Is it because of the EXP45 strings?

I've just changed all my strings yesterday to the D'Addario EXP45 normal tension strings. I've been using the normal D'Addario strings previously, which costs about half as much as the EXP45.

I do not know if its the price or there's something wrong with my ears, but for some reason, I felt that with these new strings:

1. The sound seems to be louder.
2. The sound seems to be more clear.
   
3. It seems to be easier to do runs.

The 3rd point is the weird part. Somehow, I found that my runs seem to flow better after I changed the strings. In fact, I do not think I have run so fast before with my guitar.

Hmm... Is it the strings? Or am I just too tired from work and I'm having delusions? Either case, I recommend the EXP45 strings. The sound really seems to be louder and clearer than the normal string.

Well, in a way it has to... It costs twice as expensive as the normal strings. :p Now I only have to wait for my strings to stop detuning itself. :)

Totally disagree with what the MM said

Just read today's news that MM mentioned that the investors should have kept their eyes open. If the interest rate is 1%, and they are getting 5%, there should be a catch.

The whole problem is nothing to do with if there's a catch or not! The problem is that you ask all the relationship managers (RMs) and financial advisers (FAs) to go through so many courses, which in the end becomes useless paperwork that does not count. Why on earth do you need a fact finding analysis if in the end, you're not going to take into account the findings from that analysis?? It totally defeats the purpose. You might as well just throw away the analysis!

And over here, we're talking about mis-selling. There is a whole lot of difference between someone telling me that the 5% interest rate comes with a catch where you might lose your principal, and the 5% interest rate is as safe as fixed deposit. And mind you, this is coming from a person supposedly with all the certs that makes them qualified to give financial advise. Worst still, some investors have never even seen the prospectus of the product.

As evidence on how transparent our financial sector is, only now do I know that there are 3 types of financial advice that the advisers can give you:

1. Full Advice
2. Partial Advice
3. Product Advice

I thought there was only full advice. Period.

We do not even know the 3 categories of advices that we're suppose to be getting. If we do not even know this simple fact, how do we keep our eyes open?

It's like saying that we should keep our eyes open, but the danger is actually what we cannot see. Furthermore, this advise is not supposedly given by any Tom, Dick or Harry. It's given by a certified adviser. What will happen to a doctor if he/she prescribe the wrong medicine?

Print Screen your iPhone 3G

I use this more when I'm lazy to type, and I rather let the picture do the talking. :)

To do a print screen (screenshot), hold down the power button, tap on the home button, and let go both buttons.

That's it... You should hear the sound of a picture being taken. Just tap on the Photos app, and you'll find the print screen under the Camera Roll.

Nights shots are impossible to take with a compact at Night Safari

Just been to the night safari and I have again attempted, to take pictures with my compact camera. The keyword is attempted. :)

The camera I'm using is the Canon Powershot SD870 IS. One thing that I can confirm is that this camera is way better than my previous Ricoh R1V. I've attempted the same experiment with that camera and I could not capture a single animal.

The differentiating factor for all compact cameras is actually how it handles low-light condition shots. One problem of taking night shots with a compact camera is that the camera sensor is not meant for taking pictures in low light conditions. At higher ISOs, the pictures are all grainy when zoomed in. For my SD870 IS, the graininess is quite apparent when the ISO hits above 400.

Nevertheless, I've still attempted to take a few shots using my SD870 IS. I've taken over a 100 shots and the results are quite expectantly... bad. :) Most of my shots I'm showing later are all taken with ISO 800 and above.

Based on my results, I've learned a few things about night shots with a compact:

• Set your light exposure compensation to the highest. Otherwise you cannot see a single thing. :)
  
  
• There must be a light source. If the lights are very dim, it's no use attempting to take anything, and I do include videos.
  
  
• The objects(animals) must be slow moving, or not moving. If the animals are pacing around, or are quite active, take a video instead.
  
  
• Check your auto white balance. In low light conditions, I've realised my SD870 IS auto balance seems to go off balance. The colors are off, and some of the colors are overpowering.
  
  I've used the evaluative white balance instead for some of my pictures.
  
  
• Use a tripod, or make sure your hands are steady. Many of my pictures are taken with a tripod, and yet it's blurred. Make use of your 2 secs timer.
  
  
• Do not zoom in low light conditions. Period.
  

Is it worth taking shots with a compact at night? Not at the night safari. Lights are very dim to simulate the animals night environment, and flash photography is actually prohibited. Below are some of the shots I've taken. All without flash.

The picture below is the best shot I've taken that night:

Flying Squirrel

Cut-out of the flying squirrel photo above

I've managed to take a picture of the Malayan Tiger that kept pacing around the enclosure. How I've absolutely no idea.

Backside of the tiger

I've also taken a long shot of some animals that were lazying around. I've no idea what animal is it though. :) Below is a cut-out of the main picture that I have taken.

Cut-out from a long shot of animals lazing around

Somehow, my cat shots are better than the other animals. :)

Fishing Cats moving around

A fishing cat trying to catch fishes

Some cat moving around

Backside of the same cat moving around

I believe the following shots are of mousedeers. They are quite slow moving, so its easier to take their pictures. :)

2 of them grazing around

Another 2 mousedeers looking around

A mousedeer protecting its territory

Can you spot the leopard? :)

Where is the leopard?

The other pictures are of animals that make sharp movements. Even though the light source is slightly brighter than the rest of the animals, the camera is unable to handle the sudden movement. The result is ... blur.

Indian wolves that are hyperactive

The owl that kept looking around

Anyway, this photo taking experiment is not totally wasted. I've realised that my SD870 IS has a long shutter mode. I've no idea that its hidden at the exposure compensation setting. I wonder what other settings am I missing...

Oh yes, for the night safari, if you really want to explore the whole area, go at 730pm. I went there slightly later and by the time I left at 11pm, I've missed the tram ride, and the show. Or maybe it was because I've spent too much time trying to take pictures. :)

Some people just do not learn

Recently, the topic of deferred payment has come up again in the newspapers. They were advocating that the deferred payment should be reinstated due to the current crisis.

I was thinking... These people who are advocating this reinstatement are crazy!

Where did this economic crisis come about?
It's due to loose credit.

Where did this crisis originated from?
It originated from the US Housing crisis.

What caused the US Housing crisis?
Low or Zero interest rates loans for the first few years that was given out to people who cannot afford it.


In another words, the current crisis originated from deferred payment!! Now some people are asking for the crisis to come to Singapore?? If you can afford the house, you have no need for deferred payment.

Do Singaporeans really look so short-term??

Concentrate on your goal

I quote from Henry Ford:

Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal.


It's quite normal that one will look at the obstacles that line your path towards your end objective. However, not all obstacles will block your path. Some obstacles might look huge, but it is not blocking your way.

Concentrate on the goal. By focusing on the goal, you'll only see the goal, and the obstacles obstructing you from the goal. There is no point worrying about the other obstacles because it will not obstruct you.

Stay focus...

Patterns that only I can see

Sometimes I really feel so frustrated at myself on why people do not understand the point I'm driving at.

I have a habit of looking at things differently from everyone. The way I look at problems is not common because I look at patterns. It has however been quite accurate and effective. Problems come in certain patterns, and certain patterns have similar solutions. My problem comes when I warn people of the problems ahead. Problems that have not yet happened, but I see a high posibility of it coming true. They will naturally think I'm talking nonsense or something, and refuse to heed what I say. Then what I said happens.

The problem with this? I warn people of it because most of the time it's outside of my power to resolve it if it has went down that path. Before the problem comes, I might have a solution to it.

Sometimes I really feel frustrated on why things happen even though I have warned long ago not to go down that path. Problems do not resolve by itself.

I'm so tired... Why do I even bother.

Largest Solar Park in Singapore

Just been to the largest solar park in Singapore today at the Marina Barrage. Basically, the solar park has 405 solar panels covering 1,200sqm. It generates 70kW of electricity which is used for indoor lighting and power points within the Marina Barrage.

The park itself only covers a very small portion of the roof-top at the Marina Barrage. Just imagine if 3/4 of the roof is covered with the panels and how much energy it can generate. I hope this will kick off more instances where solar panels are installed on the roof of the buildings. I always find it a big irony that the country closest to the equator is not doing anything with all the free sun rays that is shinning on us every single day.

Below are some photos of the solar park.

Starting of the solar park

Rows of solar panels

Close-up of the solar panels

What's the use of the fact finding and analysis exercise if its not binding?

Someone has actually initiated legal proceedings against one of the banks against mis-selling of investment products. This has been a long time in the making. The crux of the matter is that, if the customer has been identified as a low-risk investor, should he be sold an investment product that's above the risk profile?

From my layman perspective, the answer is NO. The basis of this fact finding and analysis exercise is for the financial adviser to understand the risk profile of the customer and recommend a appropriate product for the customer. Unless the customer has signed a special form indicating that they know that they are buying a high-risk product that deviates from their fact finding exercise, the adviser should not have sold this product to the customer. Just because the customer has bought high risk product before is of no excuse. There can be many reasons why this customer has shifted to low risk instruments.

The problem with the financial industry here is that there's a mentality of caveat emptor, meaning "Let the buyer beware". If you're going into it yourself (meaning DIY), then this rule applies quite appropriately. However, when you have an adviser advising you, then I would say this rule does not apply. Why? Because you have paid for a service. They are providing a service and they should rightly advise you on all aspects, and should understand the product workings before recommending it to you.

For example, if I apply for a HDB flat, the person handling the sale would highlight all the important points of the agreement to me. The document that I have is of many pages, but there are some highlighted points dictating some of the more important points of the document. This is proper service.

Just because the prospectus runs into 100s of pages is of no excuse. That's what the advisers are there for. Otherwise, why are they paid commissions? There must be a certain level of professionalism when you're providing a service. Some cases is that some advisers have sold products, without knowing the full workings and risks of it.

In the case of the high notes and minibonds, some advisers have touted it to be something like a fixed deposit. The facts? It's anything but a fixed deposit. In fact, looking at the product which is a structured deposit, it's even of a higher risk than investing in shares! How can low-risk investers be investing in it? Most has never heard of "credit event". It doesn't make sense.

Luckily my financial adviser is of the good sort, and has never introduced this kind of instruments to me.

If the fact finding and analysis exercise is just a paper document, then abolish that document. If it's of use, enforce it such that its binding. From my view, since that document states my risk profile, I should not be recommended any product that is of higher risk than what it is stated.

Why? Because the adviser knows the industry, I don't. The adviser should be warning me instead. It's just that simple.

Natura Loft @ Bishan

Happened to glance at the papers few days back and realised that the Bishan DBSS is open for balloting. The difference between this DBSS and others is that there is surprisingly little information that I could find related to it. In fact, the most details that you can find is in the news highlights. Even in the QingJian Realty website here, you are unable to find more details of the DBSS. You cannot even find the pricing in their website!

I will not repeat what I have written in my other posts on DBSS. You can refer to my Park Central post here, and my CityView post here. The CityView post includes some of the calculations I did to see if it fits into my affordability matrix.

DBSS @ Bishan has been named Natura Loft, and is located at Bishan Street 24. The balloting is already opened at their website since 31 Oct 2008, and the pricing of the flats is at an average of $450psf to $570psf. The pricing and configuration are as follows:

4 room	95 sqm	$465,000 to $586,000	Master Bedroom w/out Planter Master Bedroom w/ Planter
5 room	120 sqm	$600,000 to $739,000	Master Bedroom w/out Planter, study near the main door Master Bedroom w/ Planter, study near the main door Master Bedroom w/out Planter, study near the bedroom Master Bedroom w/ Planter, study near the bedroom

The reason why the psf seems to be lower is due to the size of the flats. It's also touted to be an eco-friendly project, with bamboo flooring for it's bedrooms, bay windows and energy-saving inverter aircon. Planters are quite common in their flat configuration.

Similarly to other DBSS, the area includes a pavilion, BBQ pits, children's playground, fitness centre (including for the elderly), and landscape gardens. According to the map, it's just in-between Whitney Secondary School and Catholic High School. Bishan North Shopping Mall is also within walking distance.

Personally, I do not like this DBSS offering because:

• I felt that it is a tad too expensive based on the current perks, bearing in mind that HDB flats have a $8,000 household income cap. Even though the flats are at 95sqm or 120sqm, the space is actually wasted by planters and balconies. Minimally, each configuration will have a balcony and a planter. Without the planters and balcony, the flats would have been much more worth it.
  
  
• I do not like the location. Contrary to all the cover pictures I see for Natura Loft, it is not next to Junction 8, or Bishan MRT. In fact, according to the map, I would think it's about a 15mins walk away from the MRT. The nearest shopping mall should be Bishan North Shopping Mall.
  
  
• It's too near to Whitney and Catholic High. Living near these 2 schools will mean that at around 7am to 8am, the roads around that area will be super congested, considering that the road leading to the DBSS is also shared by the 2 schools.
  

Comparably with that kind of pricing, I would prefer Park Central which is more affordable, and with better location and facilities.

I still do not understand why HDB introduce DBSS when the current executive condo (EC) scheme should have fit the role of DBSS. The household income cap for EC is capped at $10,000, which gives more room for the developers to add in frills, and for the customers to do their budget. Now, the developers are trying to differentiate their DBSS, but sometimes forgetting that there's a $8,000 household income cap.

With the current recession, I'm not surprised if it's not even half-sold. Will DBSS go towards the fate of EC? I think so. HDB should have just revamped the EC scheme.