Posted by: Branden H. | March 5, 2008

iScrybe is GREAT!

I recently was looking for an online organizer, and stumbled upon this cool Web 2.0 online app, iScrybe.

Its a great online organizer that allows you to schedule your day, mark out important dates eg. birthdays, anniversaries, and, inevitably, deadlines.

But what made me most impressed with it was the thoughtpad function:

with the bookmarklet function, it will open up a small window where you can add anything on the web into your iScrybe thoughtpad. No matter if its a nice picture from Flickr, an e-mail from the boss, or latest entertainment gossip, the bookmarklet will add it to your thoughtpad and allow you to review it at a later time.

Go sign up for it HERE, its great and its free. I would recommend it to everyone who wants a online organizer!

Posted by: Branden H. | March 3, 2008

Urban

Urban, originally uploaded by LJ..

Such a beautiful bike the Scott Scale Ltd. It may not be the best money can buy, but it sure is one of the most beautiful works of art i’ve seen.

Captured in all it magnificent simplicity, the hard-tail cross country bike, at home on the streets.

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Posted by: Branden H. | March 2, 2008

National Runway Cycling & Skating 2008!

The national cycling event for the family is back again this year! It will be held at Paya Lebar Airbase on the 25th of May 2008. All are welcome!

Route Information

Family Route: 6km
Leisure Route: 15km

Shimano Endurance Challenge
Cyclists: 45km
Skaters: 30km

*Note: You do not need to be in a family to join the Family Route – it is for participants who wish to cycle or inline-skate for a shorter distance.

Register here!

Posted by: Branden H. | February 28, 2008

Headlines: Singapore searches for fugitive terror group leader

from AP(Associated Press) 28/02/2007

By GILLIAN WONG,Associated Press Writer AP – 1 hour 32 minutes ago

SINGAPORE – Singaporean security forces searched Thursday for an escaped terror group leader who allegedly plotted to crash a plane into Singapore’s airport, authorities said.

Mas Selamat Kastari, said to be commander of the Jemaah Islamiyah militant group’s Singapore arm, slipped away from a detention center on Wednesday, the Home Affairs Ministry said.

It did not say how he escaped.

“Mas Selamat was the leader of the Singapore (Jemaah Islamiyah) network. He walks with a limp and is presently at large,” the ministry said in a statement. “Extensive police resources have been deployed to track him down.”

Dozens of riot police trucks were parked along main roads near the Whitley Road Detention Center, from which Mas Selamat escaped. Hundreds of police officers and military personnel fanned out in the area, setting up roadblocks to check passing cars.

The ministry said the suspect was not known to be armed.

Mas Selamat was allegedly involved in plans about seven years ago to attack Singapore targets including the U.S. Embassy, the American Club and government buildings.

Singapore, a close ally of the United States, was named an al-Qaida target in a transcript from alleged al-Qaida operative Khalid Sheikh Mohamed’s Combatant Status Review Tribunal, held last year at the U.S. military detention center in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

The ministry said Mas Selamat also plotted to hijack an airplane and crash it into Singapore’s main airport, Changi, in retaliation for the country’s arrest and detention of some of his fellow Jemaah Islamiyah members in a crackdown on the militant group’s operatives here.

The alleged schemes were never carried out.

Mas Selamat left Singapore in December 2001 following the arrests of nearly 40 other suspected Jemaah Islamiyah members.

The ministry’s Web site said Indonesian authorities detained him in February 2003 on charges related to possession of falsified identification documents. They deported him to Singapore in February 2006, the ministry said.

Mas Selamat has since been held in custody under Singapore’s Internal Security Act, which allows indefinite detention without trial.

Since 2002, Jemaah Islamiyah has been blamed for a series of terror attacks that have killed more than 250 people, most of them in Indonesia. Scores of its suspected operatives have been arrested across Southeast Asia since 2000.

This is disconcerting news for any Singaporean to hear, that a man in detention could actually slip off so easily. Given his status as leader of Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), one would think that security would be stepped up in case of any attempt to escape. That was not the case, the man slipped out of a detention centre. Have we all gotten complacent? Low crime rates, heightened standards of living, comfort does breed complacency.

One has to question, how did it ever happen? It is one thing for the man to be slipping from the tendrils of law, but to lose him from its very clutches, now that;’s a seriosu call for concern.

Let’s hope that this Mas Selamat is found soon. The Singaporean’s still have remaining faith in the Justice system here, for it is one of the best around.

Posted by: Branden H. | February 27, 2008

Connecting to your Computer from Anywhere Using Free Software

What You Need:

  1. Two computers
  2. UltraVNC (Free from www.uvnc.com)
  3. Logmein Hamachi (Free from www.logmein.com)

Step 1: Create a Virtual Network

If you’re planning to connect to a remote computer. You first need to know where it is. No, “in the house” is not the right answer. Every computer that is connected to the internet is bestowed upon it by their Internet Service Provider, an IP address. That’s plain and simple if you’re not running behind any router and using a system that is connected to the internet via LAN cable. However, the situation gets slightly more complicated, since what we are trying to do here is connect remotely to another computer from the one you are currently using.

This is where the (free) program Hamachi comes into the picture. Simply put, it simplifies things. A lot.

Instead of having the fiddle with a bunch of complex settings, forwarding ports and options, and other technological thaumaturgy, all we have to do now is to install Hamachi on each machine you want to include into the connection loop. What it does is it will create a Virtual Private Network on top of your current configuration. It is your one stop solution to creating a VPN. No fiddling, no fuss.

Installation of the client is clean and easy, just run the executable file. Once that is done, you will be directed by onscreen prompts to create your first (password-protected) private network.

It is advisable to setup Hamachi to run on Windows startup, that way you will never leave home, try to access your desktop at home, only to remember that you did not run Hamachi on your desktop before leaving home.

It is also highly advisable to give all your systems descriptive descriptions if you intend to include multiple rigs into your network “Adam-desktop” and “Adam-desktop2” are by no means descriptive descriptions.

Step 2: Install UltraVNC

Now that you have Hamachi up and running, its time to install UltraVNC. This nifty program gives you a better grip over the remote interface that most people will have trouble with without the program. Again, installation is quick and easy, no more than a few mouse clicks. If you want it to start when Windows starts up, select the option to register UltraVNC as a system service.

You’ll see an icon in the lower right corner of your taskbar when UltraVNC is running. Right-click it and select UltraVNC’s Administrative Properties. Leaving the settings at their defaults is perfectly fine, though tweaking is possible and advisable in some cases. One setting you will want to tweak is UltraVNC’s password – without one, all anyone needs to take over your machine is the IP address of your machine.

Step 3: Get connected

To connect your UltraVNC Server computers, you’ll also need the UltraVNC Viewer included in the initial installation. However, before you run this program, start Hamachi, and connect to your private network. Now look at your Hamachi window and copy the IP address of the machine you’re connecting to  into the UltraVNC viewer window.

You’re now connected. Easy huh?

Step 4: Tweak your connection settings

Through the UltraVNC viewer, you can view various ways of manipulating your faraway system.  For more information, please visit www.uvnc.com for help. There are simply too many ways to use this nifty program.

Posted by: Branden H. | August 30, 2007

Starting with Cycling: What bicycle is for you?

I’ve been cycling for quite a number of years now and have observed all over forums and friends asking me the same question when they are embarking on their own journey of cycling: How do i choose the right bicycle for me?

The answer is always filled with many questions that we should ask oursleves when making the choice because there are so many variants of bucycle these days and even moer parts and components to choose from. Here are the 3 major categories that bicycles can be split up into to aid in your choosing process:

On what terrain will most of your cycling be on?

THE ROAD BIKE
If most of your cycling is going to be on the road, well obviously you should go for a road bicycle, you know, the ones that are light, has great acceleration and incredible handling. These bicycles sually come with drop handlebars that will put you in an aerodynamic position for riding fast and riding hard. Do take note that prices for these speed machines can be higher since the components are all made to be as lightweight as possible and light usually equals higher prices in the biking world.
Recommended Brands: Trek($$$$), Scott($$$), Giant($$$), Pinarello($$$$$)

THE MOUNTAIN BIKE
Cycling on the road sounds boring? Fancy for a hike on a bike? You’re looking for the Mountain Bikes.   These are machines that can take on almost any terrain you put them on. They may not be the fastest on the roads but they can go where most other 2 wheelers will not survive and come out smirking. For those looking to do hardcore cross country cycling, it would be wise to get one with front and rear suspension for better control on bumpy terrain, and at the same time, a more comfy ride.
Recommended Brands: Kona($$$$), Santa Cruz($$$$), Cannondale($$$$)

THE HYBRID
 -Stuck in the middle? There’s always the hybrid bicycle. Though most people start with either one of the above, the Hybrid is very good for commuting. The element of the road bike here is the light frame usually used for these bikes and tires that are usually not quite as thin as those on roadies but not as think or knobby as the dirt eating tires on the MTBs. The upright riding position and low gearing also allows for a comfortable climb up hills, just like a MTB. These hybrids usually do not have suspension forks since they do not usually have to tackle anything more bumpy then a badly made drain cover.

These are 3 of the major classifications of bicycles that a person can choose from, but for the best experience, go down to your friendly local bicycle dealer and bring the bucycles out for a quick spin to determine whether you like it or not. Finally, happy riding!

Posted by: Branden H. | July 25, 2007

When you’re standing on the edge…

Bon Jovi - Lost Highway

I’ve seen the heart of darkness,
Let just say, I crossed over that line,
Held hands with the hopeless,
In too deep,on that ride, went around one more time,
When you’re standing on the edge,
You don’t look down,
Till you ready and willing to fly

-Bon Jovi

One Step Closer from their latest album, Lost Highway

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