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| S$3.4 Million Single Winner |
Monday, September 30, 2013
30 Sep 2013 Single Winner for Toto Group 1: S$3.4 Million
Damn lucky person, I bet this person must have fainted when he/she saw the result, sigh, why not me, I don't mind sharing with a few other people, even getting a S$600,000 is not bad you know. First thing I would do if I win such a big amount of money is to invest at least 90% into high yield stocks, the other 10% I would pay finish my wife's sinsod, probably also give her some money so she can buy a car in Thailand for her mom, then give some ang bao to my parents, go for a short holiday, and I'll definitely keep my job, well, I think that's enough dreaming for now.
Sunday, September 29, 2013
I'm FINished WITH FINS Campaign
SHARK SAVERS Singapore
I have tried shark's fin soup before, it was tasty, but I know actually it's the broth that's tasty, the fin itself is tasteless, smells fishy, it's like jelly without sugar, I think a chicken soup would taste much better. I'm okay with people fishing and cooking but the way they waste a shark is terrible, they cut off their fins and then toss them back into the ocean, leaving them to die in the wild. I think we should put a stop to this, people should stop fishing sharks just for their fins, it's like killing rhinos just for their horns, elephants just for their tusks, so if they are not going to make full use of the animal, they should leave them alone.
The last time I ate shark's fin was at my best friend's wedding dinner a few months back, I think I will never purchase shark's fin, actually I never purchase shark's fin, I only ate it during wedding dinner, which is a once in a blue moon thing, and only during Chinese New Year reunion dinner, but those were gifts to my dad from his friends, we don't buy shark's fin.
So I'll do my part, I will continue to never purchase shark's fin, as for consumption, well, if it's already prepared, then just eat it, or else it's a waste anyway.
I have tried shark's fin soup before, it was tasty, but I know actually it's the broth that's tasty, the fin itself is tasteless, smells fishy, it's like jelly without sugar, I think a chicken soup would taste much better. I'm okay with people fishing and cooking but the way they waste a shark is terrible, they cut off their fins and then toss them back into the ocean, leaving them to die in the wild. I think we should put a stop to this, people should stop fishing sharks just for their fins, it's like killing rhinos just for their horns, elephants just for their tusks, so if they are not going to make full use of the animal, they should leave them alone.
The last time I ate shark's fin was at my best friend's wedding dinner a few months back, I think I will never purchase shark's fin, actually I never purchase shark's fin, I only ate it during wedding dinner, which is a once in a blue moon thing, and only during Chinese New Year reunion dinner, but those were gifts to my dad from his friends, we don't buy shark's fin.
So I'll do my part, I will continue to never purchase shark's fin, as for consumption, well, if it's already prepared, then just eat it, or else it's a waste anyway.
Saturday, September 28, 2013
Wife is Coming Home Tonight!
Her flight is confirmed and will approximately land at 7.51PM, really looking forward to seeing her, even though I don't actually say I want to see her but I really do, I don't know about other guys but I'm the don't-talk-much type, I don't go saying I love you, I miss you, I want to see you soon, it's too mushy, that's for the dating phase, after marriage, it feels kind of redundant, most important thing is I treat her well, action speaks louder than words you know.
I wonder what she looks like now, probably looks darker because north Thailand is a very hot place, maybe she will look slimmer, she told me she is 61KG, used to be 64 or 65 when she was pregnant. I'll bring her to our favourite chicken rice place tomorrow, I know she must be craving for it, and also to Sheng Siong, she loves that place.
I wonder what she looks like now, probably looks darker because north Thailand is a very hot place, maybe she will look slimmer, she told me she is 61KG, used to be 64 or 65 when she was pregnant. I'll bring her to our favourite chicken rice place tomorrow, I know she must be craving for it, and also to Sheng Siong, she loves that place.
Finally Cleared My IPPT for 2013! FU*K YEAH!
My IPPT started at around 4.15PM today, I only ate 2 sticks of Kit Kat since I woke up so as to prevent myself from feeling lethargic; I always feel sleepy after eating a full meal. I also drank plenty of water to ensure my urine was white, which is a sign of proper hydration, I also drank one small bottle of 100PLUS, and luckily the weather was cooling, there was a drizzle when the run started, so it seems like everything was set for my pass.
Here's my score, by the way I'm CAT Y1:
I in-pro at 3.51PM, out-pro at 4.53PM, the whole session took about an hour, so S$100 for one hour of my time, damn good money, and if I can run 12:20 and below for my 2.4KM, I would be eligible for Silver award which is S$200, maybe I should go try again since I was actually quite close, I actually have some energy left when I finished my last lap, I think I could have gone faster.
Looking back at why I failed on my last try, I think it was because I was not properly hydrated plus the really hot sun and also, I ran too fast for the first 3 laps of my 2.4KM, I almost dropped dead at the 4th lap, so this time I make sure I control my pace, so I started at normal pace for the first lap, and progressively increasing my pace for the following laps, also ensuring the increase in speed will not drain me out, and halfway through my last lap, I sprinted all the way to the finishing line, I looked up at the electronic scoreboard, 12:33 for my tag number, first thing in my mind, "FU*K YEAH".
And when I was sprinting, the guy beside me started to sprint too, I think he was also at his last lap, I won the race by the way ;)
Here's my score, by the way I'm CAT Y1:
- Sit Up: 37 reps = 5 pts
- Broad Jump: 216CM = 3 pts
- Chin Up: 8 reps = 4 pts
- Shuttle Run: 10.1 seconds = 5 pts
- 2.4KM Run: 12:33 minutes = 2 pts
- Total: 19 pts
- Result: PASS
- Award: INCENTIVE
I in-pro at 3.51PM, out-pro at 4.53PM, the whole session took about an hour, so S$100 for one hour of my time, damn good money, and if I can run 12:20 and below for my 2.4KM, I would be eligible for Silver award which is S$200, maybe I should go try again since I was actually quite close, I actually have some energy left when I finished my last lap, I think I could have gone faster.
Looking back at why I failed on my last try, I think it was because I was not properly hydrated plus the really hot sun and also, I ran too fast for the first 3 laps of my 2.4KM, I almost dropped dead at the 4th lap, so this time I make sure I control my pace, so I started at normal pace for the first lap, and progressively increasing my pace for the following laps, also ensuring the increase in speed will not drain me out, and halfway through my last lap, I sprinted all the way to the finishing line, I looked up at the electronic scoreboard, 12:33 for my tag number, first thing in my mind, "FU*K YEAH".
And when I was sprinting, the guy beside me started to sprint too, I think he was also at his last lap, I won the race by the way ;)
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| Passed with incentive! |
Friday, September 27, 2013
Even Burger King Knows to Appreciate National Service Men
Source
Today they gave free burgers for the first 1000 NSmen, the rest get to buy at half price, not bad, even a fast food restaurant knows to appreciate what we've done, the burger is not a big deal but it touches my heart, I really hope more people would give a damn about National Service.
During my time, being in the Army means nothing, our salary makes our sacrifice look really stupid, I know we should have no complain serving our country but the salary is really pathetic, how can a soldier be paid less than a domestic helper? And then we get some CPF top-up, slightly more GST rebate, all of it doesn't really make up for our 2 or 2.5 years, it never will. Anyway, no point mulling excessively over it, if you got to serve, you got to serve, but it means a lot when people show that they appreciate our contribution.
Today they gave free burgers for the first 1000 NSmen, the rest get to buy at half price, not bad, even a fast food restaurant knows to appreciate what we've done, the burger is not a big deal but it touches my heart, I really hope more people would give a damn about National Service.
During my time, being in the Army means nothing, our salary makes our sacrifice look really stupid, I know we should have no complain serving our country but the salary is really pathetic, how can a soldier be paid less than a domestic helper? And then we get some CPF top-up, slightly more GST rebate, all of it doesn't really make up for our 2 or 2.5 years, it never will. Anyway, no point mulling excessively over it, if you got to serve, you got to serve, but it means a lot when people show that they appreciate our contribution.
Thursday, September 26, 2013
Child of Singaporean and Foreign Spouse Born Outside of Singapore Can Apply for Citizenship
Source
First of all, either the father or mother must be a Singaporean.
Next you need to know the type of Singaporean the father or mother is.
If the Singaporean is father, he must have a lawful marriage before the child is born no matter what type of Singaporean he is.
If the Singaporean is father and he was a PR converted to Singaporean, the child must not acquire citizenship of the country he/she was born in.
If the Singaporean is mother and she was born in Singapore, the child must be born on or after 15 May 2004.
If the Singaporean is mother and she was a PR converted to Singaporean, the child must be born on or after 15 May 2004 AND the child must not acquire citizenship of the country he/she was born in.
If the Singaporean is father OR mother and he/she was born outside of Singapore, he/she must have stayed in Singapore for at least 1 year out of 5 years before the child is born OR stayed in Singapore for a total of 4 years before the child is born.
And you need to apply within one year after the child is born or you will need to write a letter and provide more documents to explain.
First of all, either the father or mother must be a Singaporean.
Next you need to know the type of Singaporean the father or mother is.
- Singapore citizen by Birth - born and raised in Singapore.
- Singapore citizen by Registration - converted from PR to citizenship.
- Singapore citizen by Descent - born outside of Singapore and acquired Singapore citizenship.
If the Singaporean is father, he must have a lawful marriage before the child is born no matter what type of Singaporean he is.
If the Singaporean is father and he was a PR converted to Singaporean, the child must not acquire citizenship of the country he/she was born in.
If the Singaporean is mother and she was born in Singapore, the child must be born on or after 15 May 2004.
If the Singaporean is mother and she was a PR converted to Singaporean, the child must be born on or after 15 May 2004 AND the child must not acquire citizenship of the country he/she was born in.
If the Singaporean is father OR mother and he/she was born outside of Singapore, he/she must have stayed in Singapore for at least 1 year out of 5 years before the child is born OR stayed in Singapore for a total of 4 years before the child is born.
And you need to apply within one year after the child is born or you will need to write a letter and provide more documents to explain.
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
Embed Google Docs Into Blogger!
Recently I learned that I can do that so today I tried doing it to my stocks page, looks more tidy now, if you want to know how to do it, it's very easy, just follow the instructions here.
The best thing about this is you can set it to auto-publish, so whenever you update the spreadsheet, it will automatically publish to wherever you put the embed code, so you only need to update one place and that's your Google document.
Now that opens up more possibilities, I was thinking of how to put tables into Blogger, now with Google docs, I can do that easily, and I think it's very easy to manage since I can name each file.
The best thing about this is you can set it to auto-publish, so whenever you update the spreadsheet, it will automatically publish to wherever you put the embed code, so you only need to update one place and that's your Google document.
Now that opens up more possibilities, I was thinking of how to put tables into Blogger, now with Google docs, I can do that easily, and I think it's very easy to manage since I can name each file.
Semb Corp Industries Rallied to S$5.28, Damn!
Last Friday I sold my 5 lots at S$5.14 and thought I got away with a decent deal and was happy with a small profit, today it went up to S$5.28, what the fish, how come everytime I sell something the price will go up, last time when I sold Singtel, it shoot up, then when I sold Olam, it shoot up too, then SingPost, it also shoot up, all right after I sell, if any of you want to know what stock will shoot up, come find me, ask me what I'm going to sell next, you may just get lucky.
I also searched around for news on why the heck would Semb Corp rally but I can't find anything relevant, nobody seems to be talking about it but the price just goes up anyway, crap.
Now I'm thinking of dumping my Sheng Siong and CDL Htrust, and pool all my money into buying Sabana, the yield looks very attractive, or maybe I'll buy Venture Corp, or maybe I'll just sell everything and wait for the next downtrend, which could be near, I don't know.
I also searched around for news on why the heck would Semb Corp rally but I can't find anything relevant, nobody seems to be talking about it but the price just goes up anyway, crap.
Now I'm thinking of dumping my Sheng Siong and CDL Htrust, and pool all my money into buying Sabana, the yield looks very attractive, or maybe I'll buy Venture Corp, or maybe I'll just sell everything and wait for the next downtrend, which could be near, I don't know.
Monday, September 23, 2013
Firms Must Try to Hire Singaporeans Before Trying to Hire Foreigner
Source
Quite an extreme move, it's a Singaporean-first policy though, I think our government must have almost run out of moves to actually allow this ruling, seems like they would rather piss off companies than to piss off Singaporeans, this would surely get them more votes. In practice, I don't think this would work, reason is simple, based on this new ruling, companies would need to post on WDA job bank for 14 days showing that they tried to hire Singaporeans, so when Singaporeans apply, they probably won't get the interview, even if they managed to get it, they won't pass the interview, our government can only do that much and ultimately whether to hire or not is still up to the company.
You can't force them to hire Singaporeans, they can come up with all sorts of excuse if they really don't want to. Actually for companies, foreigners are easier to manage, they come here on a work pass, they can't just quit and find another job like a Singaporean can, or maybe some people don't know how to cherish their jobs, other Singaporeans get affected because of their actions, I know there are Singaporeans who longs for a stable job and yet they are hurt by the influx of foreigners, people say Singaporeans can't stay on a job, that's not true, not everyone is like that, we still have plenty of hardworking people here, but life seems to be too easy for a handful of us here, so much so that a job is like a pastime to them, but to many of us, a job is our livelihood.
I really feel that our government should not have stepped in like this, maybe some companies are really bad, they hate us so much that they refuse to hire us, I don't know, I've never heard of such extreme cases yet, or maybe it's simply because I haven't, but we are not little kids, we can take care of ourselves, what would other countries think, we can't help ourselves, we need our government to hold our arms and give us directions? Of course not, but well, let's see how it unfolds, it still sounds very silly to me.
Quite an extreme move, it's a Singaporean-first policy though, I think our government must have almost run out of moves to actually allow this ruling, seems like they would rather piss off companies than to piss off Singaporeans, this would surely get them more votes. In practice, I don't think this would work, reason is simple, based on this new ruling, companies would need to post on WDA job bank for 14 days showing that they tried to hire Singaporeans, so when Singaporeans apply, they probably won't get the interview, even if they managed to get it, they won't pass the interview, our government can only do that much and ultimately whether to hire or not is still up to the company.
You can't force them to hire Singaporeans, they can come up with all sorts of excuse if they really don't want to. Actually for companies, foreigners are easier to manage, they come here on a work pass, they can't just quit and find another job like a Singaporean can, or maybe some people don't know how to cherish their jobs, other Singaporeans get affected because of their actions, I know there are Singaporeans who longs for a stable job and yet they are hurt by the influx of foreigners, people say Singaporeans can't stay on a job, that's not true, not everyone is like that, we still have plenty of hardworking people here, but life seems to be too easy for a handful of us here, so much so that a job is like a pastime to them, but to many of us, a job is our livelihood.
I really feel that our government should not have stepped in like this, maybe some companies are really bad, they hate us so much that they refuse to hire us, I don't know, I've never heard of such extreme cases yet, or maybe it's simply because I haven't, but we are not little kids, we can take care of ourselves, what would other countries think, we can't help ourselves, we need our government to hold our arms and give us directions? Of course not, but well, let's see how it unfolds, it still sounds very silly to me.
Must Watch Movie for Horror Fans - V/H/S
IMDB
I was running out of horror movies to watch and then I found this, don't be fooled by the simple poster and title, it's made up of a few horror masterpieces taken from a point-of-view camera perspective, starting of each story is a bit slow but they all turned out to be more than what I expected.
I have very high requirements for a horror movie, not many can impress me, few can make me watch the whole thing without turning it off. I especially like the first story, that big-eyed cute looking girl, what a terror she turned out to be... You got to watch this if you haven't.
Oh, there's a part two, I'm going to get it. And erm, it's not suitable for kids as there are sex scenes, nudity, extreme violence and plenty of gore, adults only.
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| V/H/S |
I was running out of horror movies to watch and then I found this, don't be fooled by the simple poster and title, it's made up of a few horror masterpieces taken from a point-of-view camera perspective, starting of each story is a bit slow but they all turned out to be more than what I expected.
I have very high requirements for a horror movie, not many can impress me, few can make me watch the whole thing without turning it off. I especially like the first story, that big-eyed cute looking girl, what a terror she turned out to be... You got to watch this if you haven't.
Oh, there's a part two, I'm going to get it. And erm, it's not suitable for kids as there are sex scenes, nudity, extreme violence and plenty of gore, adults only.
Received My S$89 Cheque for IRAS Tax Refund
That day I was talking about missing out a spouse and parent relief, so after a nice lady at IRAS helped me to make the claim for only spouse relief as I have requested, I received a cheque for the refund on last Friday, I cashed in on Saturday and it will be cleared tomorrow and I can now see the amount added to my ledger balance.
The whole process was very fast, from my first email on 11 Sep to receiving the cheque on 20 Sep, and actually I only confirmed to claim for spouse relief on 13 Sep because initially the lady was asking if anybody else was claiming the parent relief, I said I'm not sure and had to confirm with my mom, after that I found out that my brother-in-law was already claiming it.
Anyway, from 13 Sep to 20 Sep, it only took them about a week to send me the cheque, they are very efficient, service-wise, they are on a totally different level than any government agencies that I have come across, thumbs up!
The whole process was very fast, from my first email on 11 Sep to receiving the cheque on 20 Sep, and actually I only confirmed to claim for spouse relief on 13 Sep because initially the lady was asking if anybody else was claiming the parent relief, I said I'm not sure and had to confirm with my mom, after that I found out that my brother-in-law was already claiming it.
Anyway, from 13 Sep to 20 Sep, it only took them about a week to send me the cheque, they are very efficient, service-wise, they are on a totally different level than any government agencies that I have come across, thumbs up!
Saturday, September 21, 2013
Sold My 5 Lots of SembCorp at S$5.14
I sold 1 lot via cash and 4 lots via cpf, let's look at my profit and loss.
1 lot via Cash
On 27 Mar 2013, I bought 1 lot at S$5.15, including charges the final cost price is S$5171.88.
On 14 May 2013, I collected a S$150 dividend.
On 20 Sep 2013, I sold at S$5.14, final proceeds after charges is S$5110.63.
Profit/Loss = 5110.63 + 150 - 5171.88 = S$88.75
Return % = 88.75 / 5171.88 * 100 = 1.716%
Duration = 177 days
4 lots via CPF
On 24 Apr 2013, I bought 4 lots at S$4.97, the cost price is 19949.68 + 10.70 + 0.54 = S$19960.92.
On 14 May 2013, I collected a S$600 dividend.
On 05 Jul 2013, I received a quarterly charge of S$5.35, so total cost price is 19960.92 + 5.35 = S$19966.27.
On 20 Sep 2013, I sold at S$5.14, final proceeds after charges is 20487.96 - 10.70 - 0.54 = .S$20476.72
Profit/Loss = 20476.72 + 600 - 19966.27 = S$1110.45
Return % = 1110.45 / 19966.27 * 100 = 5.561%
Duration = 149 days
Total returns for cash and cpf
Total cost = 5171.88 + 19966.27 = 25138.15
Total return = 88.75 + 1110.45 = 1199.2
Total return % = 1199.2 / 25138.15 * 100 = 4.77%
Average duration = (177 + 149) / 2 = 163 days
I think overall not so bad, only the cash part is a bit disappointing, I bought too early and at a price too high, but when it went down to 4.97, I quickly went in with my cpf to save the day, that's the magic of averaging down, so about half a year, I get 4.77% returns, I think it's quite decent, now I'm thinking of what to buy next.
1 lot via Cash
On 27 Mar 2013, I bought 1 lot at S$5.15, including charges the final cost price is S$5171.88.
On 14 May 2013, I collected a S$150 dividend.
On 20 Sep 2013, I sold at S$5.14, final proceeds after charges is S$5110.63.
Profit/Loss = 5110.63 + 150 - 5171.88 = S$88.75
Return % = 88.75 / 5171.88 * 100 = 1.716%
Duration = 177 days
4 lots via CPF
On 24 Apr 2013, I bought 4 lots at S$4.97, the cost price is 19949.68 + 10.70 + 0.54 = S$19960.92.
On 14 May 2013, I collected a S$600 dividend.
On 05 Jul 2013, I received a quarterly charge of S$5.35, so total cost price is 19960.92 + 5.35 = S$19966.27.
On 20 Sep 2013, I sold at S$5.14, final proceeds after charges is 20487.96 - 10.70 - 0.54 = .S$20476.72
Profit/Loss = 20476.72 + 600 - 19966.27 = S$1110.45
Return % = 1110.45 / 19966.27 * 100 = 5.561%
Duration = 149 days
Total returns for cash and cpf
Total cost = 5171.88 + 19966.27 = 25138.15
Total return = 88.75 + 1110.45 = 1199.2
Total return % = 1199.2 / 25138.15 * 100 = 4.77%
Average duration = (177 + 149) / 2 = 163 days
I think overall not so bad, only the cash part is a bit disappointing, I bought too early and at a price too high, but when it went down to 4.97, I quickly went in with my cpf to save the day, that's the magic of averaging down, so about half a year, I get 4.77% returns, I think it's quite decent, now I'm thinking of what to buy next.
Friday, September 20, 2013
Starhub Cable TV Bill Problem Again
Last month I was charged S$4.50 before GST for this KaraOK! Day Pass, I called Starhub and it ended up as if me or my family member accidentally subscribed for it, ok, I followed their advise and put on a Purchase Lock to prevent such accident in future, and the guy waived the charge for me saying they can only do it one time. I don't watch the cable TV, only my parents watch it, I checked with them and they said they are sure they didn't press anything funny, they are well aware that for things that need payment, there will be a price tag on the screen so they won't go and press it.
Today I received my bill and they did waive the charge for me, but to my surprise, they charged me for the same thing again, what the heck, so I called them, I told them I have the Purchase Lock enabled so how can anyone purchase anything, the guy put me on hold and came back after a while, this time he told me I also need to put a Parental Lock to block the KaraOK! channel 888, and he said he will waive it one last time for me. So this time, I blocked all the channels with the word "demand" including the stupid karaoke channel and changed the pin number. I also checked the Purchase Lock is actually still on so I think nobody messed with it, I don't think my parents know where to remove the lock.
We'll see, now I have all the locks on, and if the stupid KaraOK! appears again on my October bill, wah, then must be done by ghost.
Today I received my bill and they did waive the charge for me, but to my surprise, they charged me for the same thing again, what the heck, so I called them, I told them I have the Purchase Lock enabled so how can anyone purchase anything, the guy put me on hold and came back after a while, this time he told me I also need to put a Parental Lock to block the KaraOK! channel 888, and he said he will waive it one last time for me. So this time, I blocked all the channels with the word "demand" including the stupid karaoke channel and changed the pin number. I also checked the Purchase Lock is actually still on so I think nobody messed with it, I don't think my parents know where to remove the lock.
We'll see, now I have all the locks on, and if the stupid KaraOK! appears again on my October bill, wah, then must be done by ghost.
Thursday, September 19, 2013
STI Index Closed at 3251
4th gain in a row since Monday, what a ride, my SembCorp Industries closed at S$5.13, I thought it would never go above S$5.10 so that was a big surprise, and I just read the news and found that the US Federal Reserve decided to continue their bond-buying program, stock markets over the world gained due to the news, I was still thinking of what might happen tomorrow, now I'm quite sure tomorrow STI will continue to rise, I think we don't need to wait till October for it to cross 3300, it might just happen tomorrow, no wonder STI is suddenly so bullish, it's double good news, confirmed no attack on Syria plus maintain bond-buying means investors have more confidence.
Now the question is how long will the rally last, but there's no point to take profit now since it's obviously an uptrend now, people will be battling to get their money inside the markets before prices get too high, I think I can wait until SembCorp reaches S$5.20 before I sell.
Now the question is how long will the rally last, but there's no point to take profit now since it's obviously an uptrend now, people will be battling to get their money inside the markets before prices get too high, I think I can wait until SembCorp reaches S$5.20 before I sell.
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
STI Index Closed at 3193
Thanks to the US-Russian deal on Syrian chemical weapons control, there's no way Syria will say no when it was suggested by the Russian president. So I guess that's it to the whole chemical attack thing, but those innocent people who died from it, how should their families be compensated, they can't just say surrender the weapons and end of story, but if that's how it's going to be, then it is really shitty, the Russians and Iran should punish Syria for it in some way, just to make everybody happy.
So if the allied forces are not going to attack Syria, I wonder what the rebels are going to do next, I think they will be very pissed off since the fight will just continue as per normal, which nobody knows when it will end, after all they've been fighting since 2011, doesn't look like any side is going to win anytime soon, more lives will be lost, more deals will be made, war is a good time for weapons supplier to make money, in the end, it's all about profit.
Anyway, I just hope SembCorp Industries will beak S$5.15 so I can sell at a small profit, been holding it for a long time and not seeing much progress, my breakeven price is at S$5.06, or maybe I will sell at S$5.10? See how, who knows STI might just go above 3300 before October.
So if the allied forces are not going to attack Syria, I wonder what the rebels are going to do next, I think they will be very pissed off since the fight will just continue as per normal, which nobody knows when it will end, after all they've been fighting since 2011, doesn't look like any side is going to win anytime soon, more lives will be lost, more deals will be made, war is a good time for weapons supplier to make money, in the end, it's all about profit.
Anyway, I just hope SembCorp Industries will beak S$5.15 so I can sell at a small profit, been holding it for a long time and not seeing much progress, my breakeven price is at S$5.06, or maybe I will sell at S$5.10? See how, who knows STI might just go above 3300 before October.
Monday, September 16, 2013
Still Having Diarrhea
I started to have fever and diarrhea since the early hours of 15 Sep. On 14 Sep morning, I ate one piece of Tau Sar Piah and drank a cup of coffee and some water before my IPPT at 4PM. After the IPPT, I ate one packet of Hor Fun, I think that's the culprit, I bought at that shop many times and it was okay, very unlucky, I wonder what extra ingredients they dropped inside, and I must have went to the toilet at least 30 times since 15 Sep, my legs feel wobbly, head giddy, and when I went to see the doctor again just now, he told me to show my tongue, he looked a bit shocked and told me to drink plenty of water, and when I went home, I looked in the mirror and saw my tongue looking horribly white, obviously I am very dehydrated.
At least the fever is gone now, but the diarrhea keeps coming back, the doctor gave me a stronger combination of medication, I hope this works because I don't want to be missing from work for the 3rd day.
And just to be fair, I kept recapping the things that I ate prior to my diarrhea, I am pretty sure those are all that I ate, the Tau Sar Piah shouldn't be the culprit since my mom brought it back from Malacca, my sister ate it, my father ate it, my mother ate it and they are okay. Coffee should be out too since I have been drinking that batch for more than a week, water also no, everybody drinks it, only thing left is the Hor Fun, my family went out to eat KFC and I was the odd one out insisting on eating Hor Fun, so obviously the Hor Fun is the culprit.
I bought the Hor Fun at Tampines Street 81 Block 823A, it's the Zi Char beside the KFC, I'm not saying they will always serve food that will cause diarrhea, but it has been a nightmare for me and I thought I should at least warn people about it, you decide if you want to eat there.
At least the fever is gone now, but the diarrhea keeps coming back, the doctor gave me a stronger combination of medication, I hope this works because I don't want to be missing from work for the 3rd day.
And just to be fair, I kept recapping the things that I ate prior to my diarrhea, I am pretty sure those are all that I ate, the Tau Sar Piah shouldn't be the culprit since my mom brought it back from Malacca, my sister ate it, my father ate it, my mother ate it and they are okay. Coffee should be out too since I have been drinking that batch for more than a week, water also no, everybody drinks it, only thing left is the Hor Fun, my family went out to eat KFC and I was the odd one out insisting on eating Hor Fun, so obviously the Hor Fun is the culprit.
I bought the Hor Fun at Tampines Street 81 Block 823A, it's the Zi Char beside the KFC, I'm not saying they will always serve food that will cause diarrhea, but it has been a nightmare for me and I thought I should at least warn people about it, you decide if you want to eat there.
Sunday, September 15, 2013
Fail IPPT and Fall Sick
I got 14:03 for my 2.4KM run, at the 4th round I gave up, the sun too glaring, body too heavy, sigh, if only I pushed on I might just get 12:20 so I can get silver, or 13:00 isn't too bad for an incentive pass.
The worse thing is after my IPPT, I don't know what I ate and I have diarrhea and fever, didn't go to work today, feel so drained, and didn't have a complete meal since yesterday.
And one weird thing, this morning at around 5.50am, I heard someone fiddling with our door lock, I thought maybe I was sick and hearing things, then I went to take a look, I can see an old lady outside, she was playing with the lock, after observing her for a while through the door eye, I decided to go back to sleep, I was too tired to confront her. At around 7am+, I heard my dad asking the old lady why she was fiddling with our lock, after that she left.
Sigh, what a lousy weekend...
The worse thing is after my IPPT, I don't know what I ate and I have diarrhea and fever, didn't go to work today, feel so drained, and didn't have a complete meal since yesterday.
And one weird thing, this morning at around 5.50am, I heard someone fiddling with our door lock, I thought maybe I was sick and hearing things, then I went to take a look, I can see an old lady outside, she was playing with the lock, after observing her for a while through the door eye, I decided to go back to sleep, I was too tired to confront her. At around 7am+, I heard my dad asking the old lady why she was fiddling with our lock, after that she left.
Sigh, what a lousy weekend...
Friday, September 13, 2013
IRAS Tax Relief
For a long time, paying income tax doesn't apply to me because I was earning too little for them to tax, it was only in 2011 that I started to earn enough to be required to pay in cash.
On Wednesday, while looking through my tax forms, I saw the NSman Self Relief and Earned Income Relief which reduced my taxable amount by a total of S$4000. So I looked them up on IRAS website and found that I was actually eligible for two other claims. You can check out the full list of reliefs here.
Spouse Relief
I am eligible for this one because my wife is not working, so I can claim S$2000 for this. I have never made the claim, but luckily when I checked with IRAS via email, seems like it is possible to claim retrospectively, I was married in 2010 so I can start claiming from there.
Parent Relief
I can claim S$7000 for this on my mother because she is not working, but my brother-in-law has made the claim and there can only be one claimant, when I checked with him, he told me he can withdraw if I wish to claim but I decided to let him claim because he has two children. I'm such a nice guy huh. Anyway I don't think it will make a huge difference, but let's see.
In 2012 I paid S$122.14
If chargeable income reduced by S$2000, I would only need to pay S$82.14, S$40 difference.
If reduced by S$9000, I won't have to pay anything, S$122.14 difference.
In 2013 I paid S$330.83
If chargeable income reduced by S$2000, I would only need to pay S$281.83, S$49 difference.
If reduced by S$9000, I would only need to pay S$123.04, S$207.79 difference.
Summary
So if I get S$2000 relief for 2012 and 2013, I would pay S$89 lesser.
As for S$9000 relief, I would pay S$329.93 lesser.
329.93 - 89 = S$240.93.
Not a life changing amount, my wife easily spends that amount in one or two weeks while I slog, haha, just kidding, not that she doesn't want to work but she's not healthy like most people, heart surgery, life-long medication and all, not easy for her also.
On Wednesday, while looking through my tax forms, I saw the NSman Self Relief and Earned Income Relief which reduced my taxable amount by a total of S$4000. So I looked them up on IRAS website and found that I was actually eligible for two other claims. You can check out the full list of reliefs here.
Spouse Relief
I am eligible for this one because my wife is not working, so I can claim S$2000 for this. I have never made the claim, but luckily when I checked with IRAS via email, seems like it is possible to claim retrospectively, I was married in 2010 so I can start claiming from there.
Parent Relief
I can claim S$7000 for this on my mother because she is not working, but my brother-in-law has made the claim and there can only be one claimant, when I checked with him, he told me he can withdraw if I wish to claim but I decided to let him claim because he has two children. I'm such a nice guy huh. Anyway I don't think it will make a huge difference, but let's see.
In 2012 I paid S$122.14
 |
| 2012 Income Tax |
If chargeable income reduced by S$2000, I would only need to pay S$82.14, S$40 difference.
If reduced by S$9000, I won't have to pay anything, S$122.14 difference.
In 2013 I paid S$330.83
 |
| 2013 Income Tax |
If chargeable income reduced by S$2000, I would only need to pay S$281.83, S$49 difference.
If reduced by S$9000, I would only need to pay S$123.04, S$207.79 difference.
Summary
So if I get S$2000 relief for 2012 and 2013, I would pay S$89 lesser.
As for S$9000 relief, I would pay S$329.93 lesser.
329.93 - 89 = S$240.93.
Not a life changing amount, my wife easily spends that amount in one or two weeks while I slog, haha, just kidding, not that she doesn't want to work but she's not healthy like most people, heart surgery, life-long medication and all, not easy for her also.
Thursday, September 12, 2013
Brokerage Fees: DBS Vickers VS Standard Chartered Bank
So which one is cheaper? Most people say SCB is cheaper, this makes me curious, now let's see...
DBS Vickers
The cheapest method of buying or selling is by using their Cash Upfront account, but note that if you wish to sell using this account, you need to sell within T+3, or else you will need to pay the normal rates.
Commission: 0.18%, minimum $18
CDP Clearing Fee: 0.04%
SGX Trading Fee: 0.0075%
GST: 7%
Standard Chartered Bank
We are looking at their Personal Banking Brokerage Fees, but if you can get their Priority Banking account, it will be slightly cheaper, but I think the requirements is a bit steep, so let's just look at the one which is available to almost everyone.
Commission: 0.20%, no minimum
CDP Clearing Fee: 0.04%
SGX Trading Fee: they don't have this charge
GST: 7%
Scenario 1 - S$5000
So let's say you are buying 5 lots of Stock A, and each share costs S$1.00, so the cost value before charges is S$5000.
If you buy using DBS Vickers Cash Upfront
Commission: 0.18%, minimum $18
5000 * 0.18 / 100 = 9, minimum is 18
CDP Clearing Fee: 0.04%
5000 * 0.04 / 100 = 2
SGX Trading Fee: 0.0075%
5000 * 0.0075 / 100 = 0.375
GST: 7%
(18 + 2 + 0.375) * 1.07 = 21.80125
Total cost = 5000 + 21.80125 = S$5021.80125
If you buy using SCB
Commission: 0.20%, no minimum
5000 * 0.20 / 100 =10
CDP Clearing Fee: 0.04%
5000 * 0.04 / 100 = 2
SGX Trading Fee: they don't have this charge
N.A.
GST: 7%
(10 + 2) * 1.07 = 12.84
Total cost = 5000 + 12.84 = S$5012.84
As you can see, for value of 5000, SCB is cheaper.
Scenario 2 - S$10000
Now let's increase the cost value to S$10000.
If you buy using DBS Vickers Cash Upfront
Commission: 0.18%, minimum $18
10000 * 0.18 / 100 = 18
CDP Clearing Fee: 0.04%
10000 * 0.04 / 100 = 4
SGX Trading Fee: 0.0075%
10000 * 0.0075 / 100 = 0.75
GST: 7%
(18 + 4 + 0.75) * 1.07 = 24.3425
Total cost = 10000 + 24.3425 = S$10024.3425
If you buy using SCB
Commission: 0.20%, no minimum
10000 * 0.20 / 100 = 20
CDP Clearing Fee: 0.04%
10000 * 0.04 / 100 = 4
SGX Trading Fee: they don't have this charge
N.A.
GST: 7%
(20 + 4) * 1.07 = 25.68
Total cost = 10000 + 25.68 = S$10025.68
For 10000, DBS Vickers is cheaper.
But don't forget that when selling via DBS Vickers, if you have to sell only after T+3, then overall it will still be more expensive than SCB, so I think ultimately, SCB will be cheaper, I guess everybody is right.
DBS Vickers
The cheapest method of buying or selling is by using their Cash Upfront account, but note that if you wish to sell using this account, you need to sell within T+3, or else you will need to pay the normal rates.
Commission: 0.18%, minimum $18
CDP Clearing Fee: 0.04%
SGX Trading Fee: 0.0075%
GST: 7%
Standard Chartered Bank
We are looking at their Personal Banking Brokerage Fees, but if you can get their Priority Banking account, it will be slightly cheaper, but I think the requirements is a bit steep, so let's just look at the one which is available to almost everyone.
Commission: 0.20%, no minimum
CDP Clearing Fee: 0.04%
SGX Trading Fee: they don't have this charge
GST: 7%
Scenario 1 - S$5000
So let's say you are buying 5 lots of Stock A, and each share costs S$1.00, so the cost value before charges is S$5000.
If you buy using DBS Vickers Cash Upfront
Commission: 0.18%, minimum $18
5000 * 0.18 / 100 = 9, minimum is 18
CDP Clearing Fee: 0.04%
5000 * 0.04 / 100 = 2
SGX Trading Fee: 0.0075%
5000 * 0.0075 / 100 = 0.375
GST: 7%
(18 + 2 + 0.375) * 1.07 = 21.80125
Total cost = 5000 + 21.80125 = S$5021.80125
If you buy using SCB
Commission: 0.20%, no minimum
5000 * 0.20 / 100 =10
CDP Clearing Fee: 0.04%
5000 * 0.04 / 100 = 2
SGX Trading Fee: they don't have this charge
N.A.
GST: 7%
(10 + 2) * 1.07 = 12.84
Total cost = 5000 + 12.84 = S$5012.84
As you can see, for value of 5000, SCB is cheaper.
Scenario 2 - S$10000
Now let's increase the cost value to S$10000.
If you buy using DBS Vickers Cash Upfront
Commission: 0.18%, minimum $18
10000 * 0.18 / 100 = 18
CDP Clearing Fee: 0.04%
10000 * 0.04 / 100 = 4
SGX Trading Fee: 0.0075%
10000 * 0.0075 / 100 = 0.75
GST: 7%
(18 + 4 + 0.75) * 1.07 = 24.3425
Total cost = 10000 + 24.3425 = S$10024.3425
If you buy using SCB
Commission: 0.20%, no minimum
10000 * 0.20 / 100 = 20
CDP Clearing Fee: 0.04%
10000 * 0.04 / 100 = 4
SGX Trading Fee: they don't have this charge
N.A.
GST: 7%
(20 + 4) * 1.07 = 25.68
Total cost = 10000 + 25.68 = S$10025.68
For 10000, DBS Vickers is cheaper.
But don't forget that when selling via DBS Vickers, if you have to sell only after T+3, then overall it will still be more expensive than SCB, so I think ultimately, SCB will be cheaper, I guess everybody is right.
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Actually IPPT is Good and Easy Money
I've been telling my friends it's good and easy money and it's worth it to keep fit and go try and clear it, get a silver and bam, S$200, even an incentive isn't too bad at S$100. The whole session probably takes less than 3 hours, if I include the travel time, probably no more than 4 hours, it's easy money, of course provided I can pass.
Let's say the whole thing takes 4 hours, and if I get a silver, that's like S$50 per hour, I don't even earn that kind of rate with my current job, even for an incentive pass, that's S$25 per hour, still higher than my job. But the problem is, I can only get the money once a year, well, better than nothing, can't run away from it anyway.
And let's not just talk about the money, keeping fit is for our own good, you feel lighter, you breathe easier, you feel faster, you probably might just live longer and be able to spend more time with your loved ones, so why not.
Training for IPPT is also not very difficult, I can't say for guys with kids, I'm sure they are very busy, but for guys like me, married with no children yet, I think finding some time for training is very possible, it's just a matter of dragging yourself out of the laziness and just do it. I know the feeling of getting off work, once you reach home you probably have no energy left, but you just have to force yourself to do it and once you get the routine started, it may just become a habit and you get stuck to it, which is a good thing. All you need is 30 minutes a day, focusing on exercises aimed to pass each station, and if you can complete your routine faster, then good, I currently spend about 20 minutes a day, finish fast so I can rest earlier.
Chin-up/pull-up
I have a bar installed at my room's doorway, so I really have no excuse not to do it. Currently I'm doing 3 sets of a mix of pull-ups and chin-ups, 10 pull-ups first, then followed by 6-7 chin-ups, then followed by 6-7 pull-ups. I'm aiming for 11:8:8 though, actually I just need 6 to get 3 points for silver, but no harm trying to achieve more.
Sit-up
This is not a problem for me, I can easily do 40, but for people who need training on this, best bet is find out how many you need to get the award that you are aiming for, and then do that amount. You just need to do it once a day, for example you need 40, then just do 40 every day.
Standing broad jump
This is a killer for a lot of people including me, I used to have no problem with this when I was in my early 20s, I got fatter after that so it makes things a lot harder. But no worries, some people say it's all about the technique, that's mostly true but you still need strong thighs to jump far.
How I train is by doing squats, currently I do 15 a day, keep my back straight, arms by my side, squat until my fingers can touch my ankle, that's 1, so I do 15 of such squats a day. Last Sunday I tried jumping at home, I think I got about 7.5 feet, which is roughly about 2.28 meters, more than enough for me to get 3 points for silver. I'm CAT Y1 by the way.
But I really think the best way to train is to jump far, but I can't keep doing it because my legs will hurt from all the jumping.
Shuttle run
Seriously, this is all about the technique, I've seen people who run slow but with very clean movements, they can get 10 seconds flat, or even 9+, yes I am serious, seen it many times, and some people run fast but they waste too much time with turning, picking up the block, in the end they come out slower. If you really want to train for this, just place an object in front, run to it, make sure you focus on running STRAIGHT to it, not zigzag or any other pattern, grab the block and come back, the crucial part is when grabbing the block, if you can find the fastest, easiest way to do it, you will have no problem, the rest is just sprint with everything you have.
2.4KM run
I used to run 9.30+ in my army days, now I'm just struggling to run under 12.20 minutes. The best way to train for this is to run, aim for 2.4KM without stopping, then aim for 3KM, once you can run 3KM without stopping, keep doing it, eventually you will find that you have a lot of energy left, that's when you should start to force yourself to run faster, just make sure after every run you feel totally shagged out, or else you won't improve. I didn't really time myself, but I think I can run below 12.20 now, I'm currently able to complete 3KM without stopping.
And I'm taking my IPPT this Saturday, wish me power!
Let's say the whole thing takes 4 hours, and if I get a silver, that's like S$50 per hour, I don't even earn that kind of rate with my current job, even for an incentive pass, that's S$25 per hour, still higher than my job. But the problem is, I can only get the money once a year, well, better than nothing, can't run away from it anyway.
And let's not just talk about the money, keeping fit is for our own good, you feel lighter, you breathe easier, you feel faster, you probably might just live longer and be able to spend more time with your loved ones, so why not.
Training for IPPT is also not very difficult, I can't say for guys with kids, I'm sure they are very busy, but for guys like me, married with no children yet, I think finding some time for training is very possible, it's just a matter of dragging yourself out of the laziness and just do it. I know the feeling of getting off work, once you reach home you probably have no energy left, but you just have to force yourself to do it and once you get the routine started, it may just become a habit and you get stuck to it, which is a good thing. All you need is 30 minutes a day, focusing on exercises aimed to pass each station, and if you can complete your routine faster, then good, I currently spend about 20 minutes a day, finish fast so I can rest earlier.
Chin-up/pull-up
I have a bar installed at my room's doorway, so I really have no excuse not to do it. Currently I'm doing 3 sets of a mix of pull-ups and chin-ups, 10 pull-ups first, then followed by 6-7 chin-ups, then followed by 6-7 pull-ups. I'm aiming for 11:8:8 though, actually I just need 6 to get 3 points for silver, but no harm trying to achieve more.
Sit-up
This is not a problem for me, I can easily do 40, but for people who need training on this, best bet is find out how many you need to get the award that you are aiming for, and then do that amount. You just need to do it once a day, for example you need 40, then just do 40 every day.
Standing broad jump
This is a killer for a lot of people including me, I used to have no problem with this when I was in my early 20s, I got fatter after that so it makes things a lot harder. But no worries, some people say it's all about the technique, that's mostly true but you still need strong thighs to jump far.
How I train is by doing squats, currently I do 15 a day, keep my back straight, arms by my side, squat until my fingers can touch my ankle, that's 1, so I do 15 of such squats a day. Last Sunday I tried jumping at home, I think I got about 7.5 feet, which is roughly about 2.28 meters, more than enough for me to get 3 points for silver. I'm CAT Y1 by the way.
But I really think the best way to train is to jump far, but I can't keep doing it because my legs will hurt from all the jumping.
Shuttle run
Seriously, this is all about the technique, I've seen people who run slow but with very clean movements, they can get 10 seconds flat, or even 9+, yes I am serious, seen it many times, and some people run fast but they waste too much time with turning, picking up the block, in the end they come out slower. If you really want to train for this, just place an object in front, run to it, make sure you focus on running STRAIGHT to it, not zigzag or any other pattern, grab the block and come back, the crucial part is when grabbing the block, if you can find the fastest, easiest way to do it, you will have no problem, the rest is just sprint with everything you have.
2.4KM run
I used to run 9.30+ in my army days, now I'm just struggling to run under 12.20 minutes. The best way to train for this is to run, aim for 2.4KM without stopping, then aim for 3KM, once you can run 3KM without stopping, keep doing it, eventually you will find that you have a lot of energy left, that's when you should start to force yourself to run faster, just make sure after every run you feel totally shagged out, or else you won't improve. I didn't really time myself, but I think I can run below 12.20 now, I'm currently able to complete 3KM without stopping.
And I'm taking my IPPT this Saturday, wish me power!
Monday, September 9, 2013
USD132994.97 Adsense Cheque!
The cheque was dated 27 Sep 2005, so I guess this happened a long time ago and I only know about this today, haha, I'm so outdated.
Based on the exchange rate for today, 1USD=1.27SGD, so 132994.97USD=168783.92SGD, wow, that's a lot of money, but I'm not sure whether it's for a month's payment or several months, I don't know, but it's still epic, that's like more than 3 years of my salary. Salute.
 |
| USD132994.97 |
Based on the exchange rate for today, 1USD=1.27SGD, so 132994.97USD=168783.92SGD, wow, that's a lot of money, but I'm not sure whether it's for a month's payment or several months, I don't know, but it's still epic, that's like more than 3 years of my salary. Salute.
Amazing Girl from France with a Solid Voice
Her name is Marina Dalmas and isn't she awesome? Beautiful and she's got a really powerful voice, that's the power of youth.
Saturday, September 7, 2013
Training for IPPT
Since my wife went back to Thailand, I've been working out regularly, after work, during weekends, resting only one day a week and I've improved a lot, but my weight seems to be the same even though I work out quite hard.
My weekday routine
4 sets of 30 pushups.
4 sets of chinups and pullups (2 sets each), 10 on the first go, 6 for the rest.
2 sets of 15 squats.
2 sets of 10 bicep curls with a 10KG weight (including the bar).
Some jumping jacks if I have some energy left.
My weekend routine
2.4KM run, no timing though but I think I run quite fast because at the end of the run, I always feel shagged out.
From the looks of it, I might just be able to get a silver for my IPPT, or at least an incentive pass, which is not too bad. Previously I was struggling to do 6 chinups, now I can easily do 7 or 8, if I push, I can hit 10.
As for my 2.4 run, previously I was struggling to complete 1KM, now at least I can complete the whole 2.4 without stopping.
And the squats and pushups seems to help with my standing broad jump, just now I tried jumping and I jumped quite far, although I'm not sure how far as I don't have a measuring tape or ruler.
My weekday routine
4 sets of 30 pushups.
4 sets of chinups and pullups (2 sets each), 10 on the first go, 6 for the rest.
2 sets of 15 squats.
2 sets of 10 bicep curls with a 10KG weight (including the bar).
Some jumping jacks if I have some energy left.
My weekend routine
2.4KM run, no timing though but I think I run quite fast because at the end of the run, I always feel shagged out.
From the looks of it, I might just be able to get a silver for my IPPT, or at least an incentive pass, which is not too bad. Previously I was struggling to do 6 chinups, now I can easily do 7 or 8, if I push, I can hit 10.
As for my 2.4 run, previously I was struggling to complete 1KM, now at least I can complete the whole 2.4 without stopping.
And the squats and pushups seems to help with my standing broad jump, just now I tried jumping and I jumped quite far, although I'm not sure how far as I don't have a measuring tape or ruler.
Wednesday, September 4, 2013
US Will Not Deploy Ground Troops to Syria
Source
Seems like US lawmakers have imposed a 90 days deadline for any military action in Syria, and also the US is not allowed to send in any ground troops, so I guess they will probably carry out airstrikes and supply the rebels with more weapons, which is good because it will be much less costly than if they go in and get stuck down there like in Iraq and Afghanistan, they already spent more than a trillion dollars in those wars, and it really hit hard on their economy, and other economies.
But I'm still not very sure who started using gas attacks, was it the Syrian government or the rebels, they were pointing fingers at each other, both parties are equally suspicious, whoever found guilty will lose the civil war, reason is simple, the guilty party will definitely face the wrath of the world, even the Iran and Russian presidents who are supporters of the Syrian government says that as long as there is concrete proof that Assad ordered the gas attack, they will have no objection to western military action.
Right now, I have not seen any such concrete evidence, I think until such evidence can be produced for the world to see, the west should not do anything.
Seems like US lawmakers have imposed a 90 days deadline for any military action in Syria, and also the US is not allowed to send in any ground troops, so I guess they will probably carry out airstrikes and supply the rebels with more weapons, which is good because it will be much less costly than if they go in and get stuck down there like in Iraq and Afghanistan, they already spent more than a trillion dollars in those wars, and it really hit hard on their economy, and other economies.
But I'm still not very sure who started using gas attacks, was it the Syrian government or the rebels, they were pointing fingers at each other, both parties are equally suspicious, whoever found guilty will lose the civil war, reason is simple, the guilty party will definitely face the wrath of the world, even the Iran and Russian presidents who are supporters of the Syrian government says that as long as there is concrete proof that Assad ordered the gas attack, they will have no objection to western military action.
Right now, I have not seen any such concrete evidence, I think until such evidence can be produced for the world to see, the west should not do anything.
Tuesday, September 3, 2013
Maybe NTUC Income Can Do Its Part to Recognize NS Contribution
Last week when I was looking through my insurance payments, suddenly this idea came to my mind, actually NTUC Income can give discounts on premiums for those who get incentive pass and above for their IPPT, almost every NS personnel have to go through it, and usually fitter people are healthier so they should have lower chances of making a claim. Another good point is it offers another source of motivation, the idea of keeping fit for cheaper insurance doesn't sound too bad, in the end it's a choice, for people who don't wish to keep fit, fine, pay the normal rates, as for people who try to keep fit, get some discounts.
Maybe they can start with this:
Incentive Pass = $5 discount per month.
Silver = $10 discount per month.
Gold = $15 discount per month.
In one year, that can add up to a significant amount, and also it can attract more people to get themselves insured since it can be cheaper.
Finally, it shows that NTUC Income cares, and I think they should really look into this idea, they are after all a government-linked organization so it makes sense for them to take the lead.
Maybe they can start with this:
Incentive Pass = $5 discount per month.
Silver = $10 discount per month.
Gold = $15 discount per month.
In one year, that can add up to a significant amount, and also it can attract more people to get themselves insured since it can be cheaper.
Finally, it shows that NTUC Income cares, and I think they should really look into this idea, they are after all a government-linked organization so it makes sense for them to take the lead.
Sunday, September 1, 2013
Pale Moon VS Waterfox
I've been using Waterfox for a while, it doesn't freeze up like Chrome and Opera, it doesn't have screen tearing problem like in Firefox, and it's certainly fast but the problem is that it's not smooth. Anyone who has used Chrome or Opera will know what smooth means, scrolling, opening new tab, loading page, maintaining multiple tabs and etc, Chrome and Opera does it very elegantly, Waterfox just have this "mini-freeze" problem, for example when opening a new tab, there will be a slight delay, and also sometimes it will show "not responding", oh another problem, flash player seems to crash quite often, and that's very annoying.
All the mentioned problems forced me to look for an alternative and luckily I managed to find one, the answer is Pale Moon. I'm now using the 64-bit version and it is awesome, the smoothness can rival that of Chrome and Opera, the speed can rival that of Waterfox and the best part, I can get to customize the positioning of my status bar, and I have placed it beside the address bar.
Another cool thing is that I can set my tabs to either show at the bottom or at the top, top is nicer because it saves more screen space, bottom is good too for people who are used to having it at bottom, the whole point is it gives users a choice.
So far, Pale Moon has left a very good impression, I haven't find any problem, yet. I also find that Pale Moon is like Chrome and Waterfox put together, it has the smoothness of Chrome, and the speed of Waterfox, simply amazing.
All the mentioned problems forced me to look for an alternative and luckily I managed to find one, the answer is Pale Moon. I'm now using the 64-bit version and it is awesome, the smoothness can rival that of Chrome and Opera, the speed can rival that of Waterfox and the best part, I can get to customize the positioning of my status bar, and I have placed it beside the address bar.
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| Status bar options |
Another cool thing is that I can set my tabs to either show at the bottom or at the top, top is nicer because it saves more screen space, bottom is good too for people who are used to having it at bottom, the whole point is it gives users a choice.
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| Tabs on Top option |
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| Tabs at bottom |
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| Tabs on top |
So far, Pale Moon has left a very good impression, I haven't find any problem, yet. I also find that Pale Moon is like Chrome and Waterfox put together, it has the smoothness of Chrome, and the speed of Waterfox, simply amazing.
Necessary to Print Flight Itinerary?
So everytime you book a plane ticket online, they will tell you to print out the itinerary and the purpose seems to be for checking in at the airport, but how many times did the staff at the check-in counter actually check your printed itinerary?
For me, none, whenever I go to the counter, I always hand over both my passport and the itinerary and the counter staff usually take only my passport, they don't even look at the paper. For cases where they took my itinerary, they didn't really look at it, all they did was put the paper one side and check only my passport.
Then what is the point of printing it out? I feel that it's a waste of paper and ink, so this time round, I decided not to print it. My wife is now in Thailand, yesterday I bought ticket for her to return to Singapore, I told her not to print out the itinerary, all I did was send her flight details to her via sms, something like this:
Booking: ABCDEF
Flight: FD1234 (28 Sep)
Udon Thani 1240 to Don Mueang 1340
And I also told her to provide only her passport, if need be, tell the counter staff the booking id, that's it. I really think the airlines should come up with a sms service where they can simply sms the flight information to the passenger, save the trees.
For me, none, whenever I go to the counter, I always hand over both my passport and the itinerary and the counter staff usually take only my passport, they don't even look at the paper. For cases where they took my itinerary, they didn't really look at it, all they did was put the paper one side and check only my passport.
Then what is the point of printing it out? I feel that it's a waste of paper and ink, so this time round, I decided not to print it. My wife is now in Thailand, yesterday I bought ticket for her to return to Singapore, I told her not to print out the itinerary, all I did was send her flight details to her via sms, something like this:
Booking: ABCDEF
Flight: FD1234 (28 Sep)
Udon Thani 1240 to Don Mueang 1340
And I also told her to provide only her passport, if need be, tell the counter staff the booking id, that's it. I really think the airlines should come up with a sms service where they can simply sms the flight information to the passenger, save the trees.
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