of your teeth
- Moderates the amount of pressure applied to your teeth and gums


Thank you sister, I love you.

Symbols

Sometimes at work, I need to use symbols when I type and I find it so much easier to use keyboard shortcuts than to go through the Menu bar. I'd like to share some of the more commonly used and my favourite symbols with you. To use them, press Alt on your keyboard and don't let go until you key in the numbers beside the symbols shown below:

½ - 171 (half)

¼ - 172 (quarter)

Þ - 0222 (mouth with tongue)

º - 167 (degree)

☺ - 1 (smiley)

♥ - 3 (heart)

÷ - 246 (divide)

≥ - 242 (greater than or equal)

≤ - 243 (less than or equal)

Hope you find them useful. Enjoy!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Love means never having to say you're Sorry. Just look away.

Cheapest Haircut in Singapore

I don't know why I'm advertising for them for free. Maybe it's because I enjoy their services, it is really value for money and I believe that good things are meant to be shared.

Mist in KL

It's been very windy in Singapore lately - probably due to the North-East Monsoon season that happens this time of the year, which might also explain the rain in KL when I visited recently and the massive amounts of mist hovering above KL city. Checkout the mist that almost engulfs the Telekom tower as you can't even see the tip. If you would like to know what the building looks like on a normal sunny day, check this out:

Soap dispenser with soap

I went to a shopping centre (which I shall not name) in Singapore on New Year's Day and had to use the washroom. So I went to the ladies and while queuing, I chanced upon this sign on the wall:



I'm curious as to why there is a need to explain that the soap dispenser contains soap? Isn't the word "soap dispenser" self-explanatory? It just puzzles me and I had to blog about this.