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  1. Bill gates invented Newater. What puzzle me is that no one comment in the comment box below on singapore newater. Do people around the world know about singapore newater?
  2. Enjoy!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yst9d8KyxSw
  3. Any bros got recommendation on which prepaid data sim card to buy in US for IP5s? Hope to pick one up at the SF Airport. Kum sia.
  4. Iceland got problem. USA printing money. HK controlling property bubbles. But S'pore still showing good signs, e.g. many pple rushing to condo showroom, buying big cars, etc. May be the next financial crisis coming. what you guys think?
  5. http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/baltimore-ravens-cheerleader-molly-shattuck-accused-raping-teen-boy-article-1.2000050 "She allegedly made his acquaintance by borrowing a method from the millenial playbook — she started commenting on photos the teen posted on Instagram,"
  6. In USA, the car loan company is able to disable the car if the car instalment is not paid on time. Coming here soon? I think not likely . . . http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2024625051_carpaymentsxml.html The thermometer showed a 103.5-degree fever, and her 10-year-old’s asthma was flaring up. Mary Bolender, who lives in Las Vegas, needed to get her daughter to an emergency room, but her 2005 Chrysler van would not start. The cause was not a mechanical problem — it was her lender. Bolender was three days behind on her monthly car payment. Her lender, C.A.G. Acceptance of Mesa, Arizona, remotely activated a device in her car’s dashboard that prevented her car from starting. Before she could get back on the road, she had to pay more than $389, money she did not have that morning in March. “I felt absolutely helpless,” said Bolender, a single mother who stopped working to care for her daughter. It was not the only time this happened: Her car was shut down that March, once in April and again in June. This new technology is bringing auto loans — and Wall Street’s version of Big Brother — into the lives of people with credit scores battered by the financial downturn. Auto loans to borrowers considered subprime, those with credit scores at or below 640, have spiked in the last five years. The jump has been driven in large part by the demand among investors for securities backed by the loans, which offer high returns at a time of low interest rates. Roughly 25 percent of all new auto loans made last year were subprime, and the volume of subprime auto loans reached more than $145 billion in the first three months of this year. But before they can drive off the lot, many subprime borrowers like Bolender must have their car outfitted with a so-called starter interrupt device, which allows lenders to remotely disable the ignition. Using the GPS technology on the devices, the lenders can also track the cars’ location and movements. The devices, which have been installed in about 2 million vehicles, are helping feed the subprime boom by enabling more high-risk borrowers to get loans. But there is a big catch. By simply clicking a mouse or tapping a smartphone, lenders retain the ultimate control. Borrowers must stay current with their payments, or lose access to their vehicle. “I have disabled a car while I was shopping at Wal-Mart,” said Lionel M. Vead Jr., the head of collections at First Castle Federal Credit Union in Covington, Louisiana. Roughly 30 percent of customers with an auto loan at the credit union have starter interrupt devices. Now used in about one-quarter of subprime auto loans nationwide, the devices are reshaping the dynamics of auto lending by making timely payments as vital to driving a car as gasoline. Seizing on such technological advances, lenders are reaching deeper and deeper into the ranks of Americans on the financial margins, with interest rates on some of the loans exceeding 29 percent. Concerns raised by regulators and some rating firms about loose lending standards have disturbing echoes of the subprime-mortgage crisis. As the ignition devices proliferate, so have complaints from troubled borrowers, many of whom are finding that credit comes at a steep price to their privacy and, at times, their dignity, according to interviews with state and federal regulators, borrowers and consumer lawyers. Some borrowers say their cars were disabled when they were only a few days behind on their payments, leaving them stranded in dangerous neighborhoods. Others said their cars were shut down while idling at stoplights. Some described how they could not take their children to school or to doctor’s appointments. One woman in Nevada said her car was shut down while she was driving on the freeway. Beyond the ability to disable a vehicle, the devices have tracking capabilities that allow lenders and others to know the movements of borrowers, a major concern for privacy advocates. And the warnings the devices emit — beeps that become more persistent as the due date for the loan payment approaches — are seen by some borrowers as more degrading than helpful. “No middle-class person would ever be hounded for being a day late,” said Robert Swearingen, a lawyer with Legal Services of Eastern Missouri, in St. Louis. “But for poor people, there is a debt collector right there in the car with them.” Lenders and manufacturers of the technology say borrowers consent to having these devices installed in their cars. And without them, they say, millions of Americans might not qualify for a car loan at all. A virtual repo man From his office outside New Orleans, Vead can monitor the movements of about 880 subprime borrowers on a computerized map that shows the location of their cars with a red marker. Vead can spot drivers who have fallen behind on their payments and remotely disable their vehicles on his computer or mobile phone. The devices are reshaping how people like Vead collect on debts. He can quickly locate the collateral without relying on a repo man to hunt down delinquent borrowers. Vead says that first, he tries reaching a delinquent borrower on the phone or in person. Then, only after at least 30 days of missed payments, he typically shuts down cars when they are parked at the borrower’s house or workplace. If there is an emergency, he says, he will turn a car back on. None of the borrowers or consumer lawyers interviewed by The New York Times raised concerns about the way Vead’s credit union uses the devices. But other lenders, they said, were not as considerate, marooning drivers in far-flung places and often giving no advance notice of a shut-off. Lenders say that they exercise caution when disabling vehicles and that the devices enable them to extend more credit. Without the use of such devices, said John Pena, general manager of C.A.G. Acceptance, “we would be unable to extend loans because of the high-risk nature of the loans.” A leading device maker, PassTime of Littleton, Colorado, says its technology has reduced late payments to roughly 7 percent from nearly 29 percent. Spireon, which offers a GPS device called the Talon, has a tool on its website where lenders can calculate their return on capital.
  7. Its fake but have a laugh ba haha http://therealsingapore.com/content/sg-f16-pilots-use-singlish-stop-us-f15-pilots-listening-during-joint-exercise Being in the Singapore Airforce for many years already. I would like to share with your readers this story of ours which makes Singlish a very powerful and unique identity for us Singaporeans. The Spore air force went to the US to take part in their Red Flag combat exercise. For the first three days, our F-16 pilots, no matter how much they planned and prepared, they were always ambushed by the USAF F-15s. Then they realized that the USAF pilots were eavesdropping on their conversations (not disallowed by the rules), so they switched from plain English to Singlish/Chinese/Malay. Suddenly the F-15s lost their magic, and for the last three days, found no way through the defensive screen set up by our F-16s. So who says Singlish got no use har?
  8. China mode on, Dont play play hor, we need change master soon liao. http://m.ft.com/cms/s/0/d79ffff8-cfb7-11e3-9b2b-00144feabdc0.html China to pass US as largest economy By Chris Giles, Economics Editor The US is on the brink of losing its status as the worlds largest economy, and is likely to slip behind China this year, sooner than widely anticipated, according to the worlds leading statistical agencies. The US has been the global leader since overtaking the UK in 1872. Most economists previously thought China would pull ahead in 2019. The figures, compiled by the International Comparison Program hosted by the World Bank, are the most authoritative estimates of what money can buy in different countries and are used by most public and private sector organisations, such as the International Monetary Fund. This is the first time they have been updated since 2005. After extensive research on the prices of goods and services, the ICP concluded that money goes further in poorer countries than it previously thought, prompting it to increase the relative size of emerging market economies. The estimates of the real cost of living, known as purchasing power parity or PPPs, are recognised as the best way to compare the size of economies rather than using volatile exchange rates, which rarely reflect the true cost of goods and services: on this measure the IMF put US GDP in 2012 at $16.2tn, and Chinas at $8.2tn. In 2005, the ICP thought Chinas economy was less than half the size of the US, accounting for only 43 per cent of Americas total. Because of the new methodology and the fact that Chinas economy has grown much more quickly the research placed Chinas GDP at 87 per cent of the US in 2011. For 2011, the report says: The US remained the worlds largest economy, but it was closely followed by China when measured using PPPs. With the IMF expecting Chinas economy to have grown 24 per cent between 2011 and 2014 while the US is expected to expand only 7.6 per cent, China is likely to overtake the US this year. The figures revolutionise the picture of the worlds economic landscape, boosting the importance of large middle-income countries. India becomes the third-largest economy having previously been in tenth place. The size of its economy almost doubled from 19 per cent of the US in 2005 to 37 per cent in 2011. Russia, Brazil, Indonesia and Mexico make the top 12 in the global table. In contrast, high costs and lower growth push the UK and Japan further behind the US than in the 2005 tables while Germany improved its relative position a little and Italy remained the same. The findings will intensify arguments about control over global international organisations such as the World Bank and IMF, which are increasingly out of line with the balance of global economic power. When looking at the actual consumption per head, the report found the new methodology as well as faster growth in poor countries have greatly reduced the gap between rich and poor, suggesting that the world has become more equal. The worlds rich countries still account for 50 per cent of global GDP while containing only 17 per cent of the worlds population. Having compared the actual cost of living in different countries, the report also found that the four most expensive countries to live in are Switzerland, Norway, Bermuda and Australia, with the cheapest being Egypt, Pakistan, Myanmar and Ethiopia.
  9. Hardly seen, such a long convoy! Obama scared his Cadillac will get stolen in Malaysia https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=287673454734470&set=vb.109849832516834&type=2&theater
  10. http://www.voltairenet.org/article182064.html http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSx8yLOHSUs
  11. http://dai.ly/x15csdh Flash floods, seemingly, are increasingly common on our land stripped island. From the views of many pictures, and videos in some cases, we can safely say that we will never want to be in that situation. Imagine the muddy water that climbs to the height of your wheel arches and penetrates your cabin. Then, it kills your engine, and leaves you (and your car) in the middle of the road (which should look more like a lake by then) like a sitting duck. Then again, there are the more adventurous sort among us, as proven by the video. This man in Colorado met with a flash flood. However, he didn't quite believe what he saw and decided to take on the treacherous waters. Jump to the video to see who emerge winner in the end.
  12. As a guy with an ever increasing interest in the automotive industry, I have come across and read about several concepts and technologies from deployable rear wings, four-door coupes, carbon ceramic brakes and the engineering and development of record breaking cars like the Veyron. But looking at the Laraki Motors' Epitome - I doubt I have ever seen a concept that is both crazy and cool. While the shape of the Epitome largely reminds me of a cross between a Aston Martin One-77 and the Lexus 2054 concept, I believe the Epitome must have travelled from the year 2154 where the elite live in a space habitat called Elysium. Any existence of the brand or model was premiered globally at the recently concluded Pebble Beach Auto Show. Yet interestingly, this isn
  13. http://dai.ly/x12sed6 The all new NSX is and will be one of the most awaited supercars when it hits the showrooms - scheduled for release in 2015. And it seems that works is well underway, with the prototype caught undergoing testing at a track in Ohio, U.S.A. The NSX has no doubt achieved a tall status, worthy to be one of the all-time-greats. The halo car from Honda is one of the first proper supercars from Japan that packs the performance and dynamics to rival the bigger counterparts from the Europeans. The new version will no doubt have a tall hat to fill. To help it in its course, Honda (and its American arm Acura) will equip it with a myriad of cutting edge technologies. For instance, the new car will be 'hybridised', with two motors up front driving each of the wheels - which effectively grants it all-wheel traction. The electric motors will also supply positive or negative torque (or drag, as we know) to deliver a more dynamic driving experience than the current AWD systems. How cool is that? From the looks of it, the new car definitely has got what it takes to turn eyes - the supercar way. This, especially after being starred in one of the very cool Ironman sequential - fans of the movie will be typically fond of it. Not to mention the aural appeal - that is if there isn't any alterations done to the soundtrack (as in the video). Words from the higher management of the marque seem to point towards that of a possible Right-Hand Drive variant at some point of time. As much as we know we couldn't afford one when it touches down here in Singapore, we'd still love to see it. And that is only because we like to see all-time-greats being revived, and continuing their legend - if it does at all.
  14. Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) has announced that the completely redesigned 2014 Mitsubishi Outlander crossover will be the 'Official Safety Vehicle' for this year's Pikes Peak International Hill Climb (PPIHC) to be held on June 30th. With advanced safety features including Lane Departure Warning (LDW), Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) and Forward Collision Mitigation (FCM), the seven seater 2014 Outlander will represent Mitsubishi in serving as the Official Safety Vehicle for this annual event. In addition to its safety technology, the Outlander is available with the company's Super All-Wheel Control (S-AWC) all-wheel drive system that provides superior stability, traction and control - perfect for negotiating not only the numeral twists and turns of the Pikes Peak course but also the instantaneously changing harsh weather and road conditions along this high elevation route. The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution will also join the Outlander as a supplemental safety vehicle. These vehicles were built specifically for the race with support coming from a number of firms including BBS USA, Cobb Tuning, Kenwood USA Corporation, and Muellerized Suspension Tuning. In Mitsubishi Motors' debut in last year's running of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, its innovative i-MiEV Evolution all-electric prototype racing car scored an impressive second place finish in the Electric Vehicle Division in 2013. For the 91st hill climb, Mitsubishi Motors returns with an all new, more powerful electric powered prototype racing car dubbed the MiEV Evolution II in a two-car assault, in the very capable hands of two-time Dakar Rally winner Hiroshi Masuoka and six-time Pikes Peak overall motorcycle champion and 2002 SCORE International off-road series champion Greg Tracy. Held in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, the challenging Pikes Peak International Hill Climb features a unique road course that is 20km in length with 156 corners, commencing at an elevation of 9,390 feet and finishing at 14,110 feet. First run in 1916, this annual event is the second oldest motor race in America after the Indianapolis 500. Mitsubishi Motors will also serve as the Presenting Sponsor at the 2013 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb.
  15. A Wisconsin man decided to flex his newly-acquired beer muscles by testing his newly-acquired track-ready Mustang on a local street. He lost control, hit a Jeep Grand Cherokee and ricochet into a tree. The 35-year-old man now faces charges after he allegedly downed up to ten beers at a cookout, then took his $50,000 Ford Mustang Boss 302 Laguna Seca for a joyride. Police say he was traveling at speeds of up to 70 miles per hour when he went into a spin. The subsequent crash ripped off the driver's side door, and a passenger suffered a compound fracture in his right arm. The Mustang owner's been charged with one count of first offense operating while intoxicated and causing injury, along with one count of reckless driving and causing injury for good measure. He could get two years in jail if he's convicted.
  16. Five NASCAR drivers who were invited to meet President Barack Obama at the White House are not going to show, giving the excuse that there are "scheduling conflicts." Nobody is sure of whether "scheduling conflicts" means "political views," but thanks to stereotypes associated with NASCAR, nobody's ruling that out. The president invited 12 drivers from the 2010 Chase to celebrate their successes. The drivers bailing include Greg Biffle, Tony Stewart, Kevin Harvick, and Carl Edwards. Jimmie Johnson, Denny Hamlin, Jeff Gordon, Kyle Busch, Kurt Busch (who had initially declined), Clint Bowyer, Jeff Burton and Matt Kenseth all are planning to attend. While the absentees may indeed have scheduling conflicts, we'd expect that if that were the case, it'd hold true for the majority of those invited. Also, passing on the chance to meet the sitting U.S. president, regardless of one's views, seems like an odd move.
  17. As fears of radiation from Japan's severely compromised Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant seemed to be growing by the minute, automakers have tried to assure car buyers that most of their products are produced far enough away from the crippled facility that fallout won't end up on their vehicles. However, Nissan USA wants to go a step further by performing a radiation inspection on all vehicles imported from Japan. Nissan is the first Japanese automaker to monitor its vehicles for radioactivity. The additional check will continue until all threats of contamination have subsided. Nissan is following through with the inspections even though The Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association announced that it has found no harmful levels of radiation in any vehicles destined for export. I feel that vehicle contamination, if any, would be far less severe than crop contamination. However, I salute Nissan USA for taking the extra step to give consumers a peace of mind. Sales of Japanese car worldwide has already been hit by a strong Yen, hope that contamination concern will not further dampen the sales figure.
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