My dear friend Sab is holding a mini contest in her blog. Just blog about which would you chose: Fame or Fortune and stand a chance to win SG$50 and other mini prizes

I blogged about this topic for Gadget3 blog just a while ago, and my stand is, I would chose Fortune over Fame anytime. The reason being you can’t do anything with a little fame, but you can do alot with a little fortune

Basically, the reason why fortune trumps over fame is, the quantity is less significant for the former. If you are only “a little famous”, what does it even matter? If you have “some what a fortune”, you could do a lot more. Then again, one man’s meat is another man’s poison. It all boils down to which of the two brings you more happiness.

Or perhaps the reason why I chose Fortune over Fame is that it is more plausible for me to attain Fortune than Fame. Although both requires skill and luck, the latter requires a whole lot more than just a little lucky. You have to meet the right person, do the right thing at the right time, to be able to be noticed. Who knows how long will your fame even last? We’ve seen so many one hit wonders and big stars that comes and goes. Obviously if you chose to squander your fortune away, then you wouldn’t have any fortune for long as well.

A more interesting way of looking at this topic would be… do you think that a millionaire would give up his fortune to be famous? Or a celebrity giving up their status to be rich? Actually there are many mega super stars that leave a very important footnote in our history, I don’t think they’ll give that up for any amount of money.

I was so disappointed to learn initially that I would be overseas during the AWARE EGM on 1st May 2009. I think I would go as far as to call it a historical milestone for any form of political discourse locally. The whole saga started when a bunch of right winged Christians decided to make a difference in the society by hijacking a Singapore NGO for women. I’m sure their intentions were good – they saw something wrong about the society and wanted to change and make a difference.

What went wrong was that they assumed everyone would some how agree with their ideologies and went with it. If these good Christians really want to make a difference in the society, there are MANY other things they should try give a shit about. I remember I read on another blog post a similar view, that these Christians should advocate for divorce, family abuse, parental responsibility, poverty, drugs etc. etc. There are so many more important areas that these Christians can go champion for, instead they want to bother with which hole people want to F***.

I’ve also read a few comments about how AWARE old guards made used to the “new” media, social media 2.0 to spread the word. Like how Obama used facebook and other social networking sites to garner support from the younger generation. Face it, we, the young people, are the future. We will grow up to be the ones running the government, owning businesses, driving taxis, drinking kopi in kopitiams. It would be a HUGE mistake to think that we don’t care or we can’t be bothered too. Many youngersters are becoming more aware and interested in political issues and bringing politics into Web 2.0 just makes it so much more interesting!

Anyhow, 1UP for the secular boobs.

Enjoy the compiled interviews from AWARE EGM on 1st May 2009 by clicknetwork.tv

I was browsing through a forum I randomly came across and something very weird and funny caught my attention. This guy’s signature says:

Everytime you click here a hungry child dies in Africa.

The link brings you to a myspace page, I haven’t clicked on it to see the content, but I wouldn’t want to kill a hungry child in Africa to feed my curiosity!

Does the sentence even make sense? Is the guy trying to be funny, or is there some deeper meaning or parody behind that sentence?

If no one were to ever click on that link, would hungry children stop dying in Africa? Hmmmm…

[Inserts picture of African child, with a button beside that says "KILL", cause I'm too lazy to go photoshop]

***Submitted by a reader saren. Thanks

Singapore Women’s Football Team have been disbanded. The team doesn’t have a high profile to begin with, since little attention is even paid to our local men’s football leagues most of the time. Perhaps it was a small step for women, to be playing on the same playing field as our local football men, but we had something going.

(random picture taken from english.people.com.cn)

Women’s football has been rapidly growing and expanding in Singapore over the last few years and to disband the team now would be an insult to the efforts and the love put into this. Who says girl’s can’t kick balls!

A reply from Nazreen Banu, Head of Women’s Football Department, Football Association of Singapore goes

We have not disbanded the women’s national team. As the focus is on improving club competitions, our national players will now be training with their clubs and participating in the Women’s League, instead of training all year round with the national team, as was previously the case.

When there are opportunities to play competitive games with visiting women’s teams, the national team will be assembled.

What this means is…. IF we are sending any female football teams for overseas competitions and qualifiers, we will recall our “national team players at-large” to play for us. Meanwhile, you guys can play football in your own clubs. IF we chose not to send anyone for women’s qualifiers, then TOO BAD?!

This kind of not here not there answer is totally unacceptable. Without any promises, without any form of official team, how do they expect players to be ready for such competitions? Without exposure, funding to play overseas, experience with foreign women’s football teams, how would our players ever be ready for the international stage? This sounds like a very lame answer to cover up the sudden disbandment of Singapore Women’s Football team.

Read the below links for more information.

From the mouth of a Lioness – a former Women’s Football team member

Don’t let Lionesses go out with a whimper

Reply from Head of Women’s Football Department

I’m shocked by Jamie Yeo’s honesty in her blog. Disclosing her personal details such as losing her virginity at 18 and masturbating at 6 years old in her blog, it is simply shocking. It’s shocking because she blogged it knowing the potential backlash this might cause. I hope this doesn’t come across wrongly, but perhaps she might even enjoy sharing her bedroom secrets to the public

I had my first orgasm when I was 6. Wait!!! Before you fly off the handle and faint or something. Let me explain. When i was a little girl, I found that if I cross my legs tightly and squeeze for a long enough time, I’d feel this strange but awesome and warm sensation down there. The sensation would only last for about 6-10 seconds but it felt so good I couldn’t help but repeat the “cross legs and squeeze” action again and again throughout my childhood. Years later, when I finally learned (and experienced) what an orgasm meant through sex education and a bit of self exploration, I finally realised that I was more familiar with masturbation than most kids my age.

Some people made comments frowning at her blog post, saying that she’s seeking for attention, she’s a bad celebrity role model, she’s not a good Christian because she had pre-marital sex. One even called her promiscuous – although I’m not sure how losing your virginity pre-martially makes you a promiscuous person, and masturbation surely doesn’t make you a promiscuous person.

During puberty girls sometimes start to recognize sexual feelings because of the increase in hormones in their bodies. Often, girls discover that touching or rubbing their genital area feels good. This is called masturbation. Many girls masturbate during adolescence. It is a normal activity, even though it is not commonly talked about.

Taken from UMHS Pediatric Advisor

Since puberty starts anywhere between 7 to 14years old for girls, it’s not surprising that Jamie Yeo started masturbating at 6, early bloomer some call it. The average age that Singaporeans lose their virginity is at 18.4years old according to the famous Durex’s Global Sex Survey (2005). So Jamie Yeo isn’t really an early bloomer I guess?

The part about her not being a good Christian because she had pre-marital sex is just weird. She can’t change what she has done in the past. We just need the Anglicans to be even more tolerant than they already are with homosexuality, and extend their love to pre-marital people lol… The average age of first marriage of Singaporean women is 27.2 years old, and since the average age of Singaporean women losing their virginity is at 18, I believe a large number of the population practices premarital sex.

Last but not least, I wish to point out that Jamie Yeo is a VERY average person so don’t talk about her like she’s some kind of freak. How average is she? She lost her virginity at 18, the national average, and got married at 27, also at the national average age. Sexually, she is an average person, just like you and me

Of course she’s a celebrity and she deserves people scolding her, sorry la, that’s their line of business. Like what Tina Fey said at the recent Oscar’s “if you ever start to feel too good about yourself, they have this thing called the Internet! You can find a lot of people there who don’t like you!”

I’ve been very reluctant to blog about this issue, but after reading the blog reactions from many concerned bloggers, I feel it would be hypocritical of me to have any opinion and not blog about it for fear of political reasons.

Politics within the local blogosphere haven’t been very fun, funny, or entertaining. Most of the time, it’s just childish kindergarten format squabbles. With the Association of Bloggers Singapore (ABS) trying to “unite” local bloggers, I can’t help but to feel that it’s another attempt to draw lines between bloggers. Everyone has to take a side, their side or no side. I don’t believe that any groups can unite all local bloggers – perhaps only those that are already active in the blogging scene. But face it, there are only perhaps a couple of hundred bloggers in Singapore that takes blogging seriously. Majority of blogs you come across are anonymous or super casual (updated like twice a year?), most blogs are just outlets to vent your frustrations.

My guess is most people that are willing to pay to join the ABS, would be individuals that are already somewhat involved in the local blogging community. I don’t think it’s a good or bad idea, but I’m just skeptical of how much can ABS really aid local bloggers. How can ABS help if there’s a flame war going on? They cannot and should not take sides, being a professional body. How can ABS help when there are chaos and politics in  the local blogosphere? How are they going to educate bloggers to blog responsibly?

Although there are many questions that would be left unanswered for the time being, I believe that action speak louder than words. Perhaps we should have an open mind about this new association, and give them a chance to prove themselves. No point in slamming them, or slamming any individual, when they have only just begun.

Here are some more reads to blogger’s views on this association. Some are rather supportive, some not so.

ABS President Eastcoastlife

Anonymous blogger’s protest

The Lycan Times’ opinion

Daphnemaia’s call for boycott of ABS

Hollyjean pointing out why there’s no need to join ABS

Brian (PR guy) ‘s take on ABS

Perhaps ABS needs to answer some of these difficult questions for bloggers to be able to accept them. But after reading Hollyjean’s updated blog post on an “invite only” association, I’m not sure this will take off very well.

One of my friends, Colin, wrote a note on facebook, which I found to be very poetic and sad.

Some people seem to have an insatiable need to fill their lives with constant cacophony. Silence is a foreign concept. Whenever silence befalls, the pushing, urgent need to cover it takes over. Silence is to be vanquished, silence equals loneliness, silence is uncomfortable and demands immediate remediation. Perhaps the seeping in of one’s thoughts is a strange sensation which must be resolved. For who knows what demons silence conjures in a silent man’s mind.

But how can one hear oneself when one is always talking? The incessant chatter and pitter-patter of words is a comforting blanket that informs one that one is never alone. However, like a blanket that is used too liberally, it becomes a shroud over one’s intrinsic voice. Silence and solitude are far from markers of loneliness but are the companions of a contemplative mind. It lets one listen to one’s voice and experience the ineffable; that is why no one ever prays by shouting or meditate by screaming. Silence is the domain of those who listen.

and I commented on his note:

For who knows what demons silence conjures in a silent man’s mind. – well said!

When people say “No one understands me, I don’t even understand myself”. They don’t because silence scares them. Without silence, there’s no room for introspection and self-reflection.

I was once that person – afraid of listening to my own voice. I loved going out in big groups, mindless chattering, senseless noises. Whenever it started to be silent, I’ll find someone to accompany me, some noise to fill my head with. I realized later, that it was because I was afraid to listen to my inner voice. Deep down inside, I felt a need to run away from myself instead of facing myself. Occasionally, I faced the mirror and try to see if the physical reflection from the mirror would show some divine reflection of my own soul.

I’m not sure if you, my dear reader, feels the same way… but someone once told me, in order to love yourself, you first have to know yourself. If you can’t even love yourself, then how are others suppose to love you?

I’ve already gone past the phrase when noise was the only way to filter my mind from me, and I truly enjoy silence nowadays. Just lying in bed, with or without some soothing music in the background, I love thinking about the world, philosophy, politics, puzzles, religion and myself. The mind is such a powerful tool, it’s a pity if we just leave it there to rot?

I’ll leave you with a song I wrote on my 17th birthday…

Like a shadow, I’m haunted by myself

Everyday is a chore, I have to live through

There is no where to hide, no where to run to

I can’t hide from myself, I got to break through…

Haha, emo me.

I was very excited when I heard that Philips was letting me review their latest GoGear LUXE mp3 player! I’ve seen one of the Philips staff, at the previous luxurious Bloggers Event they held, wearing this very stylish jewel. She introduced it as one of Philips’ latest innovation for a fun and simple MP3 player. I’ve been waiting to get my hands on it ever since!

Delicious!

I was given the black set and Sab had the red one. Both of colours look like timeless pieces of jewelleries that can be worn even if you just received it and haven’t yet charged the player.

As demonstrated by yours truly in the below picture.

It looks like part of my clothes design!

Tip: Clipping it on a belt would look fantastic too!

Clip and click to always stay tuned and connected! The chic Philips GoGear LUXE digital audio player fastens as an accessory and switches from music to calls on your Bluetooth mobile phone – and displays Caller ID – with one touch.

Taken from Philips’ site

The sound quality is superb! The set comes with a in-ear headphone, its USB cable can be plugged into the battery charger module which is very convenient because I always found my gadgets having too many cables and it can get confusing!!

I’ve tested that the Bluetooth works fine with my Sony Ericsson K800i phone, but I’m not one that likes to use earpiece. Sab would definitely find it very useful because she always have problem picking up her phone while driving (putting my life in danger as well!). If you’re looking for a wireless handsfree earpiece for your phone AND looking for a simple MP3 player, I think the LUXE would definitely be very useful. I’m not sure if there are other MP3 players out there that can match Philips’ GoGear LUXE in terms of of its on-the-go bluetooth cum MP3 player functionality, but as someone that hasn’t bought a MP3 player in the past five years, this is something  that I would actually pay for. But of course, I’m putting this MP3 player on my Christmas wish list *hint hint*.

This chic little thing has 2Gb of space, which is more than sufficient for my daily listening pleasures. It’s small but not  unsightly and it’s matches clothes super easily! I’m going to play with this MP3 player for a while more and update you guys again! Hopefully I get to keep the review set for a few more weeks! The GoGear LUXE definitely stands out in terms of looks, although its compact design meant that the buttons were a little small and I had to use my nails to press them since my fingers are quite stubby >,<

With it costing a little more than SG$100, it’s definitely a bang for buck mp3 player!

I’ve never seen a negative advertisement campaign on our local media before – until now. Channel 5 played an advertisement to boast Mediacorp‘s viewership as compared to Singapore Press Holdings.

I assume it’s a tactic to show advertisers how advertising on Mediacorp is better than Singapore Press Holdings, but I find this ad completely dumb. There could be some underlying vendetta between Mediacorp and SPH that I wasn’t aware of, but we only have ONE main T.V. program Channel 5, Channel 8 and Channel U – under Mediacorp and we only have ONE main print media Straits Times, Lian He Zhao Bao, Lian He Wan Bao – under Singapore Press Holdings. I don’t see how the two should be in any competition at all seeing that they respectively dominate in their own markets.

I rarely watch local TV, so I’m not sure how long have these negative advertisements on Straits TImes and various newspapers under Singapore Press Holdings have been running. For those that have not seen the ads, it runs something like this:

Chart shows Channel 5 viewership as compared to Straits Times readership.

Chart shows Channel 8 viewership, then Channel U viewship as compared to Lian He Zhao Bao viewship.

With a voice actor declaring how Mediacorp is the best place to advertise to reach more target audience.

Although Mediacorp might have surveys and facts to purport this claim, there is no reason to air this on prime air-time to show the public these figures – unless they are trying to give their viewers a perception that Mediacorp is more suprerior than Singapore Press Holdings.

This kind of cheap negative ad campaign stunt reminds me of the recent US Presidential race where Mc Cain ran many negative ads on Obama. Except, in this case, Mediacorp is the fore runner and it’s plain silly to slam your opponent if they aren’t even competing in your primary domain! Not to mention, for our local Singapore elections, it is illegal to publish negative ads against other parties!

So, can someone explain to me why I find Mediacorp’s latest advertising stint so distasteful?  I tried to google to see if anyone could shed some light behind the silly ads, but all I could find was another old war between Mediacorp and SPH dated back May 2002. Could the recent financial turmoil affected Mediacorp’s advertising profits and they have no choice but to resort to this?

I’ve been waiting for a reply from NTU for months. I was nervous when October came… they said they would let me know if I got into the program by first week of October. One week passed, no reply.

I began to start imagining my life and the choices I would have to make next if I don’t get into NTU’s Master program. It was scary, I don’t know what to do with my life. I was also frightened when I thought about my life after getting accepted into NTU, because there’s a good chance I might not get in. The disappointment would be so tremendous, I even planned on applying one week annual leave from my work.

Some advice me not to call NTU and just wait for their letter, some encouraged me to call and just get this load off of my mind. When I finally did…. I cried.

I got into NTU.

I called my parents and they were shocked cause I sounded like I was crying “I am crying, because I’m so happy. Are you proud of me?”

For the first time in my life, I feel I deserved to be felt proud of. I’m going to be a graduate student, and in two years, I have a brighter future ahead. It’s not that I don’t like the company I’m working for, the company’s great, the work is horrible. I don’t want to be an office girl for the rest of my life, I don’t want to end up a nobody. I have dreams, ambitions, goals, and now I have more choices.

I’ve set a rough plan for myself since I was 16. I wasn’t the typical straight As student like my peers, I was “straight As” for partying, having the time of my life, doing whatever I wanted. I told myself, as long as I don’t waste my life away, as long as the end game I become a useful person, it’s OK to play for now. Back then, it was probably an excuse for my rebellious self to have fun.

I think someone up there really favors me to have let me 撒嬌 (behave like a spoilt child) for so long, and still fulfill my wishes and dreams. Thank you. Thank you very much.