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Business class saver is around 2 to 2.5x economy saver. Compare to ticket price business class is about 4 to 5x to economy. Business class redemption is vfm.

Yup , have always redeem business tix on saver as to redeem econ is not worth it to me lo … used to redeem first class when with wife only but now with my daughter , not actually possible cos I notice that they only seems to max allow redemption for 2 first class tix and me kiam kanna refused to even pay for 1 tix lo …

Why Mercedes skipped GLB when they’ve GLA, GLC, GLE, GLS? GLA too small while GLC too unnecessary, GLB would be just nice for a specific market segment. Only if there is a B Class Grand Tourer, I would have bought it. I waited for it ever since BMW came out with their 2 series Grand Tourer. A futile wait. Merc is missing a market segment in the absence of these 2 models. Anyone interested if such models eixst ?

Those people can parallel park their S class and 7 series easily, could be due to their car has auto parking assistant feature?! Nowadays even for sedan cars, the bonnet length not say very long, like last time cars. It is the car boot behind makes it difficult to parallel park the car. Hatchback don't have stick out car boot lo, so very easy to parallel park.

Vios/City cabin space vs altis/elantra is tiny difference given current car design. A civic has more cabin space than a mz6. Camry/accord cabin space is different class compared to mz6. Of course a CRV/Rav4 is also roomy and comfortable as it's more boxy. if u like to sit very upright, u would prefer SUV. If u like to slouch/lean back like me, then i prefer sedans. SUVs i never really feel comfortable in the seat.

I'm not good at parallel parking But parallel with a longer sedan is much harder. I can usually do an acceptable parallel pretty easily with the elantra, even though it's not my daily drive. But doing it with my accord is much harder. I would say it scales exponentially as the vehicle length goes up. Of course the easiest will be a subcompact like a Fit/mini. it's also easier if u drive a van, cos there's no bonnet length u have to adjust for. Like when I'm visiting my friend at his terrace sometimes, i will just drive the elantra. Admiration for the towkays who parallel their S class and 7 series.

MCF HangOut X Lexus: LBX - Lexus latest addition to the self-charging full hybrid range <<<Click here to register>>> Experience the Future of Driving with the All-New Lexus LBX! Redefine innovation with the all-new LBX, setting the benchmark as the only self-charging full hybrid in its class. Technology Centered Around You Step into the future with the Tazuna cockpit concept, seamlessly integrating advanced technology for a truly intuitive driving experience with its steering wheel switches being seamlessly integrated with heads-up display. Plus, enjoy the convenience of Lexus Teammate Advanced Park and embrace effortless driving with Panoramic 360 view camera system. Safety That Ensures Absolute Confidence Drive with peace of mind, knowing you're protected by the best-in-class Lexus Safety System+. Lane tracing assist, blind spot monitoring, dynamic radar cruise control, and more work together to keep you safe on every journey. Driving a New Era of Design Witness the evolution of design with the updated Lexus spindle design, elevating the LBX with its commanding presence and exceptional aerodynamics. Crafted by our Takumi artisans, every detail exudes excellence, from precise stitching to luxurious door trims. Join us as we embark on this exciting journey into the future of automotive excellence with the all-new Lexus LBX! <<<Click here to register>>> <<<Click here to register>>> We extend a warm invitation to all keen and passionate individuals. Join us for the MCF Hangout with Lexus, where we'll showcase the latest addition to the range of Lexus self-charging full hybrids: the brand-new Lexus LBX! Register now to secure your spot and schedule a test drive to experience the exceptional comfort and exhilarating performance of the Lexus LBX firsthand! Limited slots available. Register now and enjoy exclusive Lexus MCF event promotion! Event details : Date: 9 May 2024, Thursday Time: 6 pm – 9.30 pm (Registration starts at 6 pm) Venue: 33 Leng Kee Road Parking is provided with limited slots <<<Click here to register>>> Registration Fee: $10 per registrant Test Drive Available!!! Lexus ES Lexus IS Lexus NX Lexus UX Lexus LBX <<<Click here to register>>> Exciting Quiz Hunt during the event Join us for an exciting quiz hunt activity featuring questions centered around Lexus LBX where one lucky winner will walk away with an incredible prize! Get ready to put your skills to the test and embark on a thrilling adventure with us! Event Highlights 6pm – 6.30pm: Registration Starts and Dinner commences 6.30pm – 6.35pm: Opening speech by Lexus General Manager, Adele 6.35pm – 6.45pm: Introduction and Editorial Talk from Sgcarmart 6.45pm – 7pm: Product Presentation by Lexus Sales Manager, Sean 7pm - 7.05pm: Group Photo Taking 7.05pm – 9.30pm: Test Drive + Quiz Hunt -end- <<<Click here to register>>> Member registration: Click here Non-member registration: Click here

Don't worry so much. Wr waited for 30 yrs. Let's wait for another 6 games At least we still have a world class coach... not sure what kind of coach we will have next season.. maybe Graham Potter Jokes aside... Man City played e tra time plus penalty... next opponent is Chelsea? Let's hope the real Cheksea turn up with ex Man City youth striker in form..

SIA ditches ‘flight to nowhere’ idea, rolls out A380 restaurant, delivery menu and training facilities tour Read more at https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/sia-ditches-flight-nowhere-idea-rolls-out-a380-restaurant-delivery-menu-and-training SIA will be offering lunch to customers on board a parked superjumbo A380 at Changi Airport on two afternoons in October The airline abandoned the flight to nowhere idea after a review and has no plans to revive it From Oct 5, customers can order SIA’s First Class and Business Class food for a home dining experience with amenities intended to recreate the flight experience A behind-the-scenes tour of SIA’s training facility will be held over two November school holiday weekends and includes access to its flight simulator, a grooming workshop and wine tasting Read more at https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/sia-ditches-flight-nowhere-idea-rolls-out-a380-restaurant-delivery-menu-and-training SINGAPORE — Customers of Singapore Airlines (SIA) will soon be able to dine and explore one of its Airbus A380s on Oct 24 and 25 while the aircraft remains parked at Changi Airport, SIA said in a statement on Tuesday (Sept 29). Its initial idea for a short tour flight, or a “flight to nowhere”, was jettisoned after the airlines conducted a market study and a review, taking into account factors such as environmental implications and financial viability. “We currently have no plans to revive the idea,” a spokesman said in response to TODAY’s queries. In recent weeks, the idea attracted flak from people who were concerned about the carbon impact created by these flights, while others defended such flights — which a few airlines are pursuing — as a way to help the ailing national carrier cope with the Covid-19 pandemic. Mr Goh Choon Phong, SIA chief executive officer, said: “There has been a lot of interest in our customer engagement initiatives over the last few weeks, and I would like to thank everyone for their great ideas and suggestions. We are very encouraged by and grateful for the enthusiasm and passion that we have seen.” The latest Restaurant A380 @ Changi idea is part of a “suite of experiences” meant for SIA’s Singapore customers and fans over the next few weeks. These include a tour of its training facilities and a chance to enjoy SIA’s in-flight meals at home. Customers will be served lunch in a cabin of their choice on the double-decker superjumbo aircraft. An SIA spokesman said the aircraft will be parked and linked to a gatehold room, with diners entering the A380 via the aerobridge. SIA will also be applying for airport passes on behalf of the diners since the activity will be in a restricted area. Diners can choose from SIA’s signature international cuisine as well as from a special Peranakan menu designed by Singaporean chef Shermay Lee. Customers will also be given a showcase of its cabin crew uniform over the years and customers who turn up in traditional heritage wear, such as a sarong kebaya, cheongsam, saree, batik shirt or a kilt, will receive a special gift. Bookings for Restaurant A380 will begin on Oct 12 on SIA’s KrisShop website. Limited spots for a 15-minute tour of the A380’s interiors and private access areas are also available on a first come, first served basis. The statement said all health and safety measures will be put in place including thorough cleaning of the aircraft. Diners will be seated in groups of no more than five people with safe distancing between them. “We will be following restaurant rules for Restaurant A380 @ Changi so the number of diners allowed in (the aircraft) is dynamic at this point in time. We will be observing safe distancing between groups of diners, so that will be taken into account as well,” said its spokesman. SIA @ HOME For Oct 5, customers can order a meal from a range of 10 menus to be delivered to their homes. The menus were designed for its First Class and Business Class customers by four world-renowned chefs on SIA’s International Culinary Panel — Chef Georges Blanc of France, Chef Matt Moran of Australia, Chef Yoshihiro Murata of Japan and Chef Sanjeev Kapoor of India. SIA will also provide a First Class or Business Class amenity kit based on a package of their choice and customers get to keep limited edition dining ware and amenities such as crystal glasses, tableware sets and sleeper suits. A digital guide on how to heat and plate the dishes will be provided. Customers can “recreate the SIA onboard experience at home” by watching aircraft cabin videos and listening to a specially curated playlist. “Those who are looking to bring their SIA experience to the next level also have the option to Book-the-Chef through our cabin crew concierge, to enjoy the services of a private chef who will reheat, plate and serve the meal for customers in their homes,” said SIA. INSIDE SINGAPORE AIRLINES For two weekends during the November school holidays, in a rare move, SIA will also be opening up its training facilities to the public. “Perfect for kids and families, this is a rare opportunity to find out from our pilots and cabin crew what it takes to fly and serve in the skies. The tour will feature our latest cabin products and a look at where training on our flight simulators is conducted,” said SIA. Visitors can also pay for additional experiences — aviation enthusiasts can experience the training SIA pilots receive on its flight simulator, children can dress up as junior cabin crew for a day and keep their SIA uniforms, wine fans can learn about SIA’s wines from its air sommeliers, and customers can learn how to achieve the Singapore Girl look in a guided grooming workshop. They can also dine at the SIA canteen which will be serving in-flight cuisines for a fee. If visitors use SIA’s contactless payment app KrisPay, they can also earn air miles for these meals or if they buy merchandise at the tour. The tour dates are set for Nov 21, 22, 28 and 29, and bookings commence from Nov 1. SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE When asked if there are other initiatives in the pipeline, the spokesman said it will make an announcement at the appropriate time. Mr Goh said SIA came up with these activities to engage with its fans and customers at a time when Covid-19 has drastically reduced the number of flights operated by SIA Group. “These experiences offer something for everyone – from frequent flyers who miss our world-class in-cabin products and service, to couples and families who want an exclusive dining experience, and parents who are after an enjoyable activity-filled day with their children during the school holidays,” said Mr Goh. Read more at https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/sia-ditches-flight-nowhere-idea-rolls-out-a380-restaurant-delivery-menu-and-training

But the W220 that followed was the worst ever S Class. Full of cost cutting crap.

I don't fly a lot. But I am unfortunate being in a overbooked flight from PEK to SG for CNY in 2017. I arrived 2 hours before departure and all seats were taken. Kenna bumped into afternoon flight (My booked flight was morning). SQ recovery was good. SQ checked me into Wyndham Hotel with breakfast and lunch. In the afternoon, i damn scared kenna bumped again. I checked in 3 hours prior. My seat was Row 1 of Upper Deck of A380 Econ Class. Station Manager came and greeted me. I requested lounge access and no questions asked. When I was at the gate, Station Manager made sure i board together with 1st class. My cabin luggage was stored together with biz class on upper deck.

Organizer starts investigation any breach of code of conduct. Gues too much complain on weibo. https://www.channelnewsasia.com/sport/beijing-half-marathon-he-jie-win-organisers-investigation-4265841 Beijing half marathon probes 'embarrassing' win by Chinese runner Footage shared widely online appeared to show three African runners deliberately allowing China's He Jie to win. BEIJING: Organisers of the Beijing half marathon said on Monday (Apr 15) they were investigating after footage shared widely online appeared to show three African runners deliberately allowing China's He Jie to win. Video clips of Sunday's race showed the Kenyans Robert Keter and Willy Mnangat, Dejene Hailu of Ethiopia and home runner He approaching the finish. The three African runners can be seen pointing to the finish line and apparently waving He out in front, while appearing to slow down. He, the 2023 Asian Games marathon gold medallist, won by one second. The four had stuck together throughout the course of just over 21km, a broadcaster noted. "We are investigating and will announce the results to the public once they are available," a person from the Beijing Sports Bureau, who wished to remain anonymous, told AFP. The event's organiser - the Beijing Sports Competition Management and International Exchange Center - also said an investigation had been launched. The incident received significant attention on Chinese social media site Weibo, with some users criticising what they saw as an "embarrassing" result. "This will certainly be the most embarrassing championship in He Jie's career," one wrote. "With such a major organiser and such a well-known event, this really pushes sportsmanship to the ground in shame," the post added. Long-distance running has boomed in recent years among China's middle class, but there have been numerous instances of cheating and poor organisation. In 2018, at a half-marathon in the southern city of Shenzhen, 258 runners were found to have cheated, including many who took shortcuts. Traffic cameras caught them darting through trees to join a different part of the race. In 2019 a woman was filmed riding a green-coloured rental bike in the Xuzhou International Marathon in eastern China. She was ordered by race officials to dismount the bike, only to get back on again afterwards.

All econ class passengers don’t have to wait. But Biz class passengers have to wait 24hrs. Of course Beh song la

Xi Jinping signals intent to remain in power by revealing politburo with no successor https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/oct/25/xi-jinping-signals-intent-power-successor-politburo-china China’s president unveils his all-male cabinet, but crucially no member is young enough to take the reins from Xi at the end of his second term Xi Jinping has kicked off his second term as leader of the world’s second largest economy, vowing to spearhead the “great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation” and signalling his intent to tower over Chinese politics for decades to come. At just before noon on Wednesday, Xi unveiled the new line-up of China’s top ruling council – the Communist party’s politburo standing committee – leading six besuited comrades out into a blaze of camera flashes in the Great Hall of the People. “Here, on behalf of the newly elected central leadership, I wish to express our heartfelt thanks to all other members of the party for the trust they have placed in us. We will work diligently to meet our duty, fulfil our mission and be worthy of their trust,” Xi said in a 21-minute address that marks the formal start of his second term. Crucially, the all-male group contained no potential successor, since none of its five new members – all aged between 60 and 67 – is young enough to take the reins from Xi after the end of his second term, in 2022, and to then rule for the customary decade. Such is the secrecy that cloaks Chinese politics that the identities of the standing committee’s incoming members were known only as Xi escorted them out onto a scarlet-carpeted stage. Joining Xi and premier Li Keqiang on the elite committee are: Li Zhanshu, 67, Han Zheng, 63, Zhao Leji, 60, Wang Yang, 62 and Wang Huning, 62. “I still can’t get over the fact how the world’s second largest economy, which is declaring this new role of global leadership, is nearly as opaque as the North Korean political system,” said Jude Blanchette, an expert in Chinese politics from New York’s Conference Board research group. “I just find that absolutely striking and in a way almost unacceptable for a system that wants to play such a fundamental role in guiding and shaping the 21st century.” China’s propaganda apparatus has touted this week’s political show as an example of openness and transparency. However, a number of major western news organisations whose coverage of Xi’s rule has irked Beijing were excluded from Wednesday’s event without explanation including the BBC, the Financial Times, the Economist, the New York Times and the Guardian. In his address, Xi outlined his vision for what he called China’s “new era”, an era in which an emboldened and purified Communist party would play an even more prominent role in returning the country to its former glories. “It is my conviction that the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation will become a reality,” he said, urging his party to become “the backbone of our nation.” “We should never entertain the idea of taking a breather or halting our steps. Instead, we must continue to rid ourselves of any virus that erodes the party’s fabric, make great efforts to foster a healthy political environment of integrity and generate waves of positive energy throughout our party which can build into a mighty nationwide force driving China’s development and progress.” Xi also pledged “a resolute push” to eradicate poverty, to “open China still wider to the world” and hinted at the more assertive and muscular role Beijing is expected to seek on the world stage in the years ahead. “With confidence and pride the Chinese people will be steadfast in upholding our country’s sovereignty, security and development interests,” he said. The unveiling of China’s new ruling council came one day after the end of the 19th party congress, a week-long political summit at which Xi established himself as the country’s most dominant leader since its revolutionary founder Mao Zedong. On Tuesday, Xi’s eponymous political philosophy was enshrined in the party’s constitution alongside those of Mao and Deng Xiaoping, the architect of China’s economic opening to the world. Experts say that momentous and highly symbolic achievement puts Xi in a virtually unassailable position at the pinnacle of the 89 million member organisation. Having failed to anoint a successor, he is now likely to be calling the shots in Chinese politics well into the 2030s. With Xi now entering his second, although perhaps no longer final five-year term, thoughts are turning to what the next stage of the Xi era might hold. Supporters claim that having used a ferocious anti-corruption campaign to purge rivals and consolidate his grip over the party during his first five-year term, Xi will now turn his mind to comprehensive reforms of China’s economy. “I think the real reform just began,” said Wang Wen, a pro-establishment scholar from a thinktank linked to Renmin University. Wang argued that Xi would enter his second term with “much more authority” and a greater ability to implement his blueprint for China. Such optimism was echoed in China’s party-run media on Wednesday as cadres lined up to heap praise on their all-powerful leader. “We firmly believe that if people all over the country roll up their sleeves under the guidance of Xi’s Thought … we will move steadily into the future with the irresistible force of a high-speed train,” Chen Meifang, a Shanghai railway official, was quoted astelling the Beijing Daily. However, such hopefulness is widely disputed. Blanchette said he expected to see a “super-sized version” of Xi’s first-term policies in his second stint, as China’s leader pursued what he saw as his “program of Chinese greatness”. That would mean accelerating efforts to build a modern, battle-ready military that could begin to push the United States further and further out of what China saw as its Pacific backyard; an increasingly assertive foreign policy in regions such as the South and East China seas; and continued efforts to promote a hi-tech economic revolution by championing huge companies that were either controlled or heavily aligned with the state. It would also mean that the Communist party – and the Communist party only – would continue to lay down the law, in all aspects of Chinese society. In an editorial celebrating the start of Xi’s “new era” on Wednesday, the People’s Daily, the party’s mouthpiece, argued: “History has shown and will continue to show that without the leadership of the Chinese Communist party, the idea of national rejuvenation is a fantasy.” “We should hunker in for a long winter of tight political control,” Blanchette predicted. We should hunker in for a long winter of tight political control Jude Blanchette Elizabeth Economy, the director for Asia studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, said she saw this week’s congress “as affirmation of the direction in which Xi has already been moving the party as opposed to a point at which now we are going to see the real Xi Jinping and his real reforms emerge”. She added: “I think what we are going to see is an intensification along the same lines.” Economy balked at the suggestion that Xi – whose first term has witnessed an unusually fierce crackdown on party opponents and human rights – might suddenly emerge as a political reformer. “I don’t think a crypto-liberal would do what he has been doing over the past five years. I don’t think a crypto-liberal lets Liu Xiaobo die in jail, and the arrests and the intensification of the attacks on the [human rights] lawyers. That is not a crypto-liberal,” she said. Blanchette said Xi had shown a remarkable “mastery of the political system” in China during his first term in power: “The second question though is does that mean he has an omniscience or an omnipotence to deal with all the significant challenges that China is facing? “There is a huge list of challenges that Xi Jinping has to deal with,” he added, pointing to a gradually slowing economy, a looming debt crisis and the possibility of a nuclear conflagration on its doorstep. “He now has the power to do it. But how he deals with these challenges will be one of the most important indicators of whether or not he is able to stay on for the term that he feels he deserves.” Additional reporting by Wang Zhen. What 'Xi Jinping Thought' Stands For https://www.forbes.com/sites/salvatorebabones/2017/10/22/what-does-xi-jinping-thought-mean-and-how-does-it-compare-to-america-first/#2bfee5ab3262 Xi Jinping is universally regarded as China's most powerful leader since Deng Xiaoping, and perhaps since Mao Zedong. Both Deng and Mao left their marks in the charter of the Communist Party of China, and the rumor is that Xi will be their first successor to do the same. Mao's "mass line" and Deng's "seeking truth from facts" have become official tenets of Communist Party dogma. Xi's "socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era" may soon join these august concepts as official truth. But just what does "Xi Jinping Thought" really consist of? To answer that question, it helps to compare Xi's governing principles to those of the four preceding "paramount leaders" of China's Communist Party. Xi versus Mao Xi Jinping is most often compared to Mao Zedong, China's revolutionary leader, red emperor and communist theologian. Mao's political maxims were collected in the Little Red Book once read by leftist college students and Latin American guerillas. Mao Zedong thought is not all that bad, if you happen to be planning a people's revolution to overthrow your government. Unlike Lenin and most European Marxists, Mao taught that revolutions had to come from below. And unlike most revolutionaries, he still fought to overthrow the government even when he was the government. The infamous Cultural Revolution that rocked Chinese society from 1966-1976 was the result. Xi is no revolutionary, and he is certainly no Mao. Xi'sChinese Dream is a "moderately prosperous society," not a communist utopia. Xi does talk a lot about "national rejuvenation," but that's really just a way to avoid using the Western word for what he really means: renaissance. Xi's Chinese renaissance is all about China's space program, high speed rail network and high technology parks. But a real Chinese renaissance requires the reversal of China's long-term brain drain to the United States and other English-speaking countries. The problem? Most Chinese scientists are unwilling to give up their tenured positions overseas to take a chance on a permanent return to China. Barring a reversal of epic proportions, in 2021 Xi will preside over the centenary of the Chinese Communist Party. That will be as good a time as any to finally lay Mao Zedong Thought to rest for good. If Xi has his way, they may just take the opportunity to bury Mao along with it. He's been waiting long enough. Xi versus Deng Soon after the death of Mao, his long-time frenemy Deng Xiaoping put paid to the Cultural Revolution and started China on the path to opening and reform that it has followed for the last 40 years. Famous for saying that it was OK for some people to get rich before others, Deng was repeatedly condemned by Mao as a "capitalist roader" -- which, as soon as Mao died, is exactly what he turned out to be. To facilitate his economic reform agenda, Deng urged that China should "keep a low profile" in international affairs, biding its time while building its strength. Xi'sstrive for achievement strategy couldn't be more different. In his landmark Communist Party Congress speech, Xi pledged that China would have a "world class" military by 2050, in line with his policy of relentless maritime expansion in the South China Sea. Xi has departed radically from Deng's advice on foreign policy, but what Xi shares with Deng is a staunchly conservative preference for order over chaos. Deng ruthlessly suppressed the Tiananmen Square democracy movement in order to preserve the rule of the Communist Party. Xi has much more subtly turned the screws on political dissent using the more discriminating but perhaps more effective tools of online surveillanceand selective imprisonment. As the ever-quotable Deng said himself, "it doesn't matter whether the cat is black or white, as long as it catches mice." Xi versus Jiang Deng Xiaoing's successor Jiang Zemin is perhaps best remembered for the fact that everything done under his leadership was done "with Chinese characteristics." Deng may have coined the phrase "socialism with Chinese characteristics" to justify his introduction of the market into China's planned economy, but under Jiangthe phrase became a standing joke. Jiang Zemin codified these Chinese characteristics into the "Three Represents": the idea that in addition to the poor, the Communist Party of China would also represent China's business and cultural elites. Under Xi, this has evolved into the Two Represents, and if China's new rich get their way it may soon degenerate back into a novel kind of One Represent. Xi versus Hu Hu Jintao's major contribution to the intellectual life of the Communist Party was to bring Confucius back into the fold. Long prescribed under Mao as the reactionary idol of the pre-revolutionary patriarchy, today Confucius is back in China, with no small thanks to Hu, who rehabilitated Confucian thought, reopened Confucian temples, and chartered the Confucius Institutes to become China's cultural ambassadors to the world. Hu's trademark slogan was the "harmonious society" -- i.e., trust the government and don't complain and everyone can live in harmony. No word on what thenotoriously cranky sage, who got himself successively kicked out of ten different countries for criticizing their poor leadership, might have thought of this. Hu later extended the harmonious society to the harmonious world (i.e., trust China and don't complain and the world can live in harmony). With his One Belt, One Road expansionism and South China Sea island building, Xi seems keen to continue Hu's expansive foreign policy program, only with even less emphasis on the "harmonious" part of the equation. "Party First" Xi Jinping Thought, in a nutshell, seems to boil down to something resembling "America First, with Chinese Characteristics." By all accounts, Xi and U.S. President Donald Trump got along surprisingly well at their first meeting in April, perhaps because at a level deeper than mere speech they spoke the same language. If Xi's political philosophy isn't exactly China First, it is something close to it but at the same time distinctively Chinese: something like "Party First." And putting the interests of the Communist Party first is one thing he shares with all of his predecessors. Like Deng, Xi is a pragmatist who will stay on the capitalist road so long as it leads to much greater wealth than any other. Like Jiang, he is very happy to lead a ruling party dominated by his country's business elite. Like his immediate predecessor Hu, he is crafty enough to use patriotism and ethnic pride as tools to keep ordinary Chinese (if not necessarily China's minority groups) on his side. And like Mao, Xi seems to be ruthless enough to succeed in making his own Chinese Dream a reality. As long as he continues to put the Party first, Xi is likely to maintain his grip on power -- and the Party's loyalty. And as long as the Party puts Xi first, he is likely to have no cause to complain. Xi Jinping Thought may not sell as many books as Mao's did, but come 2021 it will be Xi who sets the course for the next 100 years of the Communist Party of China.

The EV6 marketing is indeed funny.... But for the mercedes c-class it does looks very appealing as it cheaper than the 3 series..... but the expo list lrice is 250,888 not sure if theres anymore discount or overtrade. Anyone enquired and willing to share pls?

Lol....AMDK pay economy expect biz? https://www.airlineratings.com/featured/oh-for-some-economy-class-consideration/

Despite the disappointing nature of the defeat and performance, the Liverpool fans displayed their class by reportedly applauding the Atalanta players on the pitch. “Atalanta players being applauded off by the home fans,” Pearce reports. A nice touch on a quite dreadful evening.

Station manager got sabo-ed by his local thai staff, or really did not stay on top of the situation and did not realize what his staff were doing until it was too late. A cancelled flight is a major event; I wonder why such an obvious thing like moving the priority-class passengers first was not done. BKK is a busy station with many daily SIA flights, maybe it just went under the radar amid the busyness. Do station manager job in maldives or other laid-back destinations with only a few flights per week is best

This beau is a classic! any one remember this car? http://www.mercnews.net/2012/02/mercedes-c...87-to-1996.html

Hi all, some of you might know that i used to drive a Lexus Gs450h , bought 2nd hand 7yrs old with 117K km. Although i did choose lexus for reliability , it gave me 2 big big issues one being the hybrid battery and another being the engine blew up, hence have decided to scrap the car. with the lexus , i have learnt a few things : - 3.5 road tax can die - horsepower not worth in SG, although car is silky smooth - dont buy a old hybrid car hence, I've been looking around for the next car that will not give me so much problems ( at least not so expensive ones) and have come across a friend that drives a W204 facelift model. so far since day 1 of owning the car, the car had no major problems other than a few cheap wear and tears that were very minor. anyone can share any opinion regarding the reliability of the w204 model, buying 2nd hand , and also, after the expiry of COE, will it be worthwhile to renew COE on this model? i have yet to test drive the car, but overall looks and interior quality are pretty nice IMO any opinions regarding is appreciated, or even other car suggestions are welcome too. looking at c180 or c200 model

I think it’s a narrative manipulated. some of us are born losers. Some of us fear a result such. what to do? the system sells the opportunity to wear snowflakes at least but some of us are ill equipped or damaged that we cannot achieve. (By our environment, not all of us have mothers skilled in climbing). one hdb neighbor is gcb class now. His mom run road with him because his dad is bona fide bad choices person. He loves his mom fiercely and he is an intense person, even as kids. we should celebrate the rarity of such sights and the knowledge that systems exists to help these people. And people like my friend can climb to gcb. time moves faster in sgp.

Hi all, previously I had mentioned in another post about I wished to take up a Class 5 driving course. Here I am creating another post, mentioning about Class 5 driving course. In Jan 2022, I registered myself for Class 4 driving course and managed to pass on the 2nd try in Mar 2022. So this time round, I decided to register for Class 5 driving course on 30 Dec 2022 to avoid the 8% GST. There is a $10+ differences between 7% GST and 8% GST. Actually, there are not much differences between Class 4 and Class 5, in terms of registrations, procedures, theory lessons etc. As usual, I tried to searched online pertaining to Class 5 driving course without much information. When I went down to SSDC for registration on 30 Dec 2022, the crowd on that day was very heavy. Literally have to wait for 2 hours before my turn to register. Before my turn, I already set my mind to register under SSDC (refer to the attached how the booklet looks like), as previously I registered in 2022 under PCDC for my Class 4 but was not really happy with their teaching style and their instructors. There will be 5 practical lessons, 1 theory lesson, 1 Traffic Police (TP) practical test for Class 5 driving course. So luckily for me, there is still available slot for Class 5 under SSDC. Same as Class 4, you have to pay the entire lump sum of the course fee for Class 5 course. The total course fee for Class 5 was SGD 1,169.02. Unfortunately, the TP timing I only left with 4:30pm. There are not much choices during the registration. 4:30pm is not my ideal timing for TP due to bus lane hours in 30 minstime. But the lady behind the counter mentioned that there are not much options for Feb 2023 and Mar 2023 also not available for learner to opt. Hence, no choice but have to take up 4:30pm. One good thing is that the dates for my practical lessons I choose back to back and the very next day is the TP. The dates for my lessons are 06, 07, 08 Feb 2023. 09 Feb is my TP date. One bad thing is that all my 5 practical lessons are all evening and night timings. There are no available slots for daytime at all. The followings are my time table for the Class 5 lessons: 1 theory lesson for 19 Jan 2023 (100 mins, usually ends around 1 hour) 2 lessons for 06 Feb 2023 (6:20pm to 9:50pm) 2 lessons for 07 Feb 2023 (6:20pm to 9:50pm) 1 lesson for 08 Feb 2023 (8:10pm) TP test on 09 Feb 2023 (4:30pm) All these lessons are back to back, with 10 mins break in between, except for the 08 Feb 2023 with only 1 lesson. For theory lesson, it is the same as Class 4 which I attended last year. You will be provided a list of highway code with all the mandatory and warning road signs. After the TP test ends, the TP tester will test you on the road signs and you need to explain to them what are the road signs means. This is part of the requirement for Class 4/5. When I went to theory lesson on 19 Jan 2023, the instructor told me if I can still remember the highway verbal codes, I can no need to attend the theory lesson. But I told him since I am here already, I might as well listen to the theory lesson as I need to understand the height limit of the Class 5 vehicle, the do’s and the don’t’s etc. The test components for Class 5 are Vertical Parking, Slope, Directional Change, V-course, S-course, Crank Course, Height estimation of the vehicle, driving outside road for U-turns, Right turns etc and Verbal Highway codes. Good things about Class 5 TP test are: Candidates no need to perform Parallel Parking and no need to test on the rope tying techniques. For Class 4, rope tying and height estimation will be tested during TP. For Class 5 SSDC vehicle, the standard height from the top of the boom to the ground road is 3.6 metres. Height estimation for Class 4/5 is very simple. TP tester will use a pole, with marking on the pole itself and bring up to the top of the vehicle and ask you to estimate the height of the vehicle + length of the pole where the marking ends. In theory, it is difficult to understand (refer to the attached). As you can see the thin yellow line, the height for this Class 5 vehicle is 3.6 metres, measuring from top of the boom to the ground. Have to remember by heart because PCDC Class 5 vehicle is different height. The pole will have markings. Imagine the yellow and black markings is the pole. One marking to the other marking is 0.5 metres. As you can see in the picture, the pole is place in such position that from the tip of the pole till the marking on the pole with the top of the boom is 1.5 metres. So you need to add up the 2 values (3.6 + 1.5 = 5.1 metres, blue thin arrow). Sorry my drawings isn’t that good but hope you can understand the concept behind. TP testers will randomly place the pole in any height they want and expect the answer. It is alright if you need to use calculator or write down the figures to calculate. Please don’t panick and say the wrong values because the demerit points varies between 2 to 8 points (refer to the attached). I will update more stories thereafter when I starts my lesson on the 06 Feb 2023. Meanwhile, stay safe and healthy.

DIY holiday to China recently, with the family. Broadly, this was what we did: Day 0 - Depart Singapore to Hangzhou (Scoot Airlines), Arr. Hangzhou 2135hrs Day 1 - Hangzhou, got a driver, tour the city, including West Lake and Ling Yin Temple Day 2 - Depart from Hangzhou to Wu Zhen (water town), and then transfer to Shanghai Courtyard Marriot near Disneyland Day 3 - Shanghai Disneyland! (One full day) Day 4 - Transfer to Shanghai Marriott City Center, Walk to the Bund Day 5 - Private day tour to SuZhou Day 6 - Shanghai Free & Easy Day 7 - Home sweet Home - Shanghai to Singapore on Singapore Airlines Allow me to share in this thread my holiday. We would fly from Singapore to Hangzhou, and we were trying out ScootBiz in Scoot Airlines for the first time. Scoot is a wholly own subsidiary of Singapore Airlines, and it is their low-cost arm. When Scoot was first launched, we flew with them to Sydney! That was way back in 2012. Since then, we have flown on Scoot a few times (including Hong Kong), but this is our first time in ScootBiz. ScootBiz is Scoot Business Class? What is ScootBiz? Well, it is NOT the typical Business Class of a full service airline. It is more akin to Premium Economy. What attracted us were the seats - full learther with at least 38" of legroom, 22" of width and 6" of recline, with adjustable headrests and legrests. You also get complimentary meal and drink, but that was less important. Scoot flies from Terminal 2. Check-Lines moved quickly. You had to do self-service check in first, before dropping off your bags. That's the new trend, self-service. I didn't see any special check-in line for ScootBiz passengers, so we joined the same queue. SATS Premier Lounge Terminal 2 After clearing immigration, we headed to the SATS Premier Lounge to chill out for a while and get some food. Note that ScootBiz does not provide lounge access with the normal ticket. We used our Priority Pass cards to gain entry. Here is the entrance of the SATS Premier Lounge, which was opposite the SilverKris lounge at T2. Video of Lounge Experience A video of our lounge experience. This lounge was voted Asia-Pac lounge of the year, for Priority Pass. For a Priority Pass lounge, it is decent. In fact, a good number of airlines use this contract lounge for their Business Class passengers too. Here are YouTube video links so lounge reviews of SATS Premier Lounge in Terminal 1and SATS Premier Lounge in Terminal 3. Below is the video of SATS Premier Terminal 2. The Lounge in Terminal 2 won the Asia Pacific Lounge of the Year Awards 2017 for Priority Pass. Our credit cards provided us with Priority Pass access to Lounges, which is very nice. We could bring the entire family in, using my card and my wife's card. FLIGHT EXPERIENCE SCOOTBIZ - FlyScoot Singapore to Hangzhou Flight Number TR 188 Dep: 1635hrs, Arr: 21:35 Hangzhou Xiaoshan Airport No time zone changes We had wanted to visit Hangzhou and Shanghai. So it was great that Scoot has a direct flight. Scoot currently operates the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft. This was our plane at the gate, its nickname was 'Bo Jio'. The 7:30 minute video below details our experience on board ScootBiz, showing you the seats and the meals. Enjoy! Food wise, ScootBiz ticket comes with food and drink. For the food package, you have to order in advance (online, when you book). I didn't realise that there were different types of meals. The most 'value-for-money' would be the Premium Meal selection, sample below. This meal comes with 2 deluxe sides and a drink. But there was no Nasi Lemak here. I selected Nasi Lemak and that was packaged with a lower value meal (no ice-cream). So, hot tip, if you want a full meal with Ice-Cream, pick from the Premium Selections! Waiting for Luggage - Scoot Crew luggage came out first Landing into Hangzhou was smooth and we got to the gates quickly. The immigration clearance was fast. What took some time was the baggage. See the video below, for pretty much the entire aircraft passengers waiting at the luggage carousel. Funny thing - the cabin crew luggage came out first! After we collected our bags, the Customs officials made all passengers put every bag through an X-ray machine, i.e. 100% check. That caused a line to form, but the overall process was orderly and didn't take too long. The video also shows snippets of the taxi ride, and the room service we had. We stayed at the Holiday Inn Hangzhou City Center, and we ordered room service for supper, as we were tired and hungry. Room Service - All the Food in the Photo for 177RMB plus 3 drinks (including beer) That concludes Day 0 - flight to Hangzhou. Day 1 - Hangzhou Today, we would hire a driver to bring us around to see the sights of Hangzhou. But before that, let me show you the narrow beds in our hotel room. Our room came with two twin beds, but when we booked on the Holiday Inn IHG website, it room clearly stated two double beds. Oh well. For the fun of it, I got two "models" to show you the breadth of the twin bed, for laughs! Breakfast The day started with a good breakfast at the Holiday Inn Buffet. Our room rate came with breakfast for two adults. The buffet supervisor allowed my two kids to eat for free. Video below shows the good food we had. Breakfast area wasn't too crowded, which was nice. Journey to West Lake (Xi Hu) Our driver picked us up from the lobby, as per the arranged time. Our ride was in a very comfortable MPV. There were many skyscrapers in Hangzhou. It looked to be a developed city. There was construction outside our hotel - driver told us that they were building new metro/underground lines. Driver's 7 Year Old Kid Studies All Day Glad that we could speak some Mandarin, and that allowed us to have interesting conversations with our driver. We did not book a guide, only driver. But as you can see and hear from the video below, our driver was more than happy to tell us about China, and his family and other interesting nuggets of life in China! West Lake, Hangzhou First stop, the famous West Lake 西湖! West Lake (Chinese: 西湖; pinyin: Xī Hú) is a freshwater lake in Hangzhou, China. There are numerous temples, pagodas, gardens, and artificial islands within the lake. Map of the West Lake in Hangzhou, China Leifeng Pagoda West Lake has influenced poets and painters throughout Chinese history for its natural beauty and historic relics, and it has also been among the most important sources of inspiration for Chinese garden designers. It was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2011, described as having "influenced garden design in the rest of China as well as Japan and Korea over the centuries"and reflecting "an idealized fusion between humans and nature". (Source wiki) Below is the video of our very calm boat ride. Again, glad that we could understand some Mandarin. The boatman was most enthusiastic in telling us about Chinese culture and history. Made for some good story-telling. The scenic boat (or human powered sampan) ride took 40 minutes and cost 150 RMB. The boat can take a max of 6 pax, but I think 4 is ideal. Any more may be a bit of a squeeze. A picture of another boat going past. See that the boat is very low and we are very close to the water. You could play with the water, if you wished. Don't fall in! (Not sure if there were life jackets, maybe under the seat). After an calming boat ride, we took a walk around the waterfront. Even though we only paid for a driver, his service was excellent. He took pains to bring us around the waterfront. He brought us to see some squirrels, and then a slow walk back to the vehicle. I noticed all the electric buses and carts. Saving the environment! Even the Police Car was an electric one. Looks like the Chinese authorities were very serious in ensuring clean and fresh air around their famous Lake. Next stop was Ling Yin temple. Will continue in the next post.

Similarity in looks right? Imo, one of the best looking afv of ww2, almost race car like side profile. Also best weapon of its class type. Jadgpanther. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jagdpanther