Life For Rent

Over the past 3-4 months, I have been disappointed by quite a few people. From disappointment, to annoyance. There are some who will click, and there will be some who won’t. People will naturally pick sides. How do u know when someone has? When people go like ‘don’t tell him I told u’. That’s usual human nature. Which happens all the time. Everywhere. I, for one, from history and based on character, usually prefers the underdog. Why? Cause side-pickers tend to be myopic.

They can argue n justify it all they want. I mean heck, sometimes I pick sides too. Do u think I don’t know what it is like? I pick the side that few bother to even give a damn. Myopia can only get so far. All too often, one day, people put on their specs, and realise omg, how wrong they were. Too late my friend.

Underdogs are unpopular. They are not fun. They are loud. Noisy. Annoying.

But if people can see beneath those, there is a good chance they will see what lies behind the noise and annoyance. Conversely, everyone loves a joker. A fun loving person. If they actually knew the person well enough, you’ll see a different picture.

I aint criticizing side-pickers though. Why should I? In the past during my clubbing days, when issues arise and a group splits due to side-picking, ‘original’ friends will go back to their own group. It’s just the way things are.

I trust my gut.  It has been able to help me quite a bit all these years. The horoscope for my ‘animal year’ says I should be wary of back stabbers this year, especially those around me. I think one should be wary at all times anyway.

There is a clear distinction between friends, and ‘people I happen to know’. I am selective, cause I cannot be hurt by ‘people I happen to know’, but I can be easily hurt (despite my shell) by friends. Friends do the right thing, even if it doesn’t appear to be for the best at the moment.

Yes, I am annoyed. I am annoyed at being disappointed. If I can be disappointed, it means I still consider the person as a friend. If one day I go “Who’s Emily? Or Eunice. Or Eugene?’, then you know I don’t give a damn.I pride myself on being able to be heartless! *evil laugh*

I’m sorry.  This side taking thing rubs me the same way as the clanker of metal cutlery which drives me nuts.

I know it is not gonna make any sense to most of you. It is just some personal blabbering.

My patience is indeed wearing thinner and thinner. Perhaps, soon, I will be doing some stuff that I have held back for very long.  It’s unfortunate and a shame, but I suppose when someone drives another to do what he will do, that someone had it coming.

That’s not to say I’m not disappointed. After all I am human still.

Radio DJ Glenn Ong and his television host wife Jamie Yeo have separated. He announced this on his morning radio show on MediaCorp’s Class 95FM yesterday morning but did not give details.

There had been rumours for the past few weeks that their marriage was on the rocks and they were spotted at a recent event arriving and sitting separately.

The couple married in 2004. It is Yeo’s first marriage and Ong’s second. He was married to Kate Reyes, also a MediaCorp DJ, from 2000 to 2003 and had also then announced their break-up on air.

Yeo, 31, is currently a presenter on ESPN Star Sports and was a former radio DJ and actress with MediaCorp.

Neither of them was available for comments. Calls and messages to both went unanswered.

Early on his radio programme yesterday, Ong, 38, mentioned that he had an important announcement to make at 8.30am.

At 8.31am, he said he and Yeo ‘have parted ways’, then promptly played the song Stronger by Kanye West.

He did not elaborate and there was no further mention of the separation for the rest of the show, save for a comment from him that he was receiving a lot of SMSes about it.

A spokesman for MediaCorp Radio says: ‘Glenn Ong and Jamie Yeo have officially filed for separation and have been living apart for a while. Their marriage broke down simply due to the couple having grown apart in recent years because of their careers and individual differences.

‘The decision was a mutual one and thus the parting was amicable. They remain good friends, are still talking and continue to have the utmost respect for each other. This is naturally a difficult time for the couple and they have requested to be left alone unequivocally.’

Radio listener Lina Husin, 29, was shocked to hear the announcement.

She says: ‘They seemed to be quite a loving couple and he was always talking about her on air, calling her ‘my baby’.’

Yeo is a celebrity blogger on the Straits Times Online Media Portal (Stomp).

But in a recent entry dated Jan 29 on her personal blog, she wrote: ‘I was glad to be done with 2008 honestly. The year was great work-wise but not so on a personal level. I’m only finally admitting this because the year’s done and dusted, and I know 2009 will be liberating, to say the least.’

- ST

No it isn’t bout me. It is about Glenn Ong (from Class 95′s morning express). I have gotten into listening to the program again on the way to work and I love it!

So he said on Tuesday that he will be making an announcement on Friday at 8.30am. He will only say it once and knowing the media is tuned in to, this is their chance to find out bout something from the horse’s mouth.

So what was it? I didn’t have a good vibe to it but nonetheless I felt it had something to do with him and Jamie Yeo whom he’s married to.

So in my head I had the following choices-

A. Jamie’s pregnant! Yay!

B. Glenn is leaving the show/industry

C. A death in the family? choi!

D. He’s got some incurable disease of sorts *choi*!

But what constitutes something that he’ll only say it just once? Using 50-50, I’ll have C and D remaining. I would go for D.

Turns out.. and word for word, in a somber tone, he said..

“Jamie and I… have parted ways”.

Another, has ended. Celeb aside and all, the couple is probably just like any other. They probably had loads of problems for a while, and it came to irreconcilable differences? It wasn’t mentioned and I shall not speculate. Back then when he and Kate Reyes parted ways, that was the reason given. But it’s sad to hear of such stuff. As emotionless as I can be, and with that thought bout relationships that I have, still it comes quite as a shocker.

I know he’s quite affected by it still, but a darn good professional at work nonetheless. Over the years, I have managed to improve in this area myself. In Dec last year when my relationship died, I was too traumatised to continue to work. So I took a few days off on a retreat and I bounced back enough to work again. Now, I have what I asked for. The perfect opportunity to put mind and soul into work. It is going to be a tough year at work but I do believe tough times don’t last, tough men do (damn, the army has taught me well).

It’s a time for growth for me, in more ways than one. Hopefully I will be able to take something out of this whole year. As every year should be for me.

You know you have improved when u talk to that someone and it doesn’t bother u anymore. Like talking to just another fella online. The true test is to see the person in the flesh. Gunning from past experiences, I am likely to past with flying colors.

I like it.

I got this article in my mail the other day and it does sum up some of the key risks.

One point I’d like to highlight is the fact that employers do screen people online. In fact if 10 years ago you  had some nasty picture or information up somewhere, at the right price and with enough time, I can find it. Employers don’t want to employ people who has shaddy info online. So do be careful not to post stuff that u don’t want your parents/employers or [fill in the blanks]  to know. If u have done so, well pray hard u aint  applying for a job where they’ll pay for online background checks on you.

I know, for a fact, when a candidate is rejected, it may not be due to the interview performance, or the resume, or anything, other than a single ‘wrong’ photo online. Those pictures are all cute and funny when you’re 16. When you’re 26, it aint funny no more.

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Working hard on a Sunday at home. Damn I hate excel but it is so vital in some of the reports my team churns out…

The week has been horrendously busy, especially on Friday since I assumed the new leadership role. Incidents galore but I think my team and I are strong enough to handle it all. I am blessed to have a dedicated team who works very well with one another. No office nonsense whatsoever. Saturday saw a company luncheon. Food was terrible I must say and the event planning was quite bad with respect to timing and all but I believe everyone tried their best to pull it off and to handle ad hoc crisis so I think that is a job well done on their part. There was however a moment of surprise for me, and I guess for many of my colleagues as well. Good or bad, I don’t know either. But this surprise, I will share it with the team.

Had a good sashimi dinner at the club, with Rach giving us a 3 hr crash course on law. I still don’t like law, maybe cause I dislike dealing with humans. I love working with animals. I won’t even mind carrying the animal smell on me. One of the reasons why I started off with comps and networks is cause I deal with the machines! I make them talk and communicate with one another. When I had to begin dealing with different customers of mine I lost interest in it. Today things have somewhat changed. I deal with my clients closely and in a more respected fashion. It is somewhat like an intimate relationship u know. U trust me with my work, I trust u to trust me with it and leave me alone.

Speaking of intimates. Since December I have been having a fury of lay lay requests. If u don’t know what lay lays are, just skip and move on. They have been coming on fast and furious. Hardly a single day gets by without some sort of a request. I woke up yesterday morning to find an old flame on my MSN asking me for it. But they way he put it was so cute I laughed. And oh yes, Rach hasn’t heard bout this one yet. That’s how recent it is. It is funny.. real funny. And Iasked him how come he only popped out now. He said he has been waiting for that status to change to ‘single’ cause he was respectful and didn’t want to come in while I was with someone. My mind has been focussed on work so I haven’t really thought bout all these yet. But I do seem to have booked a travel companion for next year’s CNY already! He is such a travel and shopping freak. grrrr.

2009. Yes yes goats are gonna have a bad year and all yada yada. But I have decided not to get deeper into it. I’ll put my faith in more meaningful stuff!

Here are somemore photos from Phuket!

That’s us on the boat on a day trip to the Phi Phi Islands! Really bumpy ride on the way there. Ban Ban (the joker and tour lead) said it was due to the tide coming in one direction and the wind from the other. Bang! I think it is  true. Needless to say, generally, if you get a bumpy right one way, you should get a smoother one on the way back. Which we did, thankfully. Jenny said while it was hell bumpy, it wasn’t the worst. I shudder to think of those on that trip where the choppiness took the ride to the extreme. Would have felt like the perfect storm eh? *plays eerie music*

Everyone thought we were a couple. And why wouldn’t they. Most of the tourist to Phuket were on a long honeymoon like vacation. I believe everyone else around were couples too. Save for Jenny (one half of the owners) and Ban Ban. Ban Ban’s a local dude! Anyway this was our first stop for some snorkeling and fish feeding. Rach was petrified with how close, and how many fishes there were. My favorite was the parrot fish! And yes I came back with my balls, dong, and 2 nipples intact still. Believe me, the fish were nibbling at them. I am thankful they didn’t have teeth. Or did they? hmmmm…

By the way, this first stop was also our first pee break. Hey the sea is a huge open bathroom man. I cannot understand why rach went ‘yeeee’. If the fish were still swimming around me, I don’t think my pee was that toxic hahaha.. Besides in the cold water, a gush of warmness is soothing is it not? hahaah… Ok for the record I did NOT pee anywhere near that girl la.. I swam towards the rocks and dumped along the way, like how a jetliner dumps fuel airborne haha.. Morning tea break was back at the beach and omg, Jenny’s banana cake was wonderful. For someone who doesn’t like cakes (cause I HATE the annoying feeling of it sticking all over my teeth and all), I loved ths cuz it was moist, full of flavor and if I could I would have whacked a hell lot more.  But good things must share… right?

There was also this guy who looked after our belongings while we were out snorkelling cause Jenny was assisting a lady who couldn’t swim while Ban Ban was tossing bread at us who were in the water so the fish would come right up to us. The fish aint afraid of us, they just wanted food. I am surprised. Cuz usually for the sashimi eater that I am, I have seen fish run away from me literally. Yes run, not swim. But these folks seem to be alright. Maybe they figured I won’t eat them cuz they are too cute and colorful. They are right! Back onshore.. Jenny paid the ‘beach mafia’ for looking after our stuff and we packed and left. The beach mafia reminds me of bummy… the beach bum. Rach thinks I can be a beach mafia due to my size. That whore…

Here’s some pictures courtesy ofRach of the places we visited and sw

am. She sufferred a cut at one of the stops where the water was quite choppy. Even I had a lil trouble. Till today we don’t know where she got that cut from. The rocks? Corals? The boat propeller? She said she loves the scar. Makes her look man. I think she studied too much law… a tad looney now.

This is one of the places where birds’ nest were harvested. We couldn’t get too near cuz guards are hired to keep intruders away and they are armed. Ban Ban showed us how high the folks had to climb to get the nest, which explains the high price as well. I still wonder if it has medicinal value but apparently it does help to improve chronic problems. If you do buy birds’ nest from Thailand, better make sure you know your stuff else you may end up with 1 or 2 strands in the bag with the rest being gelatine. My mom got that many years ago. Yeh she got conned. As usual. My own advice, do not buy anything from there that you are not familiar with. Food, jewellery (especially!) and everything else.

This place is it! And I can’t even remember the name but it is pretty close to Phuket island already. Our last stop where we had our afternoon tea (the bread WAS NICE!! OMG! And the watermelons all so sweet.. damn!), and juz ‘nua’ on the chairs. It reminds me of a resort island but there was hardly anyone else around. U could get a drink from the bar, go pee blah blah but the sports counter was unattended. And there was virtually, no noise whatsoever other than the sound of the waves coming in. It was bliss! I could feel my BP fall just sitting there and doing almost absolutely nothing.

I think we have a picture with Ban Ban but I haven’t gotten the rest of the pictures and vid from Rach yet *grumbles*

 Your animal sign is Sheep

Your year name is Chi Wei

The romantic male Sheep.
Cunning, scheming, unyielding, fickle, devious and dangerous, you keep your secrets close and your mouth shut about your plans and schemes. You have wonderful ideas but you are never obvious about them. As a leader, you will not have insubordination in your ranks but you are willing to listen to suggestions. You would make a great politician because you have no conscience and can be quite merciless with your enemies. You are not the type to forgive nor forget easily and therefore make a terrible nemesis. As a lover, you are a romantic, imaginative, adventurous lover. If you want that particular mate, you will slowly but surely get rid of your competition.

The earth male Sheep.
You are pleasant, creative and outgoing. Therefore, your success comes from your ability to attract people who would help you along your way.

I have been studying this worm even while I was on vacation in Phuket. It has been spreading like crazy. If you are infected, you are not likely to be aware, as it just infects and does little else for now. That’s the problem. No one knows, other than the cyber crimminals who created it, what the tool is intended to do.

Generally, it infects your system and turns it into a zombie, joining their HUGE botnet. A botnet is a collection of zombie comps. They are usually connected to the attacker via MIRC port communication but it can be through other ports as well. By the way you do NOT need to have MIRC installed yeh? The idea is, if I infect you, I need some way to control your system. I will open up a door on your system and as long as you are online I will be able to get it to do whatever I want.

So what are botnets usually used for?

Spam. Did you think spammers sit at home and use their systems to send out spam? Well they probably did 10 yrs ago and found themselves in jail. These days, they infect you and use your system to send out spam. One of the biggest spam bots was taken down a few months ago. Did u notice less spam? I did. But it seems they have regained control. How many zombie comps are there in the spam bot? Millions.

Denial of service attacks. Imagine I have 10 million systems under my control. At my command, I tell all the systems to access a website.  So what happens is a huge amount of split second traffic trying to access a website (for example). The web server is not going to be able to handle 10 million request all at once! It freezes. No one else can access that website, and I have effectively made that website unavailable to everyone.

What is the motivation? Money. Spam. HUGE money. DOS attacks? Holding a company hostage. Say I decide to hold a local bank here hostage. I tell them "Pay me 1 million bucks, else I will ensure your website will not be available to ANY of your customers". They can choose to ignore me but they have no idea what I will intend to do. People can build counter measures when there is such a threat, but I could get in from the back door. Yes, they may fix it. But what happens when everyone cannot access their website, and the news reports it tomorrow. Transactions cannot go through, internet banking is dead etc. If you, as a customer of the bank learnt that they have been attacked successfully, would you have faith in it? The reputational damage, is worth more than 1 million bucks, for sure.

So back to conficker. Like I said we don’t know what they are intending to do. Take some website down. Send out spam? Wipe out all systems? That is possible. Some security experts are anticipating an internet Pearl Harbour. Technically, it is possible. If I were missed with microsoft for example and wanted to get back at them, I could take it out on people like you and me. Infect the MS machines, and on the doomsday (as the attacker decides), boom, all crash.

The fact that we don’t know what will happen, makes this highly critical. Not only in the corporate environment but you at home too. I frankly don’t wanna see my PC crash.

So what is the exploit? The worm exploits MS08-067. How can it be spread through? Literally all ways. USB and thumb drives are used to transmit via an exploit of the autorun feature (if you insert a CD or ext drive and it auto launches the program etc, you have it enabled and you are vulnerable).

If you haven’t already patched, you may be infected already. Patching would be too late. You will need to disinfect.

Here’s some info – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conficker

W32/Conficker.worm Detailed Information
http://vil.nai.com/vil/content/v_153464.htm
http://www.f-secure.com/v-descs/worm…wnadup_a.shtml
http://www.ca.com/us/securityadvisor….aspx?id=75911
http://www.symantec.com/security_res…408-99&tabid=2
http://www.trendmicro.com/vinfo/viru…AD%2EA&VSect=P
http://www.microsoft.com/security/po…%2fConficker.A

Work went well today. A colleague commented that I seem unsually chirpy instead of the expected post holiday ‘gloom’. I told her I had a good break and I had tune my head to be ready for ‘war’. It is always important to me to be mentally prepared for tough times ahead.

However another colleague brought up an old issue which I had put behind me. And that is to apply for a particular position where I am right now. Interestingly the moment I got back to my desk, an email from a recruiter came in as well. An omen? I weighed the pros and cons, the cost benefits and what I was prepared to gain for a loss in ‘freedom’ and flexibility. I decided to apply for it, fast. So I got home, wrote my cover letter and updated my resume for submission tomorrow. Let’s see where this goes and if I can give them the value they need and they can provide me what I ask for as well. It is a two way thing isn’t it. And because I am already on the ‘inside’ I have a huge advantage over the ‘competition’. Further more it is not like I lost my job so I do have bargaining power and I got nothing to lose from going for it. I had to be sure I wanted it and not look at it as an attempt ‘for fun’. The industry I am in is incredibly small still and we bump into one another all the time at different work places. It isn’t as small as the veterinary community, but it is similar to that of those in the dental profession I reckon.

I shall sieze it! Meantime I am trying to recover from a small case of the sniffles. More updates as I get them!

I dislike being mean. I really do. Especially to people who are dear to me. But it seems sometimes I have to. I have to stand up for myself and refuse to be manipulated. I cannot understand why people must force me into taking such a stance. To a point where I do things I do not like to do. And that, is what irks me the most. To corner me into taking evasive action when it could have been all good and dandy.  Why can’t things be amicable. If I shit money I can don’t bother. But I don’t shit money. And I have my own problems and commitments to fulfil. Don’t push me into a corner, please. I immensely dislike being pushed into a corner, where I’ll do things that will make me the asshole of the century.