See also:

1. Animal Farm oil pastel drawing by Ken
2. Optimus Prime and Bumblebee drawing by Ken.. then and now..
3. Toy Story 3 characters drawing by Ken..
4. How to train your dragon drawings..
5. more mr. men.. and little miss..
6. more Mr. Men by ken..
7. Mr. Men.. ken’s latest craze..
8. coloring improvement..
9. working mom busy mom..

J3tpost from :
CNY card from Ken..

See also:

1. Happy CNY 2010..
2. Happy CNY 2009..
3. Happy CNY 2008..
4. CNY 2006..

J3tpost from :
Happy CNY 2012..

J3tpost from :
Happy Chinese New Year 2012

So I’ve been writing in to a Minister once again. Probably not the first or last person to bring up these simple facts to Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Minister for Finance of Singapore, but I thought I would contribute my two cents (ha, ha). Here it goes :

…
Delivered-To: …
Subject: Improving security for ATM/NETS cards
From: Low Ee Mien [...]
To: tharman_s@mof.gov.sg

Dear Minister for Finance,

I am writing in my personal capacity regarding the recent DBS/POSB ATM fraud case. As we have seen, the two-factor authentication mechanism of ATM/NETS cards has been defeated. The perpetrators have managed to successfully obtain both factors of authentication : something you have (ATM card details via the card skimming device), and something you know (ATM PIN via a strategically-located pinhole camera).

It has been proven time and again that the magnetic stripe data such as those being used in the ATM and NETS cards in Singapore is quite easily copied. This magnetic stripe technology was invented over 50 years ago and is able to contain at most a few bytes of information, and has no processing capability of any sort, nor any form of cryptographic technology to resist cloning or tampering. In short, this is a completely outdated technolgy that the whole of our nation is using for our daily financial transactions, at thousands of retail establishments, ATM’s, top-up kiosks, and so on.

Something needs to be done about this glaring security vulnerability.

As you can see from the link below, Malaysia’s Maybank is already ahead of Singapore in this respect :
http://www.maybank2u.com.my/mbb_info/m2u/public/personalDetail04.do…

The Maybank ATM card includes an embedded smartcard chip, which as their website states, offers “Increased security, as the smart chip is tamper-resistant and the data stored is harder to extract and copy”. This is the key point : smartcard technology, well established by now, mitigates many of the shortcomings of magnetic stripes. It is much harder to simply clone compared to magnetic stripes and requires sophisticated and intrusive physical attacks to get to the private key data contained in the smartcard chip. The technology currently required to carry out such attacks does not fit in a simple card skimmer that can be installed in an ATM card slot. Other security measures such as revocation of the certificates of any particular set of smartcards can be carried out on demand. In addition, manufacturers have already included a number of on-board security measures in smartcard processor chips to resist cloning and tampering.

Hence, in the interest of increased security for banking customers, I would like to suggest that MAS work towards regulations requiring all banks issuing ATM and NETS cards to include embedded smartcard technology such as the EMV technology being used by VISA and other credit card issuers.

As an additional security measure, I would also like to suggest industry-wide regulation to eventually disallow transaction fallback to magnetic strip reading, thus removing one of the main factors contributing to ATM card fraud. The ultimate goal is for ATM/NETS cards to be issued *without* any form of magnetic stripes whatsoever, and ATM’s as well as POS terminals to be updated to smartcard-acceptance only, thus finally retiring this outdated 50-year old magnetic stripe technology.

Thank you for your attention.

Low Ee Mien (Mr)

- Sure, smartcards are not impossible to defeat, but they are much harder than the increasingly laughable magnetic stripes, with card skimmers being more readily available nowadays, even apparently custom fitted to closely resemble the “anti-intrusion” devices installed over the ATM card slots. Some have said that 3D printers have now been used to create the exact shapes of these “anti-skimming” devices, or Fraudulent Device Inhibitor (FDI), in an ironic application of cutting-edge technology being used to defeat a simple physical device that was meant to guard against just such occurrences of card skimmers being installed.

The measures announced by the bank are well and fine, such as blocking foreign ATM withdrawals for folks who have not used them overseas, sending out SMS messages and so on, but all these reek of reactionary and stop-gap measures.

I don’t quite agree with the DBS CEO’s claim that replacing the magstripes with smartcard chips has its own set of problems, such as : “The problem with that is it’s a huge inconvenience to customers. When you go to the US, they don’t accept chip cards”. My man, the world is moving away from this outdated magstripe technology, I am frankly surprised and amazed simply that Singapore has not gone along and our neighbour Malaysia has. Fact is, we are actually behind Maybank Malaysia in this area and there’s quite a bit of catching up to do.

J3tpost from :
On the DBS/POSB ATM card fraud case in Singapore

See also:

1. 2011 Indicative Grade Profile for NUS (NUS cut-off points for 2012)
2. 2011 Indicative Grade Profile for SMU (SMU cut-off points for 2012)

Reference:
NTU – 2011 Indicative Grade Profile
NTU – Undergraduate Admissions

J3tpost from :
2011 Indicative Grade Profile for NTU (NTU cut-off points for 2012)

Applicants who meet the minimum entry requirements for admission to a Polytechnic course and have done well in CCA will receive bonus points when being considered for admission into their chosen course of study at the polytechnics.

Courses available in 2011 and the JAE 2011 Cut-Off Points (COP)

COP indicates the ELR2B2 aggregate score (after deducting CCA bonus points) of the last student posted to the course under the 2011 JAE.

1 – Merger of International Supply Chain Management and Logistics Management (NP)
2 – Aerospace Engineering (Quality Systems) (RP) in 2011
3 – Known as Electronics/Media & communication Technology/Computer Engineering/Microelectronics/Aerospace Electronics (TP) in 2011
4 – Known as Psychology & Community Services (NP) in 2011
5 – Known as Digital Media (SP) in 2011

See also:

1. 2011 O-Levels cut off point to JC (Junior College) in Singapore
2. 2010 O-Levels cut off point to JC (Junior College) in Singapore
3. 2011 Indicative Grade Profile for SMU (SMU cut-off points for 2012)

Reference:
Guide to Polytechnic Education Singapore – JOINT ADMISSIONS EXERCISE (JAE)

J3tpost from :
2011 O-Levels cut off point to Polytechnic in Singapore (JAE 2011 Cut-Off Points)

See also:

1. 2011 Indicative Grade Profile for SMU (SMU cut-off points for 2012)

Reference:
NUS – 2011 Indicative Grade Profile

J3tpost from :
2011 Indicative Grade Profile for NUS (NUS cut-off points for 2012)

See also:

1. 2011 Indicative Grade Profile for NUS (NUS cut-off points for 2012)

Reference:
SMU – 2011 Grade Profile
Apply to SMU (Singapore Management University)

J3tpost from :
2011 Indicative Grade Profile for SMU (SMU cut-off points for 2012)

Singapore Maths P3 Worksheet – Addition and Subtraction (Within 10 000) (118008 bytes, application/pdf)

See also:

1. Singapore Maths P2 Worksheet Online Generator – Time
2. Singapore Maths P2 Worksheet – Money
3. Singapore Maths P2 Worksheet

J3tpost from :
Singapore Maths P3 Worksheet – Addition and Subtraction (Within 10 000)

Together with me.. *ewwwww*

Labelled Bread Mould

Science is fun.. try this at home too!

J3tpost from :
Sinagpore Science P3 Experiment: Growing Bread Mould at home

He was able to cycle with training wheels when he was 3y10m17d..

See also:

1. misc
2. so much to update..
3. wenn cycling with training wheels..

J3tpost from :
Ken Cycling Without Training Wheels

Back home.. become Spiderman!

Mommy, can one hand?

yikes!

See also:

1. Wenn’s First Day in School, in Soka Kindergarten (N2)
2. First day of primary school for Ken..

J3tpost from :
First day of primary school for Wenn..

Anyway, it was good experience and there is someone to take care of our terrapins at home

We went to the Melaka Planeterium – Adventure Science Center.. the highlight of it was the 3-D (?) movie..

On our way to Melaka.. hmm, next time I should take pictures of our REHAT stopovers

Budding photographer?

The result (taken by Ken):

Taken by EM.. yes, my mom has nicer bag than me!

My 2nd sis family and my eldest bro family

The inside.. nice show, i like.

we makan’ed satay celup too.. sedapnya.. forgot to take photo though.. perhaps next time..

See also:

1. Self-Drive from Singapore to Cherating Beach in Pahang Malaysia for Fireflies and Turtle Watching (2010)
2. Genting trip.. then Melaka.. (2007)
3. Back To Melaka – Wenn first time to Melaka (2006)..

J3tpost from :
Self drive from Singapore to Melaka (without helper).. visited Melaka Planeterium..

In 2011, I wish for personal growth,

• I wish to develop my competency at work,
• develop my patience with my family members and all people whom I interact with..
• more wisdom to guide Ken and Wenn not only in academic but also in life..
• also to grow in faith, I wish to be more active in Soka activities and thus to deepen and strengthen my faith in Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism..

Work
ahh, I’m a perfectionist.. and I think I did this well.. and since it’s my passion.. I find the time spent rewarding and fulfilling.

Patience
though I would say I screamed at Ken less during his P2 year compared to P1.. need more improvement

Wisdom
think I did this OK for now.. I know this will be an ongoing process.. Therefore, I wish I can grow and adapt my guidance as the kids grow older..

Faith
I completed my Kaneko Group training. Kaneko Group is a group for Women Division (WD) to meet up once per month to learn and share the spirit of Soka Women Division.. I managed to attend all the meetings.. and learned a lot.. however, the putting into practice is the difficult part.. so for this, I definitely could do better..

Summary of my 2011:

• Generated a list of worksheets for Ken to strengthen his maths concept
• Taught Wenn Sight Words
• Wenn’s first milk tooth fell off
• Watched a list of 2011 Summer Movies..
• I permed my hair first time since working..
• We bought new pets..
• for the June holidays, we went to Jurong Bird Park and had a road trip to Cherating..
• We replaced our bathroom doors..
• On 1st Sep, we set up a parenting website SGMoms.Net
• Wenn graduated from Soka Kindergarten
• Ken was awarded the Model Student Cetificate

Although I did not blog about it, Ken had improved in his results. He scored 65% in his Term 3 (CA2) Maths.. I got such a shocked.. because we consistently did Maths questions.. And, because of his results, I made him worked very hard in Maths.. It was madness.. but in the end, he scored 98% for his Maths in his SA2 (final year exams).. It’s something I wish that it would not be repeated.. the stress is stressful.. haiz.. And I wonder how am I going to cope with Ken and Wenn in Primary School in 2012..

But, let’s start the new year with new hope.. Though it will be hard, I will work together with my children.. I will work on my attitude, my faith.. I will shower EM with more love, less grumpiness.. Many years from now, I hope my children will remember that I give my best and they should too..

Lastly, here’s wishing all my dear readers.. “May 2012 be a year of possibilities.”

P.S. The jetplane was drawn by Ken ^-^

See also:

1. Happy New Year 2011..
2. Happy New Year 2010..
3. 2009, the year ahead of us..
4. Happy 2007!

J3tpost from :
Happy New Year 2012..

Below: One of my favorite quotes.. when I did badly in my STPM (A-levels).. when my future seem bleak with no colors in them.. this was one of my mantra, to keep my spirit up..

P.S. You may go to their home and play around with their other generators.. Below is a popart generator with Wenn’s photo.

See also:

1. Prezi.com a Cloud-based (SaaS) presentation software
2. Free Online Easy Photo Collage tool, no registration needed..
3. Free Online Easy Photo Editing tool, no registration needed..
4. online digital scrapbook without photoshop
5. favicon ico generator, icon generator to be displayed in the address bar of every browser
6. Free Photoshop-like image editor

J3tpost from :
Create Your Own Motivational Posters Online for Free, no registration required

And here it is running on my Samsung Galaxy S2 :

Setting up the development environment was simple enough, follow Google’s instructions, get the latest Eclipse (yes, I admit I’ve been a little out of touch lately), get the Android SDK, download the necessary files, libraries and the Android emulator and off I went.

The emulator did take all of 5 minutes or perhaps a bit more than that to boot up on my Acer laptop which up until now had yet to show its age, being perfectly useful for browsing and Microsoft Office and even the occasional VMWare. But now a 2.x GHz 8GB RAM replacement number looks mighty enticing. Running it on the actual device was also simple enough : look for the hello-android.apk in the bin folder, Gmail it to myself, install (application side-loading on the Galaxy S2 was enabled *out of the box*), take screenshot, Gmail screenshot back to myself, and voila.

So goes the saying : “You have taken your first step into a larger world.” Or something along these lines.

J3tpost from :
Hello Android!

from wiki: Prezi is a cloud-based (SaaS) presentation software and storytelling tool for exploring and sharing ideas upon a virtual canvas.

do be patient and wait for it to finish loading.. i did this from blank template.. i guess using some of the templates provided should be nicer.. have fun!

http://prezi.com/bin/preziloader.swf

See also:

1. Free Online Easy Photo Collage tool, no registration needed..
2. Free Online Easy Photo Editing tool, no registration needed..
3. online digital scrapbook without photoshop
4. favicon ico generator, icon generator to be displayed in the address bar of every browser
5. Free Photoshop-like image editor

J3tpost from :
Prezi.com a Cloud-based (SaaS) presentation software

See also:

1. maneki neko ken..

J3tpost from :
Introducing Model Student *drum roll*..

Unfortunately, I didn’t get a clear photo below.

J3tpost from :
super friendly dentist for kids..

OT, does he remind you of this?

See also:

1. Optimus Prime and Bumblebee drawing by Ken.. then and now..
2. Toy Story 3 characters drawing by Ken..
3. How to train your dragon drawings..
4. more mr. men.. and little miss..
5. more Mr. Men by ken..
6. Mr. Men.. ken’s latest craze..
7. coloring improvement..
8. working mom busy mom..

J3tpost from :
Animal Farm oil pastel drawing by Ken