#9: Internet and Politics

I'm sure most Singaporeans would be familiar with the new rendition of "Home", originally performed by home grown singer Kit Chan. This new version encompasses the voices of 39 local singers, and to me, feels like one of those pre-election strategies/gimmicks.

While watching this on television for the first time, I was indeed overwhelmed with emotion. This song, reminded me of the value of my citizenship in this country; and being located in a good geographical location, free from natural disasters, made me grateful to be a part of Singapore as it is certainly a clean, green and relatively safe country.

I'm sure this song was released in a timely fashion, in hopes to remind us of our heritage and to rekindle feelings of loyalty and belongingness to this country.. to keep the order of our country the way it is (if you know what I mean).  Singapore, though steeped in Asian values, has also modernized to a great extent through the years. Our culture, to me, is more of a mish mash of Western and Asian influences, and so, does not have a distinct or dominant culture. Although greatly moved by the essence of this song, there was a pressing thought at the back of my mind which said "Do we only appreciate our country when such songs tug on our heartstrings?"

So if you'd ask me if Singaporean youths are generally apathetic towards politics, I would agree and disagree. Firstly I agree because of the issue of complacency- because youths are generally too caught up with their self-identities to be concerned with politics. Another reason is because, I feel that Singaporean youths aren't provided much information about politics for them to even be concerned with it in the first place. We have no opportunities to voice our thoughts about the government, and in this technology savvy world, even fewer opportunities to express our opinions on the Internet. "Big brother is watching", and he certainly is. We are constantly under surveillance and anything we publish that reflects negatively about our country is brought to attention, again in a negative light, via our newspapers- How many people have been embarrassed, made to pay penalties, or worse still, locked behind bars because of a negative comment made about the government or a certain race in our country? In a highly regimented society, it is no wonder youths are apathetic about politics. The bottomline is, we have better things to care about if we cannot express our thoughts freely.

My disagreeing point would describe apathetic as a word used too strongly in this context as some youths may very well be just... shy. I've recently found out that it is possible to thumb a text message to communicate with your MP, but I feel that speaking face to face would be a better approach as it gives both parties an opportunity to understand each other better. Politicians should spend time talking to their citizens year round, and not just doing so near elections.

#8: Multimedia- Samsung 3D projection mapping

Samsung ran three nights of an amazing 3D projection mapping installation in Amsterdam to promote their new range of 3D LED TV’s.

It was perfectly mapped to a historic building in Amsterdam; the projection realistically cracks the building in half, sending debris shattering down before it fills up with water and then drains into a rain forest revealing the new Samsung 3D LED TV. 

While I’ve seen other attempted 3D perspectives, this certainly has to be the best 3D experience I’ve seen from Projection mapping, and it definitely surpasses the standards of Sony and Nokia's advertisements as this was screened in real time. People were able to watch this "live" as opposed to from behind a television screen.

I feel that Samsung managed to capture the heart of the audience's attention as it was interactive, refreshing and a creative attempt at marketing via all aspects of multimedia. All five senses were engaged and the product was clearly represented. In all, I feel that this was a successful attempt at differentiating a LCD television manufactured by Samsung with other famous household brands. 

#7: Internet Security

Above is a video that warns internet users about the dangers of phishing. The reason why I picked this video is because it cleverly uses satire to educate viewers on an important topic.

The internet is a great tool for many things, but unfortunately it can also pose a security risk for your personal information and privacy. Everyone who is connected to the internet needs to be aware of and have a basic understanding of how to protect themselves. Here are 7 things you can do to keep yourself safe:

1. Firewall

Make sure you're running a firewall, either software running on your computer or a hardware-based device.

2. Multiple Users

If you need to share your computer with other people, make sure there are rules in place of what they can and can't do. This is especially true with kids - they have a tendency to download anything and everything, without any thought for how it could affect the computer and the information on it.

3. Backup

Backup your data on a regular basis - particularly anything you couldn't easily replace. If your computer is ever infected by a virus or some other security problem, you could lose all the information on it. Having a backup will save you from losing it permanently.

4. Avoid Unknowns

Avoid clicking links in unexpected email messages or downloading files or attachments that you weren't expecting. These things can lead to security problems and virus infections. Even if someone you know sends you something, don't click it until you verify they meant to send it and it's safe.

5. Avoid File Sharing Software

Programs like Kazaa that let you download music and other pirated files often include spyware and adware that can cause your computer to run very slowly or not work properly at all. Avoid the temptation of installing these things because they're just not worth the hassle.

6. Disconnect From The Internet

Most high-speed internet connections are "always on" - whenever your computer is turned on, your connection is active. If you're not using the internet, it's best to disconnect from it to keep your computer safe from unexpected attacks or infections.

7. Antivirus

Make sure you have a good antivirus program installed on your computer and - most importantly - you keep it updated. If your antivirus is not up to date, you might as well not be running one at all.

#6: Internet Tools (Movie Making)

Made a movie on my favourite outfits from Jil Sander, Celine and Chanel, whom I thought had the best Spring 2011 collections.