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The Complaint: The Reply: The link Other reviews Sienfeld had a Soup Nazi. This one sounds like Tea Nazi

Dear parents, I would be grateful if anyone could give any feed back on this school as I am considering this school for my daughter with T-score 236+2. main consideration it is band 1 school. Any experience with the school?

SINGAPORE - Certificate of Entitlement (COE) premiums surged across the board in yesterday's latest round of bidding, days after the Land Transport Authority (LTA) announced a cut in the vehicle population growth rate. COE for cars above 1,600cc chalked up the biggest rise, as it went up 19.3 per cent to end at S$75,889. COEs for smaller cars up to 1,600cc and taxis surged by 11.6 per cent to end at S$56,112. Both premiums are now at their highest in 14 years. Open category COEs, which can be used for any vehicles but are mainly used for cars, closed at S$73,600 - an increase of 13.1 per cent. Motor traders were not surprised by yesterday's results and cited last week's announcement, which drove panic buying among potential car owners. The LTA said last Friday that Singapore's annual vehicle population growth rate would be slashed to 0.5 per cent from the current 1.5 per cent by August next year. Mr Chin Kee Min, senior manager of distributor Kia Motors, spoke of a doubling in weekend car sales following last Friday's announcement. "A lot of people thought that there would be an increase in prices in the short term, so a lot of people rushed in to buy," he said. "A lot of the distributors also rushed to secure the COEs and, therefore, being a demand and supply game, you drive up the prices." Motor traders also appeared more aggressive in yesterday's latest round of bidding. For example, there were 873 bids received in the small cars category, which was a 10-per-cent rise compared to the previous bidding exercise two weeks earlier. COEs for goods vehicles and buses increased by 12.8 per cent to S$37,011, while motorcycle COEs inched up by 0.63 per cent to S$2,091. http://www.todayonline.com/Singapore/EDC11...it-14-year-high

My van is about 200K mileage and is a diesel engine? My workshop advise me to use mineral oil 20W-50 and should change oil every 5K Is it true what he say? Can I use Fully syn oil 5W-40?

Got tailgate and high beam early in the morning at MCP for travelling at 20kph with 3 more ramps to go, what is the rush when I will still meet you at the exit of the MCP or alley, so many cars are exiting at the same time... IRRC, MCP have a speed limit of 15kph and there are alot of ppl walking towards their car.

I think someone have posted this video and singer before in this forum. (Thats how I knew about this singer 1-2 years ago) I think it would be nice to share it with the others that don't know of this amazing singer. Now comes the billion dollar question. What ways are there are to achieve such a high pitch? For me, maybe it would be a Ferrari travelling at 200 mph then it rammed my balls, maybe only then I would be able to produce such a high pitch.

Ex-principal accused of misappropriating nearly S$150,000 SINGAPORE: A former principal of Maris Stella High School has been charged with misappropriating S$148,539.85 between May 2004 and September 2009. 64-year-old Anthony Tan Kim Hock, who retired in 2009, allegedly committed the offence in the school on 21 separate occasions. 13 of the charges involve a man known as Peter Lim, believed to be a relative and is said to be in his 30s. Tan allegedly used S$44,860.80 from the school management committee as well as the Director-General of education school fund accounts to pay for items such as seven of Mr Lim's overseas school trips and an open water diving course in Pulau Tioman. Tan is also accused of misappropriating another S$34,000 which was donated to the school. Another charge involved him allegedly misappropriating S$2,000 which was donated to three retired Marist brothers. Besides these, Tan is believed to have done the same with S$67,679.05 from the school's chapel building fund account. Tan is out on a bail of S$40,000 and is represented by lawyer, Dr Koh Hai Keong. The case will be mentioned again on June 16. - CNA/cc Yeah, so much for maintaining the reputation.... So where is the swimming pool?

I am curious what is the education level of MCFs here since I noticed many of us are affected by TT's policy over giving more admission at NUS/NTU to foreign student and awarding them with free scholarships while many of us locals are burden with education loans or denied admission due to highly competitive entry standards.

SINGAPORE: Forget designer shoes and handbags. More affluent women in the Asia Pacific region are splurging instead on high-end performance cars. The world of hot wheels is no longer just for the men. Meet business consultant Nguyen Tuyet, who drives a Porsche 911-GT3, a street legal race car. She has even beaten men with her super fast timings on the Formula One Spa Track in Belgium. Nguyen said: "I was always interested in driving fast. I would prefer to go for a driver training or go for a tracking in Europe than buy a handbag." She also disclosed how fast a motorist can easily chalks up. Nguyen said: "On a straight (road), you can reach 300. That's the thing about women. We don't check the absolute speed. We drive and we just want it to be smooth." Rich women buying luxury fast cars is the latest trend throughout the Asia Pacific, especially China, where women make up one-third of Maserati sales. And two in 10 Ferrari buyers are female. In Singapore, women bought nearly 30 percent of the 300 Porsches sold in the first half of 2011. Christer Ekberg, Managing Director of Porsche Asia Pacific, said: "Female drivers appreciate different things. We do a lot of collaborations and joint venture activities with other companies that cater to female customers. "We even have customers who want their car, the interior leather of the car, in the same colour as their favourite lipstick or their favourite handbag." Porsche expects the female market share to grow to 40 percent in the next 10 years. - CNA/de http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/sin...1149586/1/.html

KNN I am wondering which ministry is responsible in reviewing the up and up sky high motor insurance. Nah Bei, I accident free for the past donkey years also have to suffer paying more premiums nowadays. This is a sore point which perhaps our opposition can used to voice out for us!

Khaw: Overall COV irrelevant http://www.asiaone.com/print/News/AsiaOne%...725-290777.html COV figure for resale flats is "misleading" and "quite irrelevant", said National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan. -myp David Lim Mon, Jul 25, 2011 my paper THE overall median cash-over-valuation (COV) figure for resale flats is "misleading" and "quite irrelevant" because data on the type of flats transacted and their location changes from month to month, said National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan yesterday. That is why the Housing Board has stopped its usual practice of disclosing the figure across all housing estates in its quarterly releases, which it started doing in the second quarter of 2007. COV is the cash premium paid by an HDB resale-flat buyer on top of the flat's valuation. Mr Khaw's comments yesterday came two days after HDB released fresh figures showing that resale-flat prices rose 3.1 per cent to hit a new record in the second quarter. The rate of increase was 1.6 per cent in the first quarter. That same day, HDB also said it will no longer disclose in its quarterly releases the overall median COV figure nationwide. Yesterday, he explained that using the nationwide overall median COV figure for broad comparisons across the country would be like comparing apples to oranges. For example, one cannot compare the COV of resale flats in Ang Mo Kio, where prices tend to be higher, to that of resale flats in Woodlands, which tend to be lower, said Mr Khaw. Such data "serves some purpose but I think it can be misleading; that's why I don't think we should reflect the data", the minister said, adding that "much more sophisticated computation" is needed to make a meaningful comparison. He said that, when it comes to buying a flat, the key point for consumers is the purchase price, which is "fully disclosed" on the HDB website. There, home buyers can also find COV information for flat types in different towns. Mr Khaw, who is an MP for Sembawang GRC, was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of his visit to two blocks of flats in Wellington Circle. He was there to give out new rice cookers - sponsored by Akira - as well as staples such as rice and canned food to needy residents living in 286 one- and two-room rental flats. When asked about the spike in resale-flat prices, he said that, while the Government is concerned, "the problems cannot be solved overnight". Mr Khaw said it would take three to five years "to substantively solve the problem". Meanwhile, he is "quite confident" that the situation will improve as a result of the two build-to-order (BTO) launches and surplus flats that will be on offer by the end of this year. Slated for next month and September, the two BTO projects could contribute more than 6,500 units in areas such as Ang Mo Kio, Jurong East, Punggol and Bedok, according to HDB's website. With 15,500 BTO flats offered so far this year, HDB is on track to reach its goal of delivering 25,000 flats by year's end. Mr Khaw's top priority now is to help those who want to get married or want to start a family. To do this, he plans to continue releasing BTO flats to help them feel more assured about their chances of getting a unit. As for those who currently own a flat and want to upgrade, his advice is to hold on for now. He said: "Why come in now when prices are so high? You will regret it. What happens if there's a price correction?"

Thinking of celebrating my mum's birthday next week but has no idea where to go to. I would prefer to hv buffet lunch or either high tea restaurant. Where are the nice places to go to? Pls HELP!!! Thks.

Certificate of entitlement (COE) premiums for small cars (1,600cc and below, and taxis) have hit a 10-year high at the end of July's second open bidding exercise, 4pm today. The premiums increased by 0.02 per cent, compared to July's first bidding, to end at $56,002. Back in November 2008, a small car COE was going for as little as $2. COEs for big-engined cars (above 1,600cc) increased by 5.8 per cent from July's first bidding to end at $72,501. Click here to find out more! Those of the open category took a bigger hike. It rose by 8.3 per cent to end at $74,490. COEs under the open category can be used for any vehicle type but usually ended up being used for cars. Commercial vehicle premiums also ended higher at $34,502. Motorcycle premiums was the only category to see a relief in prices. A certificate now costs $2,012, down from $2,360. High COE prices have sent Japanese makes struggling, as sellers of cheaper cars with smaller profit margins are often outbid by those with larger profit margins, an ST report said. Recent data from the Land Transport Authority revealed that German marques have remained in the top 10 bestsellers list for the first half of the year, with BMW claiming the top spot. In the first six months, 2,479 new BMWs were registered, followed by Toyota's 1,986 cars. In third place was Mercedes-Benz with 1,943 cars. Volvo managed to overtake Porsche to clinch the 10th place by June. DEMAND FOR OFF-PEAK CARS DROP July 2nd bidding Category COE price Cars (1600CC & below) & taxis $56,002 Cars (above 1,600CC) $72,501 Commercial vehicles $34,502 Motorcycles $2,012 Open category $74,490 Off-peak cars are the biggest victims of the soaring COE prices so far, registering only 426 units in the first half. This marks an 80 per cent decrease from the same time last year. On the other hand, the shrinking COE supply has favoured used car dealers. 34,620 used cars were transacted, as compared to 9,070 in the same period last year. Mr David Ting, deputy editor of SPH Magazines' automotive monthly Torque, likened Singapore's automotive market to that of Hong Kong in an earlier interview. Hong Kong's roads are dominated by premium makes. Mr Ting noted that many premium car makes are competing in the small car segment now, traditionally a category for bread-and-butter makes. Volvo dealer Wearnes Automotive recently introduced three 1.6-litre cars into the segment. He said: "For better or for worse, we may be heading towards a premium car market." source http://motoring.asiaone.com/Motoring/News/...720-290117.html

Wif so many dead bodies found lately, RadX muz be in the 42% growth segment. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SINGAPORE: Latest figures from Credit Bureau Singapore (CBS) reveal that the high-end credit card segment has weathered economic downturn to expand by a third in the last two years. It's one of the fastest growing segments in the Singapore credit card market today. CBS figures show that the number of affluent cardholders in Singapore has expanded by 30 per cent from 2008 to 2010, and by 27 per cent from 2009 to 2010. In 2010, there were more than 23,000 affluent cardholders compared to just some 18,000 in 2009. These elite cardholders make up about 2 per cent of the credit card population. CBS used two criteria to define affluent cardholders: a total monthly credit card balance of S$10,000 or more, at least three times in the year; and full settlement of the balance immediately or by the next payment due date. CBS statistics also show that the wealthier the cardholder, the more rapid the growth of that cardholder segment. For instance, the big spenders with an average monthly card spend of more than S$40,000 grew by 44 per cent in 2010. Within the group with an average monthly balance of more than S$40,000, the super-affluent pie - cardholders who spent more than S$50,000 - shot up by 42 per cent, while the high spenders with a balance of S$44,000-50,000 grew by 48 per cent. CBS' study also threw light on the profile of these affluent cardholders: They are predominantly male, with females making up only 20 per cent of the elite group. The average age of an affluent cardholder is 46 years old. At 3.1, the affluent cardholder has a higher number of average banking relationships than the general population, which has 2.8 average credit card banking relationships. Mirroring the trend for mass market credit cardholders, affluent female cardholders are also less loyal than their male counterparts. They hold 3.7 banking relationships compared to the latter's 3. Responding to the findings, The credit bureau's executive director, William Lim, said the rise of the affluent cardholder segment is a result of the rapid growth of wealthy individuals in Singapore and the region in the last two years. It can also be attributed to banks pulling out all stops to court and serve this elite group with more creative credit card programmes and personalised services. The affluent and emerging affluent group thus represents strong growth potential for card issuers. - CNA/cc

HDBs are for staying not for making money out of it. The fact that HDBs prices are so high is cause by the Cash Over Valuation(COV). So if the owner ask for $50k COV, the next flat he/she buys, must pay out the COV taken. If the COV for the next flat is $5k, the balance $45k must pay vomit out, either to some charity foundation or contribute to nation building. Cannot say just scrap the COV, if so how to decide so to sell, of course will sell to the highest buyer. So an elderly couple, can get some $$$ after selling their HDB and pocket some COV for their retirement. But for those intending to get another HDB, they won't dare to ask for too much. For those intending to leave Singapore, even they ask for very high COV, let them lor, considering they are the minority, if too much, people also won't buy from them. So any comments?

I think I can safely say that we have come to the end of high power and high revving NA engines. They are being replaced by FI........... The days of K20A, 3SGE, 4G92, 4AGE etc........ are all but gone liao..... Even the days of high power small CC Turbo engines is coming to an end. Mit says no more Evo and no idea if Subaru will continue to come out with their WRX STI as well. Now, they are all replaced by highly efficient small CC turbo engines. NA still around of course but the focus is no longer on power and RPM but efficiency. How times have changed.....

just now i took a citycab sonata taxi home the taxi driver is damn pro sia!! his cab is equipped with chargers for Nokia, Samsung, HTC mobile phones. got free laptop and wifi to use also. he also has a hot water flask, coffee, milo and tea in his cab. he even installed a electronic scrolling sign displaying "Welcome to internet taxi" beside the rear view mirror! very good service! wonder if anyone of u here has taken this taxi or not.... the driver is a malay btw

Before u say anything, this isn't me. It's a cousin of mine who asked me the same qns (he got a few offers) and is considering one. The pay he's offered is: $3900 My cousin's bkgrd: - Good AU Bachelors and Masters in Marketing and Economics, respectively. Not distance learning. - Pretty good results: Average 3.5/4 GPA, but no honors cos AU deg no straight to honors. - Less than 1 year working experience - Age: 30 Job is in public sector. One grade above entry level. But I can't rem wat grade exactly he told me. I can ask him again if it's impt for u to make judgement. Is this considered a good or bad offer judging from what he has to offer the org? I told him it shld be avg, but am unsure cos I'm doing business hence not familiar with wage expectations. So told him I'm not 100% certain. What do u guys think?

I DIY a ram air intake by remove my fog lamp and place an air duct there. Then build a box to house and open pod filter and and channel the air to the throttle body using a flexible 3" tube. It does help in improving my top speed by around 7KM/H (not bad if you consider my car is just 1.6L and just 110HP). Its not a big difference but its still noticeable and my throttle response has also improve. I guess the stock intake (despite have a K&N filter) is still too restrictive and too many bends which affects air flow speed. I don't know if the FC will change but I will monitor it.

2:10mins - 2:45mins " In the mid 1970s, a deal was struck, between the world producing in the world nation and the opec and the US and than later with other nations. Now according to this agreement, every barrel of oil purchase in the grobal marketplace by anyone must be purchase by USD. So according to this new oil deal, any country around the world that desire to purchase the barrel of oil, and the 1st exchange that national currency for USD. This new oil deal became know as the petrodollar system" 6:26mins - 7:21mins "When (not if ) the petrodollar begins to cramble, the dollar will begin it's death spiral. Like now the americian has it's permission to all the dollar that it wants to to print. Why? Because the world needs USD to buy oil. It's that simple. So fed just prints away knowing that the global demand for USD and for US debts should remain strong enough to prevent hyper inflation. However, when opec and the other major global oil players decide to pull the plug and finally demonate their oil sales in other currency over USD. The artificial demand for USD will decrease. The US will be stuck holding alot of worthless paper $ that no one needs anymore, which automatically will messive inflationary pressures on the US economy" So what it actually means is when there is too much US currency floating around the world and demand is not there, there would be more USD for each market share in the world. So what will happen when there is more US currency market share in the world? There would be more USD to buy oil when demand is the same. When more US currency floating around, the bids will be higher as the market share can now bid higher to buy oil than ever before. So that's one of the reason why oil prices keep rising as the bids goes higher and higher due to market share has more US currency to buy oil.

I guess it only makes sense

I am just wondering why premium cars like BMW/Merc etc have such high maintenance cost compared to mainstream brands. Then more exotic ones like Audi S5 or Porsche etc even higher. I am just thinking if these cars are built to be durable and reliable, why is the maintenance so expensive? Even premium engine oils don't cost that much and you don't change oil even 2-3K for such cars right? Of course, one reason is due to premium charges. Eg. agents like PML may charge you $600 or more for a new batt for your BMW but if you know where to get the batt, even a Varta Silver Dynamic batt cost much less than that. Another reason is that such cars may not be actually that reliable...... I have my experience with old BMW e36 and e39 cars. I feel they are not exactly durable compared to Jap cars (of that time). Many parts like radiator, water pump, bushings etc do not have long lifetime. After a certain mileage must change already. I also read that the old Porsche 944 is not exactly reliable and has very high maintenance cost, causing many people to give up their 944s after sometime. thus, if these cars cost alot more than mainstream cars, shouldn't they be more reliable and durable and hence cost less to maintain in the long run?

reserves or GIC, Temasek. and we know reserves is forever lock up , cannot use one excpet when somebody's family emember loss big on stocks! and who decide's SLA's land cost??? left pcoket to right pocket and still dare say hdb making loss Mah not giving full picture of costs: Low By Kor Kian Beng WORKERS' Party (WP) chief Low Thia Khiang yesterday accused National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan of not giving Singaporeans the full picture on housing costs. He maintained that his party's proposal to lower new flat prices would have 'minimal impact' on resale prices. The Hougang MP cited two reasons: The number of new HDB flats is relatively small, and they are subject to a minimum occupancy period of five years before they can be sold on the resale market. 'So, how much can the price of a new flat affect the resale market price, and to the extent that he is saying that it is going to be a big impact? I think he is misleading the public,' said Mr Low, speaking to The Straits Times in an interview. The opposition leader was responding to Mr Mah's criticisms of the WP's manifesto unveiled last Saturday. It proposes to lower new HDB flat prices by pegging them to the median incomes of Singaporeans. Now, it is tied to resale market prices, and then discounted. Mr Mah warned the WP's proposal would lower the value of Singapore's one million homes in what he called an 'asset-devaluation policy', as opposed to the People's Action Party's (PAP) asset- enhancement policy. He explained that the housing markets are interlinked, and so a reduction in new HDB flat prices would have an impact on the resale flat market. The government subsidy on new flats, he added, already adds up to $1 billion yearly, as he criticised the WP for being irresponsible for not saying how it plans to pay for cheaper flats. Mr Mah, whose ministry oversees the Housing Board, said the WP should state if it wants a larger subsidy or government spending to be cut in other areas because 'you can't get something for nothing'. Yesterday, Mr Low fired back, saying it is not a subsidy, but a discount based on market prices, which would fluctuate over time. He also responded to Mr Mah's comments that the HDB already operates at a loss, and so lower prices would further reduce its revenue. Mr Low believes land costs make up the bulk of the board's expenses in building flats. And if that is lowered by the Singapore Land Authority, HDB would not have to suffer such a loss, and the savings could be passed on to first-time home buyers. The key is if the Government is prepared to collect less money from land sales. 'It is a question of taking your money from the left pocket and putting in the right pocket. So, let us know what is the land cost,' he pressed. The money from land sales on long lease is not included as part of the budget for current government spending, but goes into the reserves, he added, citing a previous official reply in Parliament. The WP's proposal, he stressed, is driven by its concern that new public housing could become unaffordable for young Singaporeans. Even though some Singaporeans have benefited from their homes rising in value, he wondered about its sustainability. 'Can the Government tell us how much more you can enhance your asset 20 years down the road? There is always a threshold in terms of property, right?' asked Mr Low. 'Perhaps 20 years down the road, maybe HDB flats will cost you more than $1 million.' He also stressed that asset enhancement is largely meaningful and useful for investment, but not for homes that people live in. He said it means little unless homeowners sell their homes, but that could mean trade-offs, such as downgrading to smaller homes. And if the property bubble bursts, they would be left with negative assets, he said. Mr Low asked: 'Can the PAP Government guarantee us that this will never happen down the road? Can they provide the guarantee?'

as above