"Zerg Rush' Google hits the fun side =)

Ever played Starcraft? If yes, you might have know what is this all about. For those who don't know a clue, Zergs are an extraterrestrial race of insectoids in Blizzard Entertainment’s StarCraft. In the game you “rush” them by assembling your combat units and blitz them. Try it out! You can play this by clicking on the O’s and you wipe them out. Google then tabulates your score and lets you post your score on Google+. Search 'Zerg Rush' on Google and you'll get it =)

100 Tips From A Professional Photographer

Found a great rules & tips on photography.

Here's a list of tips, advice, rules and just things to know about photography from Eric Kim

1. Just because someone has an expensive camera doesn't mean that they're a good photographer.

2. Always shoot in RAW. Always.

3. Prime lenses help you learn to be a better photographer.

4. Photo editing is an art in itself

5. The rule of thirds works 99% of the time.

6. Macro photography isn't for everybody.

7. UV filters work just as well as lens caps.

8. Go outside & shoot photos rather than spending hours a day on photography forums.

9. Capture the beauty in the mundane and you have a winning photograph.

10. Film isn't better than digital.

11. Digital isn't better than film.

12. There is no "magic" camera or lens.

13. Better lenses don't give you better photos.

14. Spend less time looking at other people's work and more time shooting your own.

15. Don't take your DSLR to parties.

16. Girls dig photographers.

17. Making your photos b/w doesn't automatically make them "artsy"

18. People will always discredit your work if you tell them you "photoshop" your images. Rather, tell them that you process them in the "digital darkroom".

19. You don't need to take a photo of everything.

20. Have at least 2 backups of all your images. Like they say in war, two is one, one is none.

21. Ditch the neck strap and get a handstrap.

22. Get closer when taking your photos, they often turn out better.

23. Be a part of a scene while taking a photo; not a voyeur.

24. Taking a photo crouched often make your photos look more interesting.

25. Worry less about technical aspects and focus more on compositional aspects of photography.

26. Tape up any logos on your camera with black gaffers tape- it brings a lot less attention to you.

27. Always underexpose by 2/3rds of a stop when shooting in broad daylight.

28. The more photos you take, the better you get.

29. Don't be afraid to take several photos of the same scene at different exposures, angles, or apertures.

30. Only show your best photos.

31. A point-and-shoot is still a camera.

32. Join an online photography forum.

33. Critique the works of others.

34. Think before you shoot.

35. A good photo shouldn't require explanation (although background information often adds to an image). *

36. Alcohol and photography do not mix well.

37. Draw inspiration from other photographers but never worship them.

38. Grain is beautiful.

39. Ditch the photo backpack and get a messenger bag. It makes getting your lenses and camera a whole lot easier.

40. Simplicity is key.

41. The definition of photography is: "painting with light." Use light in your favor.

42. Find your style of photography and stick with it.

43. Having a second monitor is the best thing ever for photo processing.

44. Silver EFEX pro is the best b/w converter.

45. Carry your camera with you everywhere. Everywhere.

46. Never let photography get in the way of enjoying life.

47. Don't pamper your camera. Use and abuse it.

48. Take straight photos.

49. Shoot with confidence.

50. Photography and juxtaposition are best friends.

51. Print out your photos big. They will make you happy.

52. Give your photos to friends.

53. Give them to strangers.

54. Don't forget to frame them.

55. Costco prints are cheap and look great.

56. Go out and take photos with (a) friend(s).

57. Join a photo club or start one for yourself.

58. Photos make great presents.

59. Taking photos of strangers is thrilling.

60. Candid>Posed.

61. Natural light is the best light.

62. 35mm (on full frame) is the best "walk-around" focal length.

63. Don't be afraid to bump up your ISO when necessary.

64. You don't need to always bring a tripod with you everywhere you go (hell, I don't even own one).

65. It is always better to underexpose than overexpose.

66. Shooting photos of homeless people in an attempt to be "artsy" is exploitation.

67. You will find the best photo opportunities in the least likely situations.

68. Photos are always more interesting with the human element included.

69. You can't "photoshop" bad images into good ones.

70. Nowadays everybody is a photographer.

71. You don't need to fly to Paris to get good photos; the best photo opportunities are in your backyard.

72. People with DSLRS who shoot portraits with their grip pointed downwards look like morons.

73. Cameras as tools, not toys.

74. In terms of composition, photography and painting aren't much different.

75. Photography isn't a hobby- it's a lifestyle.

76. Make photos, not excuses.

77. Be original in your photography. Don't try to copy the style of others.

78. The best photographs tell stories that begs the viewer for more.

79. Any cameras but black ones draw too much attention.

80. The more gear you carry around with you the less you will enjoy photography.

81. Good self-portraits are harder to take than they seem.

82. Laughter always draws out peoples' true character in a photograph.

83. Don't look suspicious when taking photos- blend in with the environment.

84. Landscape photography can become dull after a while.

85. Have fun while taking photos.

86. Never delete any of your photos.

87. Be respectful when taking photos of people or places.

88. When taking candid photos of people in the street, it is easier to use a wide-angle than a telephoto lens.

89. Travel and photography are the perfect pair.

90. Learn how to read a histogram.

91. A noisy photo is better than a blurry one.

92. Don't be afraid to take photos in the rain.

93. Learn how to enjoy the moment, rather than relentlessly trying to capture the perfect picture of it.

94. Never take photos on an empty stomach.

95. You will discover a lot about yourself through your photography.

96. Never hoard your photographic insight- share it with the world.

97. Never stop taking photos

98. Photography is more than simply taking photos, it is a philosophy of life

99. Capture the decisive moment

100. Write your own list.

With all credits to Eric Kim Photography =)

How Sticky Candy is made

This is a very INTERESTING video I stumbled on Youtube while enjoying Sticky Candies myself =P A work of art, indeed.
Official Sticky Candy FB Page https://www.facebook.com/Stickylollies
Singapore Sticky Candy FB Page https://www.facebook.com/stickysingapore
Malaysia Sticky Candy FB Page https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sticky-Malaysia/170171436369914

Famous Curry Chee Cheong Fun in Kampar

Well when i personally think that Kampar's food can't get any better, i've finally stumbled upon something really good. As a Penangnite, i'm always proud of where i came from and how good the food is. Penang has been a paradise of all good food. Trust me, everywhere you go in Penang at any hour you'll see people eating.

As a student in Kampar, i am consistently here looking for good food to replace my cravings for Penang food. So right four friends set out on a mini food trip and we stumble upon this! Kampar's famous curry chee cheong fun. And guess what. Its really really good!

This stall is called Shui Kei (水记). I believe that this stall is run by a married couple and it's only available at night. From what i heard from my friend, this stall is usually crowded even before business starts.

P.S Please click on the pictures to enlarge it :)
This is the view of the place. The queue isn't that long last night because many students left for their hometowns already.

The couple preparing the food.

There were plentiful of side dishes choices like yong tau fu, char siew and some taiwanese sausage. They add sesame oil to make the chee cheong fun more fragrant. There is even fried pork skin with curry. They do sell yam cake and loh mai kai (glutinous rice with chicken) as well. Will probably try that the next time i go.

Above is the dishes we ordered. On the left and the middle is char siew chee cheong fun with curry while the one on the right is curry chee cheong fun added with other side dishes like taiwanese sausage and fu chuk. The fu chuk is fried until its really crispy. All together we paid RM10.50 for all the 3 plates of chee cheong fun.

For those who wish to try this this is the location of the place stated below :

Location: Kampar market, Jalan Masjid, 31900 Kampar, Perak.
Contact: 0165613383

For all UTAR students who do not originate from Kampar, i'll say this is worth a try.

Nice quote, Bill Gates!

Facebook Buys Instagram for $1 Billion

I'm excited to share the news that we've agreed to acquire Instagram and that their talented team will be joining Facebook.

For years, we've focused on building the best experience for sharing photos with your friends and family. Now, we'll be able to work even more closely with the Instagram team to also offer the best experiences for sharing beautiful mobile photos with people based on your interests.

We believe these are different experiences that complement each other. But in order to do this well, we need to be mindful about keeping and building on Instagram's strengths and features rather than just trying to integrate everything into Facebook.

That's why we're committed to building and growing Instagram independently. Millions of people around the world love the Instagram app and the brand associated with it, and our goal is to help spread this app and brand to even more people.

We think the fact that Instagram is connected to other services beyond Facebook is an important part of the experience. We plan on keeping features like the ability to post to other social networks, the ability to not share your Instagrams on Facebook if you want, and the ability to have followers and follow people separately from your friends on Facebook.

These and many other features are important parts of the Instagram experience and we understand that. We will try to learn from Instagram's experience to build similar features into our other products. At the same time, we will try to help Instagram continue to grow by using Facebook's strong engineering team and infrastructure.

This is an important milestone for Facebook because it's the first time we've ever acquired a product and company with so many users. We don't plan on doing many more of these, if any at all. But providing the best photo sharing experience is one reason why so many people love Facebook and we knew it would be worth bringing these two companies together.

We're looking forward to working with the Instagram team and to all of the great new experiences we're going to be able to build together.

Source 

McDonald's New Chicken Muffin at RM2.50. Great breakfast, incredible price!

Now everyone can have a Great Breakfast for only RM2.50. At McDonald's. Further info on the promo here.

Differences between Westerners and Asians

Interesting Analysis and Understanding...

Great analysis and understanding between Asian culture and Western Logic. Key:     Blue --> Westerners       Red --> Asians      (1) Opinion   Westerners: Talk to the point Asians: Talk around the circle, especially if opinions are different  (2) Way of Life   Westerners: individualism, think of himself or herself.  Asians: enjoy gathering with family and friends, solving their problems, and know each other'sbusiness.  (3) Punctuality Westerners: on time.  Asians: in time. (4) Contacts Westerners: Contact to related person only. Asians: Contact everyone everywhere, business very successful.  (5) Anger   Westerners: Show that I am angry.  Asians: I am angry, but still smiling... (Beware!) (6) Queue when Waiting   Westerners: Queuing in an orderly manner. Asians: Queuing?! What's that? (7) Sundays on the Road   Westerners: Enjoy weekend relaxing peacefully. Asians: Enjoy weekend in crowded places, like going to the mall. (8) Party   Westerners: Only gather with their own group.  Asians: All focus on the one activity that is hosted by the CEO. (9) In the restaurant   Westerners: Talk softly and gently in the restaurant. Asians: Talk and laugh loudly like they own the restaurant. (10) Travelling   Westerners: Love sightseeing and enjoy the scenery.  Asians: Taking picture is the most important; scenery is just for the background.  (11) Handling of Problems   Westerners: Take any steps to solve the problems.  Asians: Try to avoid conflicts, and if can, don't leave any trail..  (12) Three meals a day   Westerners: Good meal for once a day is sufficed.  Asians: At least 3 good meals a day. (13) Transportation Westerners: Before drove cars, now cycling for environmental protection.  Asians: Before no money and rode a bike, now got money and drive a car  (14) Elderly in day-to-day life   Westerners: When old, there is snoopy for companionship.  Asians: When old, guarantee will not be lonely, as long as willing to babysit grandkids.  (15) Moods and Weather   Westerners: The logic is: rain is pain.  Asians: More rain, more prosperity  (16) The Boss   Westerners: The boss is part of the team.  Asians: The boss is a fierce god.  (17) What's Trendy   Westerners: Eat healthy Asian cuisine. Asians: Eat expensive Western cuisine.  (18) The Child   Westerners: The kid is going to be independent and make his/her own living. Asians: Slog whole life for the kids, the centre of your life.

160th Anniversary De La Salle In Asia St Xavier Institution speech by Lim Guan Eng

UTAR Profound Art Exhibition 2012