Dibert's Boss joins Temasek??

(Taken from mrbrown.com for sharing purposes)

@_@

Stupid Siri

Bus vs Cars

Guess which is the more efficient form of transportation?

Guess, too, why there are still so many cars on the roads when car prices are so expensive? 

Racist Remarks posted by NYP Student

(Source: TemasekTimes Wordpress)

With the comments below, hasn't it become quite obvious 

what's the word behind the black blank-out? 

For those born in 70s or 80s

we are the first to touched video games

we are the first to see cartoon in color

we are the first to go to amusement parks.

we are the first to participate in chatroom

we are the first to learn to program the VCR

we are the first to play with the Super Nintendo

we are the first to believe Internet would be a free world on a 56k modem....

we are the last generation to record songs on radio using cassettees

we are the last generation to travel in cars without seat belt or airbags

we are the last generation to live without a mobile phone

we are the last generation to ride our bicycle down the road without brakes

we are the last generation to play in the street....

we do not have our own phone but still keep in touch

we do not have Play Station, Wii, etc

we do not have flat screen, Hi-def, surround sound

we do not have Mp3 or Mp3 players

we do not have computer....

....YET WE HAD HAD A GREAT TIME !!

Expand (a + b) 2

See this 100 times, laugh 100 times.

To SMRT: We don't need to know the things we already know

To SMRT:

Please stop repeatedly broadcast silly announcement like "There is a congestion ahead, this train will be delayed for a short while...." Usually before the announcement has finished, the train has already started moving.
If the train already stops for a while, yes, the information may be useful. However, if it is 30 sec to 1 min we are talking about, then it becomes meaningless.

Yes, we commuters will appreciate useful piece of information while being stuck in your trains but with all the meaningless automated information being broadcasted over the PA system, it will start to irritate us again.

For example useful information will include that there is a track fault or train fault or that train are travelling slower due to that certain out-of-the-ordinary situation has occurred. Useless information includes there is a congestion ahead (esp when the train doesn't stop for very long)...

Also, to make matters worse, the announcement is played several times in between two stations as soon as the trains stops. It becomes annoyingly irritating.

Competition heats up? with Breadtalk increasing price

Competition gets closer with Breadtalk increasing the price of its Ham/Bacon and Egg Meal to $3.40.

Hence, it is a mere $0.60 for the Hashbrown.

For me, perhaps the choice got a little easier for me as the price difference got closer not further to McDonald's advantage. 

Again, which would you choose? 

---------------------

Posted on 2 March 2012

Earlier, sometime in January, I post something on the comparison between BreadTalk and the old MacDonald's. 

However, with McDonald's All Day value breakfast the competitions draws closer, specifically with McDonald's offering of Egg muffin (ham and egg) with hash brown and coffee/tea for $4 while breaktalk offering of Ham and Egg sandwich with coffee (no hash brown) going for $3. Both the value for money factor is about the same with McDonalds offering hashbrown at $1 extra which is perfectly reasonable.

So now the question will be that which would you choose? If I am given one more choice, I would go for the McDonalds Sausage Muffin with egg at $4.50. If I can't between the 2 choices I would go for breaktalk. Mainly for the fact that it has a lower absolute cost.

Which would you choose?  

When to do when you are bored in class or in meeting

Those were the days...

Unusual Scene at Bishan Station

I was at Bishan Interchange (North-South Line) this morning at around 8:45am and witness this:

Strangely, people are queuing in single line in a very orderly manner to board the trains, something rarely (maybe never) seen in SG. This photo taken shows one of the doors but the situation is basically the same on the other doors as well.

From what I understand. it happens almost every morning, not just today.

I don't know what the station staffs have done but to them, GOOD WORK! 

Hope this can be extended to the other stations as well.

Arguably, Bishan station is one of the better managed SMRT North-South line stations

Even Google thinks so

Try it on Google, it really shows that !!!

When CNA connect ask on FB if the MRT Delay (NEL) appears to be much better managed, 

here are some funny comments.

Airbus Beluga

Airbus A300-600ST "Beluga"

If you are wondering, this is really a plane and it flies. 

Why would Airbus want to build such a weird shaped plane? The reason is for transporting large aircraft parts, like the wings (shown in the documentatary below) or other big objects from one place to another. It has the biggest space inside the aircraft but has a cargo weight limit to 47 tons compared to more than 100 tons by other heavy-duty cargo freighter. Still an interesting sight in the aviation industry.

Beluga, btw, comes from the name of the Beluga whale, 

which the Airbus looks exactly the same as. 

2-part documentary on one of Belugu missions - to transport A320 Wings from Germany to France.

Part 1

Part 2

Test

I am sure you are guilty of at east one aspect, very likely all of them.

Wireless Electricity

Mypaper, Tuesday 13 Mar 2012, A10

Soon to be, wires and cables will be obsolete...

It would be good if this technology can cover your whole room / house,  so when you get back home, your phone will start charging.

Swiss say 'no' to 6 weeks paid holiday

Mypaper, Tuesday 13 Mar 2012, A9 

Well I won't say no to 6 weeks of paid holiday. In Singapore context, it is 30 days of paid leave....

Perspectives

Facebook Mobile Fail

iConfused

(Mypaper, Friday 09 March 2012, PP A16)

While I applaud Apple for coming out with fantastic products like the iPhone, iPad and MacBooks, I cannot say the same for its marketing, especially when it launched the 2012 iPad.

According to the table from my paper, the first generation iPad launched in 2010 is called Apple iPad (or also known as iPad 1). Then in 2011, when the second generation iPad is unleashed, it is called Apple iPad 2. Sounds simple, clear and easy to understand.

However, this week, Apple launched it supposedly third generation iPad, which instead of iPad 3, it is called the new iPad. So now, we have iPad 1, iPad 2 and 'the new iPad' ? Duh...

Looking at the newspaper table again, the 2012 new iPad, one would ask Apple if it is a replacement of iPad 1 or iPad 2? Will there be a New iPad 2 in 2013? Then what after next ? Maybe in 2014 then they will have an iPad 3 and then in 2015, they have a new iPad 3....Confusing yes? Confusing, very!

And this is Apple's marketing team response:

(Mypaper, Friday 09 March 2012, PP A16)

(O_O) Okay, you win....

Emissions rebates and surcharges

(Screenshot from Todayonline website on 8 Feb 2012, 10.20am, for awareness purpose only)

Starting Jan 2013, the government will be giving rebates to people who buy low emission vehicles, including the hybrids, and in July the same year, the government will be imposing surcharges to people who buy vehicles with high emissions, particularly the performance and the luxury cars.

Something that made sense very long ago but only implemented now. Still, implementing is better than no implementing, especially when rebates are concerned.

If this is successful, that is, in controlling the high emission cars and encouraging the low emission ones, it could even as a benchmark to use to indicate how much road tax perhaps we have to pay. Road tax now is currently determined by engine cc which makes no sense as the bigger the cc, it takes more the road or it pollutes more.

Road tax, in its simplest form, should be tax paid to use the road. So, theoretically, the bigger the car, the more tax one has to pay. However here, a 1.8l or 2.0l 320i, a 2.5l 325i, 3.0i 335i or a 4.0 litre M3 (all with the same 3-series body pay different level of tax from over $900 per year (1.8l 320i) to close to $4000 per year (M3).

Little wonder then, why manufacturers are turbo-charging all engines to ensure that engine displacement (cc) is kept to the lowest as possible while still offer reasonable / high level of performance.

Back to the emission tax or rebates, here's some cars which qualifies for the rebates or the surcharge in the small pink table on the website:

Rebates (in different tiers):
Lexus CT200h, Prius 1.5 and 1.8
Toyota Wish, Honda Fit. BMW 116i Alfa Mito


Surcharges (in different tiers)
Audi A8, BMW 7 series, Merc S class, XF, RS5 etc are amongst those that need to pay a surcharge from July 2013

I am pretty sure there will be more hybrids but will there be less 7-series, S-class?  After all, 7.5K to 22.5K extra for the 'face' of the businessman may be nothing to him. Let's observe...

Very True...

SG Police Attire

Sigh! Now we cannot say police wear shorts last time. Because they wear shorts now too.

警察以前穿短裤？不， 现在也穿。。。 

The same 5 minutes

Would Electric car work here? Yes!

Before we start, do spend 5 minutes to read this article from TODAYOnline:

http://www.todayonline.com/Singapore/EDC120302-0000048/Would-electric-cars-work-here

This article talks about Singapore Power and Renault doing some trials on the feasibility of running
electric cars in the relatively small Singapore City. Theoretically,  it will seems to work as Singapore is not a big country and the range of 185km for a fully charged electric car seems to be more than sufficient for the average driver. With an average mileage of 18,000km per year, I suppose there are hardly too many people clocking more than 80km per day.

Unfortunately, that's really on paper and there are a few other issues in real life that we need to solve. Renault electric cars are powered purely by electricity. This works if you are living in a landed property with a slot to connect or they specifically build a charging point in your multi-storey carpark. Unfortunately that is not the case for most of us and hence I think unless they can achieve to the point it is as common as a car washing bay in multi storey carpark, it is not going to work. Even that,  who is going to guarantee that nobody is going to fight with you to use the electricity slot?

Also, there is that fact that people doesn't like to re-fill, or in the case, recharge their car everyday. Refilling petrol once a week could still be acceptable, but talk about recharging everyday, people would want to avoid this hassle. Unless, of course, like I said early, you stay in a landed property.

There is a comment on the article in TODAYonline that electric cars will work only if it is able to charge itself. That sets me thinking of the different type of electric car (pure or hybrid) you can find in the market today.

Pure electricity-powered, just like what Renault is introducing with Singapore power.. I believe the general terms for it is called fuel-cell technology where charging the cells, essentially batteries, and the battery will power the electric motor which will drive the car.

Then there is those petrol-electric hybrid models available in today market where car is powered by both the electric motor and the petrol engine. The electric motor can usually run alone on low speeds and assists in conditions where power is necessary. This is still on the basis that the electric motor assist the petrol engine and petrol engine will take over at some point of time where the electric motor is no longer efficient. It still consume fuel just like a petrol engine but lesser than a conventional petrol engine.

However, many manufacturer seems to have overlook or find it not feasible to produce a different kind of hybrid where the electric motor drives the car only and petrol / diesel or even natural gas power the electric motor.

From what I understand, electricity in simple terms is generated by 'stroking' magnetic coils many rounds. The job of rotating the coil is a light load and does not need a lot of fuel to power it. Thus, the petrol engine can be designed to consume as little fuel as possible. The electric motor which drives the car will never be out of power as long as there is petrol engine drives it.

In this case, you could be perhaps topping petrol once a month or two. You will never find yourself stuck in a situation where you run out of electric and had to abandon the car. You will never run out of electric with the petrol generator working and if you are running low on petrol, there are plenty of petrol stations around for you to top up, just like conventional car. This process saving you time and money.

So you will get the benefit of an electric car quiet, smooth, torquey save fuel minus the drawbacks which mainly the need to find a place to charge and running the risk of running out of electric juice to power the car.

Isn't this the best of both world?

I believe that for one to switch to a car run by electricity,  it must offer more convenience / comfort / cost savings or any benefits for the motivation to be there.  Once people enjoying the comfort that the electric car is bringing to them, petrol engined conventional car will very well be a thing of the past.

Renault-Singapore Power Collaboration: 

The new electric Kangoo

(Photo taken and modified from Sgcarmart website)

The influenza, emm... I mean Fluence ze

(Photo taken from Sgcarmart website)

Numbers & Angles

Competition heats up

Earlier, sometime in January, I post something on the comparison between BreadTalk and the old MacDonald's. 

However, with McDonald's All Day value breakfast the competitions draws closer, specifically with McDonald's offering of Egg muffin (ham and egg) with hash brown and coffee/tea for $4 while breaktalk offering of Ham and Egg sandwich with coffee (no hash brown) going for $3. Both the value for money factor is about the same with McDonalds offering hashbrown at $1 extra which is perfectly reasonable.

So now the question will be that which would you choose? If I am given one more choice, I would go for the McDonalds Sausage Muffin with egg at $4.50. If I can't between the 2 choices I would go for breaktalk. Mainly for the fact that it has a lower absolute cost.

Which would you choose?