Summary of Changes to Off-peak Car Scheme

It's amazing how some topics I have spoken about verbally will suddenly appear in the newspapers the very next day, with the exact changes that I've been asking for. Sometimes I do wonder if there's a hidden microphone somewhere around me. :)

Anyway, the off-peak car (OPC) licencing scheme is finally tweaked in a way that would encourage more adoption. I disagree that the changes are minor, and I feel that these changes may drive more people to convert their cars to the OPC scheme. One very strong motivation force behind it is the change to allow the use of OPC for the whole of Saturdays.

My guess is that if the take-up rate for the OPC scheme is good, the overall ERP charges may be reduced a year or so after the changes because there will be lesser cars on the roads on weekdays. The question now is whether there will be ERP charges on weekends! :) This I doubt for a very simple reason. The ERP scheme to me is used to facilitate business activities and weekends are more for "casual driving".

The following are a summary of the changes (in my interest) to the OPC scheme:

1. From 23 Nov 2009, day licence will become electronic (e-Day). You may purchase the e-Day Licence online before the end of the following day that you have used it, at the One.Motoring portal, AXS stations and using mobile-SMS service, in addition to Singapore Post outlets and Automobile Association of Singapore (AAS) offices, anytime between 6am and midnight daily.
   
   
2. By end Jan 2010, the OPC scheme will be revised to allow unrestricted usage on Saturdays and the eves of 5 public holidays, namely, New Year, Lunar New Year, Hari Raya Puasa, Deepavali and Christmas. With the extended usage, the annual road tax discount will be correspondingly reduced from $800 to $500. The minimum annual road tax will now be $70.
   
   Existing OPC owners can choose to opt into this revised scheme to enjoy the extended hours in exchange for reduced tax discounts and an administrative fee of $100.
   
   
3. By end Jan 2010, owners of normal cars who convert to the revised OPC Scheme will enjoy a cash rebate of up to $1,100 for every 6 months' of registration as an OPC, until the car reaches 10 years old. The car must be kept as an OPC for at least 6 months after its conversion, except in cases of de-registration or when the OPC reaches the age of 10 years.

Work hard, Play hard

I quote from Mary Anne Radmacher:

Live with intention. Walk to the edge. Listen hard. Practice wellness. Play with abandon. Laugh. Choose with no regret. Appreciate your friends. Continue to learn. Do what you love. Live as if this is all there is.


In short, appreciate all that is around you. Work hard, play hard. Do not spend your time reminiscing about what ifs. Think about what you can do in reality.

iPhone is the number 2 top selling phone in the US

It's amazing how the iPhone can be the number 2 top selling phone in the US, even though it's only available through one carrier. Just imagine what the iPhone can do if there are no carrier restrictions.

In Singapore, I've already seen more and more people using iPhones compared to last year. For those carriers that think that iPhone is just a fad, well... They better think again. According to statistics, it seems that Microsoft is the biggest loser in this smartphone battle. Microsoft's global market share has fallen below 10%, while Apple has risen from 2.1% to 13.7% in 1 year!

In fact, I think you can write Microsoft off. Now the battle is between iPhone, Blackberry, Android and Palm Pre. That will be an interesting battle worth watching.

Don't agree with EZLink cards being tied up with membership cards

Just read that Passion is going to introduce a membership card that also acts as an EZLink card in November this year. I do not agree with this concept of combining the EZLink card with other uses.

Reason is very simple. EZLink card is based on contactless technology. What happens if you have multiple EZLink cards in your wallet when you're making your payment? Will it deduct money from both cards? I guess we may not even know because I believe few of us actually keep track of how much money is in the EZLink card.

Having multiple EZLink cards in your possession may also lead to you being confused on how much money is in which EZLink card. Frankly, I do not understand why some people like to have backup cards. I find it a big hassle in remembering the value left for each card. One is enough for me thank you.

I believe for contactless payment technology, it's always best to keep things simple, especially when the technology allows the card to be read even though it is not taken out of the wallet/purse.

Singaporeans are happy back in 2006

Seems like there was a survey done back in 2006 that measured the quality of life, conducted across seven East Asian economies by a Japanese university.

Singaporeans scored 70%, topping the Happiness Index in the survey. People in Vietnam were in second place, at 64 per cent, while the Japanese were third, at 54 per cent. People in Taiwan were the least happy with only 30 per cent.

The catch? This was done back in 2006. I remembered back in 2006, the economy was just picking up and everything was quite good, especially if you compare back to 2003. Knowing that, it's no surprise that Singaporeans are generally happy in that year.

Even if you fast-forward to now, there is still a possibility that Singaporeans are still topping the index for East Asia. Reason is quite simple. Most of us still have a roof over our heads, and we're still working, abeit for a bit less. Considering the havoc some other countries are having over their financial and employment situation, our situation is considered quite okay.

Generally speaking... If I have a job, roof over my head, 3 meals, my friends and my guitar, I can be quite content. :D Won't you?

Apple Snow Leopard to Launch on 28 Aug 2009

It's official. Snow Leopard, the newest Mac OSX operating system will be launched on 28 Aug 2009, which is this coming Friday.

What does this translate to? You may see some shops have last minute "clearance" sales. Good to pick up a MacBook now if price is an issue. I recalled seeing a MacBook Pro 13" Alum Body for about SGD1.6K last weekend. :)

I just wonder if the 28 Aug is US timing. If it is, that means we'll only be getting it on Saturday. Hmm...

Reader's Digest files for bankruptcy!

Just read the grapevine that the US units of Reader's Digest filed for bankruptcy! Luckily, operations in Canada, Latin America, Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia-New Zealand are not part of the bankruptcy filing. I've been reading Reader's Digest for more than a decade now I think, and I like the stories and information it has been providing. Their interviews with celebrities sometimes can be thought provoking. I would miss it if its no more.

Apparently, Reader's Digest is using this bankruptcy filing, otherwise also known as Chapter 11, to transfer ownership to their group of lenders and cut debt. They do not plan to lay off any employees or sell any units in its restructuring.

Hope they use this chance to also see if they can add any more value to loyal readers like us. Good luck Reader's Digest.

Cloud Computing Heating Up

Looks like Apple may be joining in to the cloud computing wagon. Apple is building one of the largest data centre in the world in Northern Carolina that is bigger than Google and Microsoft.

One of the most likely reason for such a big data centre is that Apple may be jumping into cloud computing, and software as a service wagon. Thinking in terms of what the iPhone can do, I'm guessing that the AppStore may in future evolve into a store where you can subscribe to certain services for free/a fee.

It does makes sense to go down this path. There are certain applications that will warrant to be modeled on a pay-per-use basis. For example, some people may buy newspapers or magazines depending on the content of that issue. So it is possible to model such an application on a pay-per-use basis. If I want to access that particular copy, or maybe that particular article, I just pay for that.

Definitely this is more complicated than the traditional way of doing business, especially on the pricing model. However, this may open up certain avenues of income streams and open up the market to a wider range of audiences.

The success factor of cloud computing will depend on the "killer app". Can Apple do it? Judging from their successes in all the recent product launches, there is a high possibility.

Meanwhile, I will carry on pondering on what kind of applications will best suit the cloud computing model, taking into account the security and privacy aspects of the business functions. :)

Inflation is down 0.5%

These are the Singapore inflation rates for 2009:
January: 2.9%
February: 1.9%
March: 1.6%
April: -0.7%
May: -0.3%
June: -0.5%
July: -0.5%

Clothing and Footwear and Health Care is leading the charge, rising by 2.7% and 2.6% respectively year on year. In fact, the inflation numbers are negative year on year except for Food, Clothing and Footwear, and Healthcare. Although there is a 1.1% inflation rate jump from June 2009, it seemed that we started off with a high inflation base around the same time last year. That's the reason for the negative inflation rates since April.

Judging from the inflation data trend since April, it is highly possible that inflation will hold around 0% to -0.5% until the end of the year. That would translate to 0.1% to 0.2% inflation rate for 2009. Good or bad?

Only you can make yourself unhappy

I quote from Wayne Dyer:

Simply put, you believe that things or people make you unhappy, but this is not accurate. You make yourself unhappy.


Sometimes when the going gets rough, it is difficult to keep this concept foremost in your mind. Only you can make yourself unhappy. If you choose to be unhappy, no matter what others say, you will still be unhappy.

The only way I can think of is to think of the situation in a different perspective. Do not think of the situation from the criticism point of view, but instead think of it as an opportunity for further improvement.

It's easier said than done though. But still we have to try. No use living your life unhappily.