How To : Protect Yourself Online

According to Google*, malware poses an increasing threat to Web surfers. The search giant carried out in-depth research on 4.5 million Web sites and found 1 in 10 Web pages can successfully launch a "drive-by-download"—such as a Trojan—onto a user's computer.

So what can you do to protect yourself, your privacy and your identity? Here are five tips that should have you surfing more securely:

1. Use strong passwords.
With everything requiring a password, from your email, to your facebook, to download accounts and bank accounts, it's easy to choose a simple password to make it easier to remember. Unfortunately, this leads to hackers finding it easy to bypass your passwords and gaining access to YOUR information. Make sure that it's protected by using a strong password :

• must contain at least 8 characters.
• contains a mix of letters, numbers, and special symbols.
• must not be a word in the dictionary.
• should never be any personal information such as a name or address.

2. Secure your browser.
Oftentimes, it's easy to just click OK to every pop up that comes along. "Remember your password?" Click OK. "Always trust content from this publisher?" Click OK again. What you may not know is that you may be clicking OK to a hacker to access your browser. Increase security in your browser by always reading the pop up messages and understanding before you click OK. Increase the security levels of your zones in the browser, by using the Security option under your browser options menu.

3. Keep a clean cache.
Every website you log into will populate a cookie on your browser. Cookies are little bits of text files that are stored in your cookie folder, which essentially logs your IP, activities, username and passwords. They are also used to prove authentication during a session. For instance, once you have logged into your bank Web site, a cookie is created and stored on your system. If an attacker acquired this cookie, it could then be used to impersonate you. To prevent this, do not surf other Web sites while still being logged into a bank—or any secure Web site for that matter. Be sure to log out of the bank site because this will usually delete the session cookie.

4. Beware of phishing.
Websites that are configured to look like the real thing - frequent websites that are targetted are bank websites, shopping online sites and even car retails. Anything that is connected to something that you transact with either your bank account or your credit card. When you log in unsuspectingly, your details will be captured and leads to identity theft. For more information on phishing attacks and how to report them, please visit Report Phishing provided by US-CERT Coordination Center.

5. Verify a secure website.
Make sure the website you enter your personal information on is secure. When a site is “secure,” the communication is encrypted using Secure Sockets Layer (SSL). There are two ways to verify that the page utilizes SSL :

1. The first method is to look at the address bar to inspect the URL or Web page address. It should begin with “https” rather than “http.”
2. The other method is to look for the lock icon. Depending on your browser, this icon will be located in a different place. In Internet Explorer 6 and 7, the lock is on the bottom right hand corner of the window. In later versions of the browser the lock is by the URL as part of the address bar. By clicking on this icon, you will be able to view the SSL Certificate by a Certificate Authority.

Ultimately though, it is your responsibility to ensure that the website is secure before providing any information on it.

How To : Go Green In Your Home

Help Earth Day by going green in your home. Here's some eco-friendly steps to take :

1. Freshen The Air.
Go the natural way - throw away those synthetic air fresheners as they do release toxins that have been proven to contribute to headaches, depression, ear infections and diarrhoea. Instead, try using some baking soda to kill odours, a bouquet of flowers for natural scents or try a bunch of pandan leaves (cheap alternative) as it absorbs bad smells and gives out a more fresh smell.

2. BBQ On!
But make sure to use a gas-powered grill because natural gas burns cleaner and produces 45% less CO2 compared to coal. It is also more earth-friendly than charcoal and wood which produce soot that add to air pollution.

3. Mow The Lawn.
Don't throw away the grass clippings after you're done. The clippings will decompose in days and provide important nutrients in the soil for other plants. And good news to the gardeners, it will help stifle the growth of some types of weeds. It will also help earth worms breed which is good, as they aerate the soil and enrich it with their waste.

4. Save Water.
Instead of washing fruits and vege under a running tap, wash them in the sink or a basin half-filled with water. You save about 40 litres of water this way.

How To : Boost Your Health Through The Power Of Green Tea!

Green tea brings a lot of health benefits. To brew a top-notch cup of tea, pour boiling water into a cup and let it cool for around 2-3 minutes. Add the green tea into the water and let it steep for another 2-3 minutes. Don't oversteep it as the taste and goodness will be affected. Green tea is best enjoyed after a meal.

1. Prevents Cancer
Drinking green tea helps to prevent cancer. Green tea contains polyphenols, which block the growth of cancer cells. According to research, women with breast cancer who drink at least five cups a day, have tumors that spread slower and these women are less likely to have the cancer return. Green tea also reduces the risks for esophageal, gastric and skin cancer.

2. Protects Brain Cells
The previously mentioned antioxidant, polyphenol, when fed to mice induced with Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease, helped to protect brain cells from dying, as well as 'rescuing' already damaged neurons in the brain, a phenomenon called neurorescue or neurorestoration.

3. Burns More Calories
Use green tea properties to help you shed extra pounds. Studies show that people who drink green tea with caffeine burn calories faster. Studies showed that average fat oxidation rates were 17% higher after ingestion of Green Tea Extract than after ingestion of a placebo.

4. Lowers Cholesterol
Lower your cholesterol with green tea. It lowers the bad cholesterol and supports the good cholesterol. It also prevents blood clots from forming. This is important since blood clots are the major cause of heart attacks and strokes.

5. Protects Teeth
Protect your teeth with green tea. It destroys the bacteria that produces plaque.

How To : Free Up Your Living Space

Ever find yourself sinking deeper and deeper into a junk yard... and the junkyard is your home, or your office? Things just tend to pile up while we're not aware and one day, we look around and we're up to our necks. Here's some simple tips to get rid of the mess and free up your living space.

1. Remove those dusty old decorations.
Remove your decorations, dust them off, then put back only the ones that look the best. Collections of similar items look best all together, not scattered everywhere. Get rid of dusty fake plants, especially those above your kitchen cabinets. Fake plants can clutter your kitchen and cabinets often look best with nothing on top of them.

2. Organize those bits and pieces.
Small things all over the place clutter up the space and they tend to get lost as well. This includes keys, cell phones, rings, accessories, and remote controls among other things. Find a place to put them, and always keep them there. Combine the practicality of keeping them safe and out of sight with something decorative - like a nice handwoven basket or a cute ringholder box.

3. Paper paper everywhere.
As much as our workplaces are trying to go all electronic, there's always still paper documents and memos hanging around. And at home, those advertising leaflets and brochures arrive by the ton. Not to mention all those bills coming in! Make sure you have a way to sort out those mails and brochures. Have a recycling box where you can toss the unwanted paper away and give those to the newspaper man when he comes to collect them for recycling.

4. Get rid of those old clothes.
Most people advocate the one-year rule, which is if you haven't worn it in a year, chances are that you won't. So get rid of those clothes and donate it for a worthy cause. There are many homes and shelters that are eager for good clothes. Take some time off to bring those clothes there.

Happy living! :)

How To : Mosquito Control Technique

I ran across this tip in a forwarded email. With so much dengue going around, I believe this tip will help us. I am trying it out and will update what is the outcome!

"Here's a tip that was given at a recent gardening forum.

Put some water in a white dinner plate and add a couple drops of Lemon Fresh Joy / Harimau Kuat Lemon liquid dish. Set the dish on your porch,patio, picnic table, park bench, or other outdoor area. Not sure what attracts them, the lemon smell, the white plate colour, or what.

BUT .. mosquitoes flock to it, and drop dead shortly after drinking the Lemon Fresh Joy/water mixture, and usually within about 10 feet of the plate.

TRY IT--- it works just superb! It may seem trivial, but it may also help to control mosquitoes around your home. Pass this on to anyone who likes sitting out in the evening, or when they're having a cook out."

How To : Detect A Stroke

Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify. Unfortunately, lack of awareness spells disaster. The stroke victim may suffer severe brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms of a stroke.

Now doctors say a bystander can recognize a stroke by asking three simple questions:

S - Ask the individual to SMILE.

T - Ask the person to TALK and SPEAK A SIMPLE SENTENCE (Coherently)
(i.e. It is sunny out today)

R - Ask him or her to RAISE BOTH ARMS.

S - Ask the person to STICK OUT HIS/HER TONGUE. If the tongue is 'crooked', if it goes to one side or the other , that is also an indication of a stroke.

If he or she has trouble with ANY ONE of these tasks, call the emergency number immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.

It is better to be safe than to be sorry.....

How To : Top 10 Tips To Get Ahead At Work

Whether you're vying for a promotion or just want to make a good impression, here are 10 ways to show you're dream team material:

1. Know the mission.
Align yourself with your boss' and company's goals and values. Make your boss' priorities your priorities.

2. Understand how you'll be evaluated.
Know precisely which skills, behaviors and accomplishments you will be judged on and rewarded. Focus on them like a laser.

3. Be dependable.
Do what you say you're going to do. Better yet, under-promise and over-deliver.

4. Project positive energy.
Don't be the one to whine or criticize the boss or company direction. Be a motivator: the person everyone wants to be around.

5. Make your boss look good.
Finish your work on time and with a high level of professionalism. Bring your boss ideas that will help him and the department and offer to take charge and implement them.

6. Own up.
Take responsibility for your mistakes by focusing on what you've learned rather than what you've done wrong. For example, "I think this project could have been better if we'd gotten the group's buy-in early on," or "Next time I would talk more with the end-users up-front..."

7. Be organized.
Plan your next day before you leave work. Rank your tasks by urgency and importance and make a point of doing at least the top two items on your list.

8. Be punctual.
Arriving for work or meetings on time (even early) shows you're enthusiastic, dependable and able to manage your life effectively.

9. Be resourceful.
Don't run to the boss with every question you have or setback you encounter. Think things through first. If you must report a problem to the boss, develop possible solutions to present.

10. Broaden your horizons.
Take advantage of company-sponsored training courses and volunteer for projects in areas outside your everyday expertise.

Happy working!

How To : 5 Top Tips To Keep Happy At Work

1. Choose To Be Happy At Work.
It's a choice... it's YOUR choice. Think positively about your work. You can choose to be happy at work.

2. Do Something You Love Every Day.
Find something that you enjoy doing every day in your current job. Look at your strengths, skills and interest. Capitalize on your strengths and focus on the things that you can control and influence.

3. Make Only Commitments That You Can Keep.
Understand your capability and assess your ability to complete a requested commitment. Don't volunteer if you don't have time, else you will wallow in the swamp of unkept promises. Fulfilling those commitments will reinforce your sense of accomplishment.

4. Make Friends And Have Buddies.
Enjoying moments and liking your colleagues will help you have a more meaningful work experience. Take time to get to know your colleagues and build networks. In turn, they can provide you with support, resources, news and sharing.

5. If All Fails, Job Searching Will Make You Smile!!!

How To : Make White Fungus Tong Sui

The white fungus tong sui is good for those with cough and those that need more "cooling" drinks for the body. It is suitable to drink after a spicy or fried meal.

Ingredients :
1. White Fungus (Peh Bok Nee)
2. Lotus Seeds (Leng Chi)
3. Pai Her
4. Dried longan (Ngeng Ngeng)
5. Rock sugar
6. Pandan leaves

The Ingredients

Steps :
1. Wash and soak the lotus seeds and white fungus in water for about an hour to get it soft. Remove the green shoot inside the lotus seeds as it will make the drink bitter. Remove any hard parts from the white fungus as well.
2. Wash the other ingredients and throw everything into the pot to boil. Make sure not to soak the dried longan in the water for too long as it will lose its sweetness.
3. Once the water is boiling, turn the heat to low and let it simmer for about half an hour.
4. Remove from fire and serve warm or cold.

The result

How To : Make Fried Rice Chinese-Style

Fancy eating in for a change instead of always going out to eat but don't have enough ingredients to make a whole 3-course meal? Why not try a simple dish like fried rice which is simple and easy to make?

Ingredients for 2 people :
1. Cooked rice (tip : cooked rice left overnight is best for this as the moisture has dried up)
2. 1 Carrot, diced into small cubes
3. Long beans, about 4 or 5 strands and/or chinese cabbage
4. 2 eggs
5. Diced chicken bits (optional)
6. Dark/Thick soya sauce
7. Chopped shallots and garlic

Instructions :
1. Pour some cooking oil into a heated wok.
2. Once the oil is hot, throw in the shallots and garlic and stir them until they are mildly cooked.
3. Throw in the chicken (if you have) together with the carrots and long beans.
4. Stir fry the ingredients until they start getting cooked. Add salt to taste.
5. Now add in the rice and mix well, adding the dark soya sauce for the colouring.
6. Create a well in the middle of the wok and break the eggs into the well.
7. Cover the eggs with the rice and mix well.
8. Once everything is cooked, it is ready to serve.

Home-style Chinese Fried Rice

How To : Make Your Own Potato Salad

Yes, I know that I blogged recently about dieting after Christmas but I couldn't resist the temptation of the potato salad for New Year's. It's easy and simple to make and also pretty filling so it's a good dish to bring for any potluck or gathering that you may have on New Year's Eve.

Ingredients :
1. Potatoes (duh!) - about 6 potatoes will be good enough for 3-4 persons.
2. Eggs - 2 or 3 eggs depending on your preference.
3. Honeydew - quarter of a honeydew.
4. Mayonnaise and milk.

Steps :
1. Dice the potatoes into small cubes and boil them until they're soft.
2. Boil the eggs as well and shell them after they're hard-boiled. Mash them after removing the shells, you may choose to remove the yolks if you are health-conscious.
3. Slice the honeydew into small cubes as well.
4. Prepare the dressing by mixing some milk (just very little) to the mayonnaise to make it smoother and creamier.
5. Mix the ingredients together and chill in the refrigerator. Once the dish is cold enough, it is ready to serve. Put the dish in the freezer for faster cooling action if you're rushed for time.

And ta-da! Your dish is ready for the consumption of all your hungry mates... and yourself too!

Homemade Potato Salad

How To : Slim Down After Christmas Bingeing

All's been said and done, the fat lady's sung.. you've eaten a whole bunch of food and really, there's no use in crying over spilt milk.

So here we go... a good way to lose weight after all that food. Soup and bread~! Ingenious? We think so. :)

1. Take a can of Campbell's Mushroom Soup and add 1¼ cans of water to it. (The instructions say to put 1 can of water, but we find that too salty for our taste).
2. Put the whole pot to boil over a slow fire and make sure to stir the lumps until they dissolve.
3. Once the soup starts boiling, continue stirring it for 1 minute then take it off the fire to serve.
4. Prepare bread as a side dish to go with the soup - we took wholemeal multigrain bread (well, no sense in cutting out the nutrition when we're trying to lose weight). You may add butter to bread to your taste or dip it plain in the soup.

Soup and bread - the perfect start to getting slimmer!

How To : Decorate Your Christmas Tree

It's nearly Christmas... how could I forget about the Christmas tree? Seeing one invariably evokes images of the evergreen smell, happiness, food and best of all, presents beneath the tree!

Get yourself a mid-size Christmas tree if you're just starting out. Reason being that you can slowly grow your decorations and not have to get them all at one go, which would cost a bomb! Some people add slowly to their collection and each decoration has a meaning and story behind it, which kinda gives more depth to Christmas.

Start yourself with a theme. Decide what colour you want your tree to be - a multitude of colours would just confuse the senses and give a haphazard feel to the tree. This year we went for silver and red (last year being gold and silver).

After getting your theme, make sure to balance the decorations evenly so that it doesn't seem lopsided. A common mistake is to either decorate the top or the bottom of the tree heavily, leaving the rest sparsely decorated.

Once it is done, string your lights up and put your presents under the tree. Then, all you have left to do is to wait for Christmas! :)

Our red and silver Christmas tree

Merry Christmas to all and happy holidays! :)

How To : Office Decor Part II

Now you've completed your wall decoration (see Office Decor Part I), or perhaps you do not have a wall to decorate, why not try to jazz up your work area?

Small decorative items or a small aquarium will not take up much space. You can also choose to put a small bamboo (or knitted) mat to place your keyboard on. I rather forgo that because my keyboard tends to collect dust and various unidentified bits of junk.

I decided to put a small money plant on my desk to brighten up the place. Plus I needed the oxygen... Here's what I did:

1. Get some plant jelly and soak them with water till they expand. Here's what the plant jelly looks like :

2. Get some small cuttings of the plant you want. I selected the money plant because it's relatively easy to grow and does not need much upkeep.
3. Arrange it and add some finishing touches to it.
You're all set to go with a fresh new look on your work desk!

How To : Office Decor Part I

Cubicle walls are usually a bland space of colour. Liven it up with pictures from your recent vacation, or pepper it with photos of your family and loved ones. Even scribbles or drawings from your little ones will give it your personal touch.

Since I'm not much of a photo or picture person, here's what I did with my cubicle wall instead.

Things that were used:
1. A box of map pins, these are easily available at any stationery shop.
2. My collection of key chains from my travels.

And that's it. Simple, eh? Just arrange it to your preference and voila! End result as below :

My newly decorated cube wall

How To : Keep Energized At Work!

1. Take A Break
Even if it is just a quick 5-minute chat with your colleague or watching a short funny video clip, the break will be refreshing to both your eyes and your mind.

2. Be Positive
Keep focused on the positive aspects of your work. Perhaps you have flexible work hours which helps you juggle personal and work issues. Or think back on that successful project you ran and your contributions that made it so successful.

3. Have A Lively Workspace
Put some personal touches to your workspace. Photos of family or places that you've been to will brighten up your working area. Plants or a small aquarium (see post on Cherry Shrimp and subsequent posts on how to upkeep them) will also help you to de-stress.

4. Stretching Helps!
Every hour, do some exercises to help your muscles relax. Ergo issues crop up when the muscles remain locked in place for long periods of time. Flexing your fingers and arms, standing up and closing your eyes for a minute will help loosen those muscles.

5. Get Some Personal "Me" Time
Life isn't all about work. Working on projects may stretch your working day into nights and around the clock. Make sure that you do allocate some time off to do your personal stuffs, like catching a movie at the cinema, or eating a good dinner with friends or family.

How To : Cook Instant Noodles And Make It Tasty!

Instant noodles ranks as one of my top favourite foods since I was young. With garnishings, even this simplest dish can become a truly delicious meal. :) Here's how to do it.

Ingredients :
1. Instant Noodles (any brand, but I personally prefer Cintan Original)
2. Fresh chilli (the more pungent, the better!)
3. Vegetables (I usually go for sawi/Chinese mustard greens)
4. An egg

Steps :
1. Start boiling the pan of water.
2. Throw in the chilli and cut-up vegetables while the water is starting to heat up.
3. Make sure you sprinkle a bit of the seasoning into the water to flavour the vegetables.
4. Once the vege starts to get soft (to taste), throw in the instant noodles and the rest of the seasoning.
5. When the soup is boiling, crack open the egg and mix slowly with the rest of the ingredients.
6. Once egg is cooked, the dish is ready to be served!

The whole process takes about 5-10 minutes depending on how soft you like your noodles and vegetables. And the end result as below :

My super delicious yummy instant noodles :)

Now, time to stop posting and start eating! :)

How To : Step by Step in Making Your Own Home Made Pizza - Yum Yum!!

For a while, we have been talking about making home made pizza. We didn't wanted the ready made pizza which you can get at Cold Storage and just bake in the oven for 5 minutes. We wanted to make home made pizza which we can add all the toppings we like :-)

For a start, we went shopping for the ingredients to make the pizza at Tesco. We bought the pizza crust, sausages, crab meat, mozzarella cheese and tomato sauce.



Back at home, we preheat the oven at 210 C for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, we spread the tomato sauce over the crust. Once the oven is hot and ready, we bake the crust in the oven at 210 C for 10 minutes.

Next, we take out the crust from the oven and add the toppings. We placed the sausages, crab meat, cheese and onions on the baked pizza crust. Then pop it back into the oven for another 5 minutes. If you would like the crust to be a little crispier, another 5 minutes would just do the job.

And out from the oven.....















And guess what is the cost of making your own home made pizza?

a) Pizza crust - RM4.40
b) Sausages - RM2.00
c) Crab meat - RM2.50
d) Mozzarella cheese - RM5.00
e) Tomato sauce - RM2.50

A mere 16 bucks. Worth it eh? Of course it's not including the electricity but I guess we can offset it with the fun and the experience of making your own home made pizza.

It's definitely worth a try and a wonderful experience making home made pizza :-)