This came in through the mail some months back.
The trick is to squint your eyes to see the hidden message. Try deciphering it without squinting…
| Friday 26th September, 2008. | |
| 13.00 | Gates open for all ticket holders |
| 14.00 | Formula One Paddock Club™, Sky and Club Suite Opens |
| 15.00 – 15.25 | Formula BMW Pacific Practice Session |
| 15.50 – 16.20 | Aston Martin Asia Cup Practice Session |
| 16.40 – 17.25 | Porsche Carrera Cup Asia Practice Session |
| 17.50 – 18.15 | Formula BMW Pacific Qualifying Session |
| 19.00 – 20.30 | Formula One First Practice Session |
| 21.30 – 23.00 | Formula One Second Practice Session |
| Midnight | Formula One Paddock Club™ , Sky and Club Suite Closes |
Saturday 27th September, 2008. | |
| 13.00 | Gates open |
| 14.00 | Formula One Paddock Club™, Sky and Club Suite Opens |
| 15.50 – 16.20 | Aston Martin Asia Cup Qualifying Session |
| 16.50 – 17.15 | Formula BMW Pacific Race One (10 Laps) |
| 17.45 – 18.15 | Porsche Carrera Cup Asia Qualifying Session |
| 19.00 – 20.00 | Formula One Third Practice Session |
| 22.00 – 23.00 | Formula One Qualifying Session |
| Midnight | Formula One Paddock Club™, Sky and Club Suite Closes |
Sunday 28th September, 2008. | |
| 13.00 | Gates open for all ticket holders |
| 14.00 | Formula One Paddock Club™, Sky and Club Suite Opens |
| 15.30 – 16.00 | Aston Martin Asia Cup Race (10 Laps) |
| 16.30 – 17.00 | Formula BMW Pacific Race Two (10 Laps) |
| 17.30 – 18.05 | Porsche Carrera Cup Asia Race (12 Laps) |
| 18.30 | Formula One Drivers Parade |
| 18.45 – 19.15 | Starting Grid presentation |
| 19.46 | Singapore National Anthem |
| 20.00 | 2008 Formula 1™ SingTel Singapore Grand Prix (61 Laps) |
| Midnight | Formula One Paddock Club™ , Sky and Club Suite Closes |
Source.
Be sure to tune in to MediaCorp Channel 5 daily from 10pm to 12am consecutively for the 3 days event!
STEVEN TAYLOR is ready to join a mass exodus from Newcastle — even though he recently signed a new deal.Source.
The England Under-21 defender is one of 11 players who want to quit the crisis club in January over the treatment of former boss Kevin Keegan.
Michael Owen, Alan Smith and Joey Barton plan to go after the club tried to sell them on transfer deadline day.
Shay Given, Nicky Butt, Damien Duff and Mark Viduka want out.
And Oba Martins, Charles N’Zogbia and Shola Ameobi are also looking for the exit.
A Toon source said: “People think there are problems at Newcastle but they don’t know the half of it. At least 11 players have indicated they are ready to leave.”
Owner Mike Ashley is trying to flog the club, they have no boss and are second bottom of the Premier League.
Trust me, I wouldn't be surprised if he was threatened or even get murdered out of a sudden. How can someone just come into the club and ruined it single-handedly? He needs to understand that hes the cause of all these and if he were a little guilty, he would have just sell off the club even at a slight loss. But no, hes holding on to the club in hope that he could profit from it maybe 1.5 times more than his capital invested!
Its really fuming, who knows if Newcastle might just be liquidated. :(
First Half
Second Half
A very encouraging story extracted from the letter written by Christopher Tan, Chief Executive Officer, Providend.
Chance is a man who has grown to middle age living in a solitary room in a rich man’s mansion, bereft of contact with other human beings. He has two all-consuming interests: Watching television and tending the garden outside his room.
When the mansion’s owner dies, Chance wanders out on his first foray into the world. He is hit by the limousine of a powerful industrialist who is an adviser to the president. When he is rushed to the industrialist’s estate for medical care, he identifies himself only as “Chance the gardener.” In the confusion, his name quickly becomes “Chauncey Gardiner.”
When the President visits the industrialist, the recuperating Chance sits in on the meeting. The economy is slumping; America’s bluechip corporations are under stress; the stock market is crashing. Unexpectedly, Chance is asked for his advice: Chance shrank. He felt the roots of his thoughts had been suddenly yanked out of their wet earth and thrust, tangled, into the unfriendly air. He stared at the carpet. Finally, he spoke: “In a garden, “he said, “growth has it season. There are spring and summer, but there are also fall and winter. And then spring and summer again. As long as the roots are not severed, all is well and all will be well.”
He slowly raises his eyes, and sees that the President seems quietly pleased-indeed, delighted –by his response. “I must admit, Mr. Gardiner, that is one of the most refreshing and optimistic statements I have heard in a very, very long time. Many of us forget that nature and society are one. Like nature, our economic system remains, in the long run, stable and rational, and that’s why we must not fear to be at its mercy….we welcome the inevitable seasons of nature, yet we are upset by the seasons of our economy! How foolish of us.
Chance is a man who has grown to middle age living in a solitary room in a rich man’s mansion, bereft of contact with other human beings. He has two all-consuming interests: Watching television and tending the garden outside his room.
When the mansion’s owner dies, Chance wanders out on his first foray into the world. He is hit by the limousine of a powerful industrialist who is an adviser to the president. When he is rushed to the industrialist’s estate for medical care, he identifies himself only as “Chance the gardener.” In the confusion, his name quickly becomes “Chauncey Gardiner.”
When the President visits the industrialist, the recuperating Chance sits in on the meeting. The economy is slumping; America’s bluechip corporations are under stress; the stock market is crashing. Unexpectedly, Chance is asked for his advice: Chance shrank. He felt the roots of his thoughts had been suddenly yanked out of their wet earth and thrust, tangled, into the unfriendly air. He stared at the carpet. Finally, he spoke: “In a garden, “he said, “growth has it season. There are spring and summer, but there are also fall and winter. And then spring and summer again. As long as the roots are not severed, all is well and all will be well.”
He slowly raises his eyes, and sees that the President seems quietly pleased-indeed, delighted –by his response. “I must admit, Mr. Gardiner, that is one of the most refreshing and optimistic statements I have heard in a very, very long time. Many of us forget that nature and society are one. Like nature, our economic system remains, in the long run, stable and rational, and that’s why we must not fear to be at its mercy….we welcome the inevitable seasons of nature, yet we are upset by the seasons of our economy! How foolish of us.
SINGAPORE: AIA Singapore's top man, the executive vice-president and general manager, Mark O'Dell has resigned from the company and has taken leave of absence with immediate effect.
It's believed he's joining a rival insurer overseas, and for someone of his rank, it explains the immediate departure.
In a statement released on Thursday, AIA said that his decision to leave the company is not related to the recent developments at American International Group (AIG). It was a personal decision that he had been planning for some time.
Source.
Interestingly, AIA or rather Mr Dell himself wrote a letter assuring the public that our policy is safe and funds are in placed should there be a liquidation at AIG. It occupied a full page on today's Straits Times. And at the same day, it was announced that he has resigned with immediate effect. Well, it was definitely not a good move even if he had planned to resign on this very day. Just like the Cosco saga few months ago with the retirement of its President, this sort of corporate governance action taken was really damaging to the policyholders/investors' confidence.
Surely there is a better way to handle this resignation properly. What is he thinking? On one side assuring policy holder, on the other, he resign. Even a sec sch kid will think twice before making such an illogical move.
Surely there is a better way to handle this resignation properly. What is he thinking? On one side assuring policy holder, on the other, he resign. Even a sec sch kid will think twice before making such an illogical move.
AIA Assures Policyholders That It Has More Than Sufficient Capital and Reserves to Meet All Obligations
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More announcement assuring AIA Policy Holders. This time round, by AIA themselves.
16 September 2008, Singapore - AIA, as with all other life insurers in Singapore, maintains separate insurance funds for all policies issued by AIA in Singapore, including investment-linked policies. AIA Singapore has more than sufficient capital and reserves above the regulatory minimum requirements, to meet our obligations to policyholders. The funds maintained in Singapore are segregated from American International Group, Inc. (AIG) and are held specifically for the purpose of meeting our obligations to policyholders.Although AIG faces short-term liquidity pressures, we have a strong, well-positioned business in Singapore. We would like to assure our customers of AIA's commitment to meeting their needs.
To respond to the needs of our policyholders, we have established a dedicated Hotline 6248 8355 to address any queries or concerns that they may have on their policies.
Source.
MAS responded swiftly to assures the public that our AIA policy is safe should AIG goes into liquidation as there are sufficient funds set aside internally by AIA as part of Singapore's Insurance Act and Regulations. Hence, I urge those policy holders not to surrender your policy as a mass surrender will only made things worse.
15 Sept 08
15 Sept 08
MAS' Response to Queries on AIA:
"As a Singapore registered insurer, American International Assurance Company, Limited, Singapore Branch (AIA) is required under the Insurance Act and Regulations to maintain sufficient financial resources to meet all its liabilities to policyholders at all times. AIA currently meets these regulatory requirements. MAS will continue to monitor the financial position of AIA.
With regard to policy owners' protection fund (PPF), the legislative power for MAS to establish such a fund already exists in the Insurance Act.
The American International Group Inc. (AIG), the ultimate parent of AIA, is not regulated by MAS. We are therefore unable to comment on AIG's position."
MAS' Response to Queries on AIA :
"MAS has received queries from the public on the regulatory requirements which insurance companies have to meet, in particular, AIA Singapore.
As with all insurance companies in Singapore, AIA is required under the Insurance Act to maintain statutory insurance funds, including an investment-linked fund. These funds are segregated from its head office and other shareholders’ funds. Within these insurance funds, AIA must maintain sufficient assets to meet all its liabilities to policyholders, which include participating policies and investment-linked policies. The value of these assets is not linked to AIA's or AIG’s financial condition, but like all investments, their value may be affected by general market conditions. MAS requires all insurance companies in Singapore to manage their investment risks carefully and we are monitoring the situation closely.
There are also queries on whether the financial condition of AIG would have an impact on AIA. AIA currently has sufficient assets in its insurance funds to meet its liabilities to policyholders. Policyholders should, therefore, not act hastily to terminate their insurance policies with AIA as they may suffer losses from the premature termination and lose the insurance protection they may need. "
More story.
More story.
Lots of bad news happened in the States over the weekend. Needless to say, the markets were in deep red worldwide on Monday. Their information are all over the Internet and heres a short summarise.
B of A, Merrill: Bank of America (BAC, Fortune 500) announced early Monday that it will acquire Merrill Lynch (MER, Fortune 500) for $50 billion in stock. The purchase price values the company at more than $29 a share, at least a 70% premium from Merrill's closing price on Friday of $17.05.Lehman bankruptcy: Lehman Brothers (LEH, Fortune 500) announced that it was filing for bankruptcy, ending a desperate three-day search for a buyer to save the investment bank. The filing came after Bank of America and Barclays pulled out of negotiations to acquire Lehman. Lehman shares plunged 94%.
AIG: Insurer AIG (AIG, Fortune 500), a Dow component, plunged 42% in morning trading as Wall Street awaited the details of its restructuring plan, expected to be announced Monday.
Are we to worry? Few months ago, people were still debating whether US was in recession. Now, it can be clear that perhaps even the whole world's financial system is inevitably in a recession, one of the largest financial crisis in history.
Over here in Singapore, the particular news that has direct impact are none other than the collapse of Lehman and the dark cloud over AIG. Lehman has over 3000 staff in Asia with over 270 employees at its Suntec branch. AIA being a subsidiary of AIG, would definitely have to entertain lots of calls from its customer with regards to their policy. No news released yet.
Lets hope for the better.
Over here in Singapore, the particular news that has direct impact are none other than the collapse of Lehman and the dark cloud over AIG. Lehman has over 3000 staff in Asia with over 270 employees at its Suntec branch. AIA being a subsidiary of AIG, would definitely have to entertain lots of calls from its customer with regards to their policy. No news released yet.
Lets hope for the better.
Anyone interested in sharing a 1 month premium Megaupload account? Might be downloading the whole series of Drive of Life from there.
Extracted from my favorite Wikipedia,The Drive of Life (Traditional Chinese: 歲月風雲) is a TVB modern drama series broadcasted in 2007.
The 60-episode grand production was specially filmed to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the handover of Hong Kong back to China from Great Britain during the period of 1997-2007. It is a joint production of Hong Kong's TVB and mainland's CCTV. The theme of the series revolves around the automobile industry in China. Told in flashback from 1994, the ups and downs and transformations that Hong Kong has been experiencing before and after the transfer of the sovereignty of Hong Kong is used as a narrative device. The series was filmed in Hong Kong, Beijing, Ningbo, and Vancouver, Canada from early October 2006 until May 2007.
Other than the strong casts from China and Hong Kong, what particularly attracted me to this drama is the story line revolving around the managing of a business. Not wanting to reveal the spoiler, I just make a comment from a generalised point of view. Basically, you would enjoy the show if you are interested in business, full-stop. HAHA ok just a bit more.
For those who know me well enough, knows that I seldom chase drama/shows. I think its a waste of time too. The opportunity cost of spending the tens of hours is just not worth it. However, this drama proved too much to be missed.
Firstly, it present the journey of a strong character of how he manage a big corporation, only to lose it overnight due to the lack of foresight in his son. In results, the company has to go into liquidation to pay off debt. This was also partly due to the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis.
Secondly, giving such a strong character he is, the chairman of the listed company decided to start afresh to form a small Private Limited where he has to go get orders himself personally as the chair; which I believe he will rebuild his corporation in the near future.
Thirdly, it also clearly signifies the working and business culture difference between China and Hong Kong during that time. The important catch here is the ways to appreciate the production environment and ways to expand the production line considerably. (Yup, I'm referring to the automobile manufacturing company)
Of course there are many more things to get away with this drama; thats why there is not "last but not least" here :) Currently, Starhub Channel 55 is showing daily from Mon to Fri 9pm. They are now well into episode 15 already but theres still a good 75% left to watch. (Now switch from IT to Finance already, everytime must be in percentage and numbers lol)
keke, don't type so much le. Blogging is a waste of time, opportunity cost!! lol oh ya, the music at the top is the ending theme song for the show, nice right :)
Just a simple blog advertisement for a friend of mine. Why simple? Cause its not a paid advertisement, enough said.
Why orthodox? Cause her blog is pissing me off. Quoting from "ahfu", "as I read, I need to concentrate.."
Picture speaks a thousand words.
Why orthodox? Cause her blog is pissing me off. Quoting from "ahfu", "as I read, I need to concentrate.."
Picture speaks a thousand words.
Now, you might be wondering. Why was the blog link not given when it was a blog advertisement? Well, like I said, this is not a paid advertisement so don't expect big fat big catching fonts to display the url. The link is embedded in one of the full stop above.HAHAHA end of monday blues..
Click on the picture to see the original size.
Don't quote me though.
Omg, Singaporeans are getting crazier with all these hardcore activities. Can see the government's effort in promoting healthy lifestyle. Guess they provide heavy subsidy for the organisers? Who know.Anyway, me is a jogger. Pure jogger. Because I can't swim well, I can't take part in Triathlon. Because I can't blade well, I can't wait part in Quadthlon. Unfortunately though, I can cycle well. :(
 | |
 SAF new combat uniform | |
| |
SINGAPORE: Singapore's men in green will be seeing a new combat uniform from next year.
Some 300,000 servicemen will eventually be wearing the new SAF combat uniform with high-tech pixelised patterns on it. The patterns replace the large green patches on the old outfit.
The new material maintains the camouflage effect even when viewed through night vision devices.
It is also designed to be used in war zones that extend beyond the jungle.
Colonel Tan Chor Kiat, Chief of Staff, HQ 9 Division, Infantry, Singapore Armed Forces, said: "When you talk about urban terrain, you are really looking at a very unique characteristic where the opposing forces can co-exist within the same urban terrain in a very volatile system.
"Consequently, the soldiers are going to get shot at a lot more often, and at a much shorter distance."
According to the SAF, the new uniform increases detection time by 30 to 50 percent in the urban environment, making it harder for enemies to find their targets.
It is also made from better quality fabric, which helps dissipate sweat and heat away from the body quicker, and comes with ergonomic features such as extra padding and pockets.
It will be introduced to all servicemen over a three-year period starting from 2009.
The first to receive the new uniforms will be recruits from the January Basic Military Training intake, as well as active personnel and NSmen in their sixth and seventh In-Camp Training years, while the rest will get theirs in 2010 and 2011.
NSmen currently in their seventh to ninth years, however, will not receive the new uniform.
SAF said this phased approach takes into consideration the wear and tear of servicemen's existing uniforms. - CNA/de
Firstly, whats with the "high-tech" pixelised pattern?
Secondly, the new uniform increases detection time. I suppose they (SAF) want our soldiers to recognise friendly forces easier? Doesn't that equate to our enemy detecting us faster too?
Secondly, the new uniform increases detection time. I suppose they (SAF) want our soldiers to recognise friendly forces easier? Doesn't that equate to our enemy detecting us faster too?
Anyway, while I do not really like the new design of the uniform (I realised our old uniform design rocks!), its a good move by SAF that they research and design with the objective of enchancing the survivability of our soldier.
This is Art!
Beat that!
Here are some interesting facts about Formula 1
1. An F1 car is made up of 80,000 components, if it were assembled 99.9% correctly, it would still start the race with 80 things wrong! 02. Formula 1 cars have over a kilometre of cable, linked to about 100 sensors and actuators which monitor and control many parts of the car. 03. An F1 car can go from 0 to 160 kph AND back to 0 in FOUR seconds !!!!!!!
2. F1 car engines last only for about 2 hours of racing mostly before blowing up on the other hand we expect our engines to last us for a decent 20yrs on an average and they quite faithfully DO....thats the extent to which the engines r pushed to perform...
3. When an F1 driver hits the brakes on his car he experiences retardation or deceleration comparable to a regular car driving through a BRICK wall at 300kmph !!!
4. An average F1 driver looses about 4kgs of weight after just one race due to the prolonged exposure to high G forces and temperatures for little over an hour (Yeah thats right!!!)
5. At 550kg a F1 car is less than half the weight of a Mini.
6. In an F1 car the engine typically revs upto 18000 rpm,(the piston travelling up and down 300 times a second!!) wheres cars like the palio, maruti 800,indica rev only upto 6000 rpm at max. Thats 3 times slower.
7. The brake discs in an F1 car have an operating temperature of approx 1000 degees Centigrade and they attain that temp while braking before almost every turn...that is why they r not made of steel but of carbon fibre which is much more harder and resistant to wear and tear and most of all has a higher melting point.
8. If a water hose were to blow off, the complete cooling system would empty in just over a second.
9. Gear cogs or ratios are used only for one race, and are replaced regularly to prevent failure, as they are subjected to very high degrees of stress.
10. The fit in the cockpit is so tight that the steering wheel must be removed for the driver to get in or out of the car. A small latch behind the wheel releases it from the column. Levers or paddles for changing gear are located on the back of the wheel. So no gearstick! The clutch levers are also on the steering wheel, located below the gear paddles.
11. To give you an idea of just how important aerodynamic design and added downforce can be, small planes can take off at slower speeds than F1 cars travel on the track.
12. Without aerodynamic downforce, high-performance racing cars have sufficient power to produce wheel spin and loss of control at 160 kph. They usually race at over 300 kph.
13. The amount of aerodynamic downforce produced by the front and rear wings and the car underbody is amazing. Once the car is travelling over 160 kph, an
14. F1 car can generate enough downforce to equal it's own weight. That means it could actually hold itself to the CEILING of a tunnel and drive UPSIDE down!
15. In a street course race like the monaco grand prix, the downforce provides enough suction to lift manhole covers. Before the race all of the manhole covers on the streets have to be welded down to preventthis from happening!
16. The refuelers used in F1 can supply 12 litres of fuel per second. This means it would take just 4 seconds to fill the tank of an average 50 litre family car.They use the same refueling rigs used on US military helicopters today.
17. TOP F1 pit crews can refuel and change tyres in around 3 seconds.
18. Race car tyres don't have air in them like normal car tyres. Most racing tyres have nitrogen in the tyres because nitrogen has a more consistent pressure compared to normal air. Air typically contains varying amounts of water vapour in it, which affects its expansion and contraction as a function of temperature, making the tyre pressure unpredictable.
19. During the race the tyres lose weight! Each tyre loses about 0.5 kg in weight due to wear.
20. Normal tyres last 60 000 - 100 000 km. Racing tyres are designed to last 90 - 120 km (That's Khandala and back).
21. A dry-weather F1 tyre reaches peak operating performance (best grip) when tread temperature is between 900C and 1200C.(Water boils boils at 100C remember) At top speed, F1 tyres rotate 50 times a second.
22. Ferrari is the best car ever designed and the team-up with Michael Schumacher is the best the sport has ever seen.
1. An F1 car is made up of 80,000 components, if it were assembled 99.9% correctly, it would still start the race with 80 things wrong! 02. Formula 1 cars have over a kilometre of cable, linked to about 100 sensors and actuators which monitor and control many parts of the car. 03. An F1 car can go from 0 to 160 kph AND back to 0 in FOUR seconds !!!!!!!
2. F1 car engines last only for about 2 hours of racing mostly before blowing up on the other hand we expect our engines to last us for a decent 20yrs on an average and they quite faithfully DO....thats the extent to which the engines r pushed to perform...
3. When an F1 driver hits the brakes on his car he experiences retardation or deceleration comparable to a regular car driving through a BRICK wall at 300kmph !!!
4. An average F1 driver looses about 4kgs of weight after just one race due to the prolonged exposure to high G forces and temperatures for little over an hour (Yeah thats right!!!)
5. At 550kg a F1 car is less than half the weight of a Mini.
6. In an F1 car the engine typically revs upto 18000 rpm,(the piston travelling up and down 300 times a second!!) wheres cars like the palio, maruti 800,indica rev only upto 6000 rpm at max. Thats 3 times slower.
7. The brake discs in an F1 car have an operating temperature of approx 1000 degees Centigrade and they attain that temp while braking before almost every turn...that is why they r not made of steel but of carbon fibre which is much more harder and resistant to wear and tear and most of all has a higher melting point.
8. If a water hose were to blow off, the complete cooling system would empty in just over a second.
9. Gear cogs or ratios are used only for one race, and are replaced regularly to prevent failure, as they are subjected to very high degrees of stress.
10. The fit in the cockpit is so tight that the steering wheel must be removed for the driver to get in or out of the car. A small latch behind the wheel releases it from the column. Levers or paddles for changing gear are located on the back of the wheel. So no gearstick! The clutch levers are also on the steering wheel, located below the gear paddles.
11. To give you an idea of just how important aerodynamic design and added downforce can be, small planes can take off at slower speeds than F1 cars travel on the track.
12. Without aerodynamic downforce, high-performance racing cars have sufficient power to produce wheel spin and loss of control at 160 kph. They usually race at over 300 kph.
13. The amount of aerodynamic downforce produced by the front and rear wings and the car underbody is amazing. Once the car is travelling over 160 kph, an
14. F1 car can generate enough downforce to equal it's own weight. That means it could actually hold itself to the CEILING of a tunnel and drive UPSIDE down!
15. In a street course race like the monaco grand prix, the downforce provides enough suction to lift manhole covers. Before the race all of the manhole covers on the streets have to be welded down to preventthis from happening!
16. The refuelers used in F1 can supply 12 litres of fuel per second. This means it would take just 4 seconds to fill the tank of an average 50 litre family car.They use the same refueling rigs used on US military helicopters today.
17. TOP F1 pit crews can refuel and change tyres in around 3 seconds.
18. Race car tyres don't have air in them like normal car tyres. Most racing tyres have nitrogen in the tyres because nitrogen has a more consistent pressure compared to normal air. Air typically contains varying amounts of water vapour in it, which affects its expansion and contraction as a function of temperature, making the tyre pressure unpredictable.
19. During the race the tyres lose weight! Each tyre loses about 0.5 kg in weight due to wear.
20. Normal tyres last 60 000 - 100 000 km. Racing tyres are designed to last 90 - 120 km (That's Khandala and back).
21. A dry-weather F1 tyre reaches peak operating performance (best grip) when tread temperature is between 900C and 1200C.(Water boils boils at 100C remember) At top speed, F1 tyres rotate 50 times a second.
22. Ferrari is the best car ever designed and the team-up with Michael Schumacher is the best the sport has ever seen.
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