Dare to be Wise

Making Sure Food from the Freezer is Safe to Eat - Freezer Burns

noreply@blogger.com (Aldrin) — Thu, 16 Apr 2020 03:06:00 +0000

Freezer Burns

Freezer Burn in steak

Freezer Burn on Green Peas

Understanding Freezer Burns

What are freezer burns?

A condition when frozen food has been damaged by dehydration and oxidation
Occurs when air reaches the food's surface and dries the product causing color change
Freezer burn does not make the food unsafe; it merely causes dry spots in foods.
The food remains usable and edible, and removing the freezer burns will improve the taste.

What Causes freezer burns?

Caused by air reaching the food.
Food is not securely wrapped in air-tight packaging.

How do you know if your frozen foods have freezer burns?

By Color

Freezer burn appears as grayish-brown leathery spots on frozen food
Color changes result from chemical changes in the food's pigments
Different foods have different color changes

Red meat turns dull brown shade,
Chicken turns a bit pale

By Texture and consistency

Frozen foods may feel different, a little dry or leathery when thawed.
Sometimes you can see ice crystals forming on it

Food Safety and Hygiene Considerations

1. Food Safety - Freezer burn is safe to eat.

Freezer burn is the drying out and changing of color pigments on portions of frozen foods that have been exposed to air. The changes are not toxic and are rarely hazardous to health.

2. Taste - May not taste good

The changes in color, texture, and consistency may impose a change of flavor, or even have a psychological effect on how you perceive the food.

3. Remediation - Remove portions with freezer burn

You do not have to dispose of your food. Either work with the change in taste or remove the portions with freezer burns after it has thawed.

Preventing Freezer Burns

1. Wrap your foods airtight.

Use plastic wrap or resealable containers. Ensure all of the air has escaped from the container before you close it up.

2. Ensure hot foods are cooled to room temperature before freezing them.

This removes excess air that is present in your food.

3. Open and close your freezer quickly and less frequently

This limits the opportunity that hot air from your surroundings from interacting with your frozen foods in the freezer.

4. Ensure your freezer's thermostat is at 0 or below 0 Degrees Celcius.

To make sure your food is well frozen.

5. Defrost and Thaw correctly

The best method to thaw frozen meats is to leave it in the fridge until it’s completely thawed. Leaving food exposed to your surroundings may expose your food to pathogens that can make your food unsafe.

References, Tools and Resources

covid19 - Giving out Free CNA/ NEA/ Temasek Foundation

noreply@blogger.com (Aldrin) — Fri, 20 Mar 2020 03:56:00 +0000

Reference to Temasek Foundation, Channel News Asia, NEA, MOH & PA

My name is Aldrin Tee, and I am a 2004 LifeSciences Graduate from NUS with Concentrations in Biomedical Sciences & Biology; and a former Biology teacher in RGS and SST. Currently, I'm a social impact entrepreneur.

Firstly I want to applaud all parties involved in the fight against covid19. I am extremely proud to be Singaporean and to see all the efforts put in are first world, and above and beyond expectations. Please keep up all the good work! =)

Just to share some concerns that I noticed while reading the news:

In Reference to article published by CNA "All Singapore households to receive 500ml of free hand sanitiser: Temasek Foundation" on 17 Mar 2020:

"A zero-alcohol sanitiser is gentle on the hands, safe for children and non-flammable, which makes it safe to use in places like kitchens, said Mr Lim.

The sanitiser will have 0.054 per cent of benzalkonium chloride (BKC). According to interim guidelines by the National Environment Agency, 0.05 per cent of BKC is sufficient for use against coronaviruses."
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/covid19-free-hand-sanitiser-singapore-households-temasek-12548450

1. The safety of the use of Benzalkonium Chloride (BKC/BACs) in hand sanitizers is still undetermined. The US FDA has warranted further investigation pending a ban. Latest update April 2019 - https://chemicalwatch.com/76526/us-fda-bans-28-substances-from-hand-sanitisers

2. There is still conflicting information on the efficacy of Benzalkonium Chloride (BKC/BACs) on Coronaviruses, with little literature on the SARS-nCoV2 virus. As much as it is logical to expect that BACs can disrupt the lipid coating of the virus based on biochemistry, however real-world corroborative data is still required to ensure that it is indeed efficacious in its claims. - https://www.journalofhospitalinfection.com/article/S0195-6701(20)30046-3/fulltext

3. The guidelines listed in the NEA website, shows that the BKC reference was to a research paper published in 1988 done on canine coronaviruses.

https://www.nea.gov.sg/our-services/public-cleanliness/environmental-cleaning-guidelines/guidelines/interim-list-of-household-products-and-active-ingredients-for-disinfection-of-covid-19

4. Our own Ministry of Health MOH guidelines, as well as the guidelines from many Health related agencies, are that Soap and alcohol-based hand sanitizers are to be used for hand hygiene. Non-alcoholic solutions that contain Benzalkonium Chloride (BKC/BACs) are to be used for disinfecting surfaces.
https://www.moh.gov.sg/docs/librariesprovider5/2019-ncov/covid-19-pss-educational-material_final.pdf / https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/infection-control/hcp-hand-sanitizer.html

5. Several weeks ago, I had a meetup with a Community Center Representative in my estate, as well as the chairperson of the Citizens Committee regards to the placement of the non-alcoholic hand-sanitizers in the lifts in the estate. They seemed to be unaware of the recommendations made by WHO, MOH or govt outreach to use alcohol-based sanitizers. They explained they had based their purchase decision on the claims made by the supplier of the products, from which they purchased huge volumes.

6. Just sharing my opinions here based only on my individual experience: I observe there is a general lack of good science and hygiene literacy. Educated as we are, there are still gaps in knowledge and application. In my random communication with people, many cannot differentiate between viruses and bacteria, what inhibits growth vs inactivating (or 'killing') of viruses, what kind of products work on each (antibiotics for flu), and the difference between marketing claims and authoritative science.

7. Some residents and members of my local community that I encounter, from old folks to middle-aged individuals, seem to be confused by different recommendations from the authorities. Even highly educated individuals are posting questions on social media: Whether they should stick to alcohol hand sanitizers or non-alcoholic hand sanitizers.

8. It is important that we educate especially our community leaders, media, volunteers and the social sectors to ensure that the guidelines are properly adhered to, and not to contradict or confuse the general public. We regard our news outlets, government agencies, corporate and community leaders highly and whenever there are contradictions and conflicting reports, it generates a small amount of misconceptions that increases the difficulty to gain the public trust in reliable and authoritative information in the future.

9. With the wide-spread sharing of misinformation and false facts between people on social media and amongst coffeeshop conversations, I felt that there is a need to nip this in the bud and hope that there will be some clarifications on this matter, so that there continuous consistency and improvement in quality in our daily lives and in the fight against covid19.

10. Once again, I am extremely grateful for the services and efforts rendered by all the stakeholders mentioned in this letter. I will also do my part and utmost best in helping to guard against clarifying misconceptions and as part of my work, be involved in social projects that aim to serve the community. Please let me know if there are areas and ways which I can be useful in service to your efforts.

References

Organisations Involved

Temasek Foundation - https://www.temasekfoundation.org.sg/ - TFadmin@temasekfoundation.org.sg
Channel News Asia - digitalnews@mediacorp.com.sg.
National Environment Agency (SG) - Only feedback form. Limited Characters.
Ministry of Health (SG) - Only feedback form. Limited Characters.
People Association (SG) - Only feedback form. Limited Characters.

References Made

Others

Covid-19 - Some Information on the Corona Virus

noreply@blogger.com (Aldrin) — Mon, 02 Mar 2020 06:21:00 +0000

Encouraging those who need It.

7 Occasions of Workers Helping Workers During Singapore's Covid-19 Crisis.

Clearing up Misinformation

On the Wearing of Facemasks

No You do Not need face masks for Coronovirus - They might increase your infection risk by Forbes

On Warm Weather Stopping Spread of Virus

Will Warmer Weather Stop the Spread of the Coronavirus? Don't Count on It, Say Experts by Time Magazine

Indonesia is Safe.

Let’s not kid ourselves. Indonesia is unlikely to be COVID-19-free. And that’s not our biggest problem by Jakarta Post

Scientific Resources

Genomic epidemiology of SARS-CoV2

GENBANK: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 isolate Wuhan-Hu-1, complete genome

Air Fryers

noreply@blogger.com (Aldrin) — Wed, 05 Feb 2020 03:48:00 +0000

About Air Fryers

Air fryers cook foods without oil, making it substantially healthier, and less messy to eat. (But it's messier to clean as much of the fats are melted and accumulated into the pan!)

How it Works

Though it's named air 'fryer', they are more like small convection ovens with heating elements. The main difference in that they have a fan and a meshed basket that circulates superheated air to cook foods from all surfaces quickly. It's named air fryer mainly because the types of food it is most suited to cook efficiently are foods that we often fry or deep fry.

Types of Food that Cook Efficiently by Air Fryers

Foods that you usually deep fry:

Chicken Wings
Fries
Nuggets
Pop Corn Chicken
Fish Balls (And balls of other meats)
Spring Rolls
Samosas
Cheese Sticks
Most Other Finger Foods!

Surprising Foods that can be cooked in the Air Fryer

Steak
Vegetable Chips
Tofu/ Toupok
Sweet Potato
Salmon
Mushroom Chips
Burgers
Ravioli

Foods that you shouldn't Cook in the Air Fryer

Foods with too high Fat Content - The resulting grease may cause smoking
Foods that are too light - they may be blown away by the fan and get charred on the heating element (light toufu strips)
Examples

Bacon - https://www.cookinglight.com/cooking-101/can-you-cook-bacon-in-an-air-fryer

Air Fryer Recipies

Selecting & Choosing Air Fryers

Brands

Phillips
Mayer
PowerPac

Design and Features Considerations

Digital Vs Non-Digital
Tray - Philips Type
Rotating (Princess on Carousell)
Transparent
Combination (Yedi Air Fryer Oven on Amazon )

Size/ Capacity

Small: 2.5 L
Medium: 5.5L
Large: 7L
Very Large: 12L

Buying Air Fryers Online

Standard Air Fryers

LED Airfryer (Qoo10 $79)

Phillips Airfryer (Lazada $440)

Air Fryer Ovens

Mayer on (Lazada $167)

Yedi on (Amazon $218)

Mayer on Lazada $239

Digital Air Fryers (Used)

SMITH & NOBEL 6L on (Used $59)

Bayotte (Used $100)

Tefal 4.2L (Used $130)

Passwords - Simplifying Yet Keeping Your Online Accounts Safe and Secure

noreply@blogger.com (Aldrin) — Tue, 04 Feb 2020 07:36:00 +0000

In today's digital world, we use passwords on our mobile devices, and also to create accounts to subscribe to a myriad of services on the internet.

Personal accounts on the internet are being constantly breached or hacked. Sometimes it is not even the fault of your own, as services providers you subscribe to have their databases compromised.

How do you gain access to all your accounts easily yet keeping your passwords safe and secure?

ReSearch

Understanding Security Breaches

What is a Data Breach by Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_breach
What is a Data Breach by Forbes - https://www.forbes.com/sites/nicolemartin1/2019/02/25/what-is-a-data-breach/

Knowing If Your Account is Compromised

See List of data breaches - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_data_breaches
Visualization of the World's Biggest Data Breaches and Hacks - https://www.informationisbeautiful.net/visualizations/worlds-biggest-data-breaches-hacks/
Keep Abreast on News regarding Data Breaches

https://www.databreachtoday.com/

How to Keep Your Passwords Safe and Secure

10 Things to Do in Order to Keep Your Password Safe Even If Your Phone Is Stolen - https://www.logmeonce.com/blog/consumer/keep-password-safe/
10 Things to Avoid to Keep your Password Safe https://www.dummies.com/education/internet-basics/10-things-to-avoid-to-keep-your-password-safe/
A Guide to Keeping Your Password Secure - https://techengage.com/password-security-guide/

Understanding How Hackers Work/ How accounts can be Breached

Hacking Techniques

About Hackers - https://computer.howstuffworks.com/hacker.htm
Phishing Scams - https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-recognize-and-avoid-phishing-scams

Poor Password Hygiene

Cracking Simple Passwords - Generally, the more characters your password has, the longer it takes for hackers to crack.
Guessing your Passwords - Don't use family members' names, birthdates, pet names, or catchphrases that you use often.
Observing you keying in your password - Someone sitting behind you on the bus or the cafe can observe you keying in your password to your email and note it down.
Finding out where you write down/store your passwords - Some people write down their passwords on paper, or in an unencrypted file on your computer.

Practical Solutions

Change your Passwords to a Strong, Complex yet Memorable Passphrase

Tips

Use as many characters as you can – 15-30 characters long.
Create phrases containing several unrelated words that have a meaning only to you.
Include a combo of symbols, numbers and uppercase and lowercase letters. Instead of passwords, think of them as passphrases.
Use password calculators that estimate the approximate time hackers and thieves need to crack your passphrase.
Example: Adam!bRownzheN28 (adam ! brown zhen 28)

Use Password Tools and Services

Setting up Password Sync and Auto Sign-Ins on Your Browsers

For Chrome

Chrome Sync Settings - https://chrome.google.com/sync
Password Sync Across All your Devices - https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/6197437

Password Managers

See List of Paid - https://proprivacy.com/password-manager/comparison/best-password-managers

Password Generators

https://passwordsgenerator.net/

Password Testing

Password Scanners

https://www.passwordboss.com/dark-web-scan/

Conducting Regular Security Checks/ Ensure Password Hygiene

Check for updates on security breaches

via email
via pop-ups on your browser
via announcements when logging into your accounts

Do a Security Check on Your Accounts

For Google Users - https://myaccount.google.com/

Change Passwords Regularly
Use Different passwords for different services. A password manager can do this.
Ensure Devices are Wiped when you no longer use them

Don't Leave any Unsecured or Unnecessary Electronic Trail

Do not write down or store password information anywhere
When subscribing to new services and apps that you are not sure of, do not use your official email to do so, it is good to have a secondary email to do this.
Unsubscribe from services you no longer need
Do not share your password to anyone, especially over email.

Solo/Pair Birthday Freebies and Treats in Singapore

noreply@blogger.com (Aldrin) — Mon, 03 Feb 2020 05:16:00 +0000

Framing

It's my birthday and thinking about what deals and treats I can get by going solo or as a pair!

ReSearch

Articles

Outlines

F&B Birthday Perks

Swenson's

Free Ice-Cream! Firehouse Happy Birthday - https://www.swensens.com.sg/promotions/1203-firehouse-happy-birthday

Download App and get 20% off Cakes and Free Sundae - https://www.swensens.com.sg/new-cool-rewards-membership-program

Spizza

Join Membership and Get $20 Voucher (minimum spend $40) - http://www.spizza.sg/pages/faq_join

Activities

Golden Village

Buy-1-Get-1-Free Movie Ticket during birthday month for GV Movie Club members - https://www.gv.com.sg/GVMCViewPrivileges.html

Singapore Zoo / River Safari / Night Safari / Jurong Bird Park

Free admission with accompanying paying guest, 7 Days from day of Birth - https://www.wrs.com.sg/en/river-safari/plan-your-visit/terms-and-conditions-birthday-special.html

Shopping Deals

Qoo10

S$10 Cart Coupon issued 6 days before your registered birthday till 12 days from its issued date.

MUJI

15% OFF e-voucher for MUJI members - https://www.muji.com/sg/reward-programme/

Spotlight

$10 gift voucher for Spotlight members

Getting my Xiaomi miTV 4A 32" (SMART TV) to play nice

noreply@blogger.com (Aldrin) — Mon, 03 Feb 2020 03:10:00 +0000

Framing

Related Ideas: Xiaomi TV, MiTV, Smart TV, TV Box, Google TV Box

ReSearch

About the TV

Xiaomi Official Website (In Chinese) - https://www.mi.com/mitv4A/32/
Reviews

On Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=mitv+4a+32
Display Specifications - https://www.displayspecifications.com/en/model/2b08d11

Forums

Hardwarezone (SG) - http://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/house-displays-226/xiaomi-tv-discussion-thread-ii-%5Bconsolidated%5D-5537965-18.html
Official Forum - http://en.miui.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=596747&highlight=tv%2B4a

Support Forums

https://xiaomi.eu/community/threads/mi-tv-clinic-all-version-well-try-to-fix-your-problems.28888/page-3

Where to Buy

Gearbest (International) - https://www.gearbest.com/desktop-computer-monitor/pp_671083.html
SGD$309 on Qoo10 (Singapore) - https://www.qoo10.sg/g/544525758/Q101055224

General Guides and Support

On Rooting

How to Root your Xiaomi TV - https://www.gizchina.com/2014/05/24/root-xiaomi-mitv/
How to Root your Android TV Box/ Phone - https://www.entertainmentbox.com/root-android-tv-box-phone/

Changing Language to English

Method 1: How to Set Default Language to English for Mi Box and Mi TV http://en.miui.com/thread-391907-1-1.html
Method 2: Download and Install Shafa App

Download - http://m.shafa.com/
How to Download Shafa App - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QiLrqY_vzmQ
How to Change to English - https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4JkSNKe7Jys

Method 3: Using another Launcher App - http://www.theidealmobile.com/2015/08/this-is-how-to-change-mibox-language-to.html

Using Native System - How to Overcome China only Address

Use VPN - http://en.miui.com/thread-42567-1-1.html

Use 快手看片app on Shafa Market to change IP
How to Setup PPTP-VPN on Android 4 - https://www.flyvpn.com/How-To-Setup-PPTP-VPN-On-Android-4.html#.VBb4Yy6SwkE

Install VST channel app from the Shafa market
Mitv2 English with Youtube, Chrome, PlayStore, Vpn, Hulu, Netflix & XBMC - http://en.miui.com/thread-75982-1-1.html
How to Change Language to English and Install Apps Remotely on Xiaomi Mi Box 3 - https://www.cnx-software.com/2016/04/12/how-to-change-language-to-english-and-install-apps-remotely-on-xiaomi-mi-box-3-enhanced/

Jordan B Peterson: (worded) Offence as a means for progress?

noreply@blogger.com (Aldrin) — Wed, 23 Jan 2019 01:48:00 +0000

"Why should your right to freedom of speech trumps a tran's right not to be offended?"

"Because in order to be able to think, you have to risk being offensive. Look at the conversation we are having right now? you are most certainly willing to offend me in pursuit of truth, why should you have the right to do that? Its been rather uncomfortable (to me)"

My TP-Link m7350 Mobile Router's back cover is bloated. Replacing the Battery TBL-55a2550

noreply@blogger.com (Aldrin) — Fri, 09 Nov 2018 04:27:00 +0000

My router's back plate has cracked due to a bloated battery.

In fear of the battery exploding and the need to have my mobile router, I have 2 options.

Option 1: Replacing the Battery

About the TP-Link m7350 Router and Battery

TP-Link M7350 Mobile Router - https://www.tp-link.com/sg/products/details/cat-5032_M7350.html
Battery.com - http://battery.com.sg/our-products/4577-tp-link-tbl-55a2550-battery-for-tp-link-m7350-tl-tr961.html

Online Shops selling the Mobile Router

$175 https://www.lazada.sg/products/tp-link-m7350-lte-advanced-mobile-wi-fi-i2692675-s3309104.html

Online Shops selling Battery

Aliexpress

$13.86 + $20 for shipping - https://www.aliexpress.com/item/GND-2550mAh-3-8V-TBL-55A2550-Replacement-Battery-For-TP-LINK-TL-TR961-2500L-M7350-wifi/32857105274.html

Shopee

$25.90 + $3.90 https://shopee.sg/CS-Battery-TP-Link-TBL-66A1500-TP-Link-TL-T882-Hotspot-Battery-TTR882SL-i.97279970.1599581080

Qoo10

$20 + $5.80 - https://www.qoo10.sg/item/TP-LINK-TL-MR11U-TBL-71A2000-BATTERY-2000MAH-NEW-DIGITAL-STORE/520943596

Option 2: Buying a New Mobile Router

'Branded' Mobile Routers

$55 + Freee Delivery: Huawei E5573 4G Dongle Lte Wifi Router E5573Bs-322 Mobile Hotspot Wireless - www.qoo10.sg/g/495847323/Q101055224

Routers with Battery Pack

$97 + $6 Delivery: XIAOMI ZMI 4G WIFI router powerbank 3G 4G Mifi mobile hotspot with 10000mAh QC2.0 fast - https://qoo.tn/B8b9dR/Q101055224

Backstory: (more later!)

What happened?

My mobile router has a bloated and cracked back cover, caused by a badly bloated battery. It looks unsafe and dangerous!

What did I do?

The Battery needs to be removed and disposed of safely. The fear is of it going off and exploding like many other lithium batteries have. The best place to do that is at the local community centers.

I have 2 options to get my mobile router up and running again. Either to buy a replacement battery or get a new device.

Resolution

To look for a new mobile router.

Make a Bird House! (Part 1: Designing and Choosing Up-cycled Materials!)

noreply@blogger.com (Aldrin) — Wed, 02 Aug 2017 08:28:00 +0000

Framing

It's time to design my bird house and to get my project started! At first, I thought it would be easy, just make a simple box with roof using the existing reclaimed wood I have. After all, my goal was to kill two birds with one stone (pun intended): To practice my wood working, and to make a nice bird house for my corridor garden. (also to get rid of some of the scrap wood I have around actually. so three birds...)

However, after taking a nap and dreaming about it, I decided that I should try to make a good one.
What makes a good birdhouse anyway?
So these questions came to mind:

What makes a Bird house a Bird house?
What features should it have?
What should a bird house look like?
Which Upcycled materials should I use?

and I started reading up on and researching on the following:

ReSearch on Bird Houses

What Makes a Bird house, a bird house?

Firstly, a bird house is also known as a nest box. See Wikipedia on Nest Box.

It was invented by Charles Waterton in the early 19th century to encourage more birdlife and wildfowl on the nature reserve he set up on his estate. (Cool beans! I wish to follow in his footsteps!)

Basically, it is used as a means to attract, feed and nest birds and other small animals and insects!

What Features should a Birdhouse have?

The main features and considerations that go into the design of a bird house are:

Materials used in the construction

Safety for the bird: should be made from untreated wood or materials that do not leach chemicals. Preferably not fully metal as it will get too hot
The Aesthetics and ekistics of it: You would want it to look good and not out of place amongst your physical surroundings.

Physical Features

An overhanging, sloped roof, a recessed floor and drainage for protection from the sun and elements such as rain and strong winds
Ventilation holes for the animal to breathe
a way to access the interior for monitoring and cleaning

An Opening or Entrance Hole but no outside perches which could assist predators

Deciding which birds you want to attract

The Diameter of the opening: e.g. some birds select boxes with a hole only just large enough for an adult bird to pass through.
Size of the box: very small boxes attract wrens and treecreepers and very large ones may attract larger ones. (DUH!)
The materials you use: e.g. Sparrows have been shown to prefer woodcrete boxes rather than wooden ones.

Consider Other Nesting Animals

Your bird box may end up attracting other animals such as bats, butterflies, wasps and even ants and termites!

Bird House Designs

So next step was to look at some existing DIY birdhouse designs! For mood boards I usually turn to Pinterest! Do have a look at what I found here!

My Bird House Design

Features I want to have

The birdhouse is to be mainly made of reclaimed wood. I have much scrap wood lying around, that I kept thinking that I will save for other projects. But a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, and I really should just use it before the wood deteriorates!

The animals I want to attract are:

Small Yellow Bird: I've to research what are the small birds that visit my estate! I used to see a small yellow bird visit before, but ever since they cut down the tree in my estate, it never came back! sob sob...
Butterflies: There are many flowers in my corridor garden, perhaps the plants will be more healthy if I can attract some polinators like butterflies! Again they used to visit, but with the tree gone... (I'm actually very angry and sore they cut the tree down. I shall write a post about this tree one day...)

Inventorying the Materials that I have

These are the scrap woods I have. In order from left to right, they are:

24.5 X 7 X 1.5
27.5 X 7.5 X 1.5
34 X 7.5 X 1.5
40 X 10 X 1.5
44 X 9 X 1.5 (2 pcs)
53.5 X 9 X 1.5 (2 pcs)
56 X 7 X 1.5 (3 pcs)

(in cm Length X Width X Thickness)

Designing my Birdhouse

Backstory: (more later!)

What happened?

A cow jumped over the moon. The dish ran away with the spoon.

What did I do?

Went to the market and screamed wee wee wee wee.

Resolution

The cows came home.

Carpentry/Woodworking Practice: Make a Bird House! (Overview)

noreply@blogger.com (Aldrin) — Wed, 02 Aug 2017 02:13:00 +0000

I'm currently making two DIY upcycled storage platforms using old beds frames and slats. One for my multi-purpose Komorebi room, the other for a relaxing corner for my living room. So I thought before I start on my massive project, I have to hone in my skills and what better way to do that than to practice making a bird house for my garden outside my corridor!

The skills I need to practice and acquire are:

Woodworking and Aesthetic Design Knowledge: The very first step and most important skill! One must first understand how wood works, and how the design fits the human requirements and usage!
Making Holes

using a hand-held Drill, a drill press stand or with a pocket hole jig for pocket holes and holes for dowels
using a hand held Router

Cutting: Making square and diagonal cuts with Circular Saw and Jig Saw
Smoothen, Chamfer and reduce edges by using router, Jack plane and planner
Joinery: Make Lap joints, dados and finger joints using a router, jigsaw or hand saw
Making and practice using jigs and other assistance Tools

Drill Press Stand
Clamps: F-Clamp, Quick Release Clamp, C Claps
Pocket hole jig
Making Jigs

Assembly techniques

Gluing and Clamping (especially for joinery)
Dowels (use dill press stand or router or drill?)

Treating Wood against boring insects and fungus with Vinegar and/or Baking Soda
Finishing Wood using tea and/or coffee stain, shellac, DIY varnishes

Outlines

Make a Treehouse Part 1: Designing the Bird House using upcycled wood

Make a Treehouse Part 2: Cut, Drill, Rout the Wood

ReSearch/ Reference

Learning about Woodworking and Carpentry 1: General Research and Outlines

Learning about Woodworking and Carpentry 2a: Choosing and Buying Woods & Timbers

Learning about Woodworking and Carpentry 2b: Choosing, Buying and Mastering Hardware, Supplies and Tools of the Trade in SEA

Learning about Woodworking and Carpentry 3: Processing Woods: Cutting, Smoothing, Cleaning, Preserving

Learning about Woodworking and Carpentry 4: Assembling & Joining: Joints, Fasteners & Glue

Learning about Woodworking and Carpentry 5: Wood Projects Finishes: Stain, Varnish, Paint, Lacquer, Waxes & Oils, French Polish, Shellac
s

Learning about Woodworking and Carpentry 6: Maintaining, Refurbishing and Repairing Wood Projects

Choosing and Buying DIY Tools and Hardware Supplies

Price Research for DIY Tools and Hardware Supplies (G Sheet)

Backstory:

What happened?

I'm currently renovating my own home in the bid to

Use more of my hands
Reduce home ownership costs (Renovation in Singapore costs up to 60k SGD for what I want to do!
A research and learning project on my part to develop:

A Home DIY Blog section for Lemon, Juice and Biscuit Online
An Interior Redecorating service as well as the Old to Cool Project for Tanda Creatives
Upcycling projects and techniques for Let's Positively Impact the Environment Community.

It turned out more than I have bargained for as I have to think harder than before to solve problems. This is especially so when I:

Do not have a dedicated workshop. I have to work from home, which means finding space, reducing noise and complaints from neighbors, and to deal with the dust and grime.
Do not the right kind of tools and supplies: Singapore has really limited (and expensive!) toolsets and woodworking supplies! I can't even find wood screws!
Am upcycling: means all my components are not standard. I have to deal with a juxtaposition of wood in different sizes and states. I have bed slats and frames from 5 different sets!

What did I do?

I turned one of the rooms (Komorebi Room) I'm working on as a temporary workshop, and will finish working on that room last.

Resolution

I decided to start working on a Bird House to be placed outside my Corridor Garden, perched on top of the log collected from the cut tree in my neighbourhood. Now my corridor has butterflies, bees and the occasional minah. Hopefully more beautiful birds from the river will rest here!

noreply@blogger.com (Aldrin) — Thu, 27 Apr 2017 02:48:00 +0000

I just want to write something simple on my blog.

The End Title Music in Master and Commander: Far Side of the World and Boccherlini

noreply@blogger.com (Aldrin) — Wed, 15 Feb 2017 02:29:00 +0000

Composer: Luigi Boccherini

Title: La Musica Notturna Delle Strade di Madrid

Scene of Capt. Jack & Dr. Stephen playing "La Musica Notturna delle Strade di Madrid. No. 6, Op. 30" by Boccherini.

12:58 L. Boccherini: La Musica Notturna delle Strade di Madrid - Op. 30 n. 6 (G. 324) / J. Savall

Festival Style from lumina Festival 2016

Interpretation by Carmina Quartet) and Rolf Lislevand

A lovely family that plays together stays together. =)

About Boccherini

Italian Composer and Cellist

Classical Era: Courtly and Galnte Style

Famous Pieces by Boccherini

String Quintet in E, Op. 11, No. 5 (G 275)

Cello Concerto in B flat major (G 482)

Popularisation in Modern Culture

"celebrated minuet" (String Quintet in E, Op. 11, No. 5 (G 275)) in film:The Ladykillers.

Musica notturna delle strade di Madrid" (String Quintet in C major, Op. 30 No. 6, G324),in film: Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World.

Reference

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luigi_Boccherini

All about Xiaomi and Redmi Phones

noreply@blogger.com (Aldrin) — Tue, 31 Jan 2017 06:44:00 +0000

Tools, Tips and Tutorials
Change-log
Announcement and Explanations

ReSearch

Resources and References

Official Sites

Mi - http://www.mi.com/en/
MIUI Forums - http://en.miui.com/
MI PC Suite - http://pcsuite.mi.com/
Xiaomi Account - https://account.xiaomi.com

Websites

Xiaomi Advices - http://xiaomiadvices.com/

Software

Android File Transfer - https://www.android.com/filetransfer/ - Freeware
SyncMate - https://mac.eltima.com/xiaomi-sync.html - Free + Paid Version
Syncios - http://www.syncios.com/android-backup/ - Trial with 5 items only

All about Xiaomi and Redmi Devices

All about MIUI

A comprehensive Guide: Understand more on MIUI Versions - http://en.miui.com/thread-348591-1-1.html

Google Now Vs MIUI: Which one is better - https://www.quora.com/Google-launcher-vs-MIUI-system-launcher-Which-one-is-better

Getting MIUI to Play Nice

How to Install Global Rom on xiaomi devices

Install MIUI 8 Global Rom on Xiaomi Devices - http://www.stechguide.com/install-miui-8-global-rom-on-xiaomi-devices/

Bootloaders, flashing and debugging

Locking Bootloader for Mi Devices - http://en.miui.com/thread-201477-1-1.html

How to check Bootloader lock status and Relock - http://en.miui.com/thread-279195-1-1.html

How to get Google Apps to work properly on MIUI

Google Contacts

Google won't sync my Contacts under MIUI 8 - http://en.miui.com/thread-288441-1-1.html

Google Now Launcher -

Google Now Launcher Fix on MIUI 8 - http://c.mi.com/in/thread-27432-1-1.html

Backing up and Syncing Your Data

General
With Mac

Unresolved Issues

All about Redmi 4 Prime

Installing MIUI 8.2 Global Stable Rom for Redmi 4 Prime - http://en.miui.com/thread-508000-1-1.html
Official Forum for Redmi 4 Prime - http://en.miui.com/forum-119-1.html
Download MIUI 8.1.2.0 global stable rom for redmi 4 Prime - http://www.stechguide.com/download-miui-8-1-2-0-global-stable-rom-for-redmi-4-prime/
Xiaomi Redmi 4 Prime Update to MIUI 8 Global ROM Without PC - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWOpuohMp_Q

Outlines

MIUI Versions

Comparison between MIUI China Rom Vs Global Rom versions

Backstory: (more later!)

What happened?

A cow jumped over the moon. The dish ran away with the spoon.

What did I do?

Went to the market and screamed wee wee wee wee.

Resolution

The cows came home.

Hero by Zhang Yimou - Post Movie thoughts and feelings upon watching

noreply@blogger.com (Aldrin) — Mon, 24 Oct 2016 05:13:00 +0000

Spoilers Ahead!

It's really best to watch the entirety of the film before reading this.

"People give up their lives for a variety of reasons. For friendship, for love, for an ideal; and people kill for the same reasons."

Brief Synopsis

One man's quest driven by revenge for the murder of his family, leads him to unrelentingly train for 10 years to perfect a warriors move to kill the Qin King.

He colludes with 3 top pugilistic heroes, the most highly skilled and honorable people of the land, who were willing to sacrifice all, to stop the Qin King's conquest and destruction of their homes.
Eventually, he realises the highest ideal of a warrior, in the quest for perfection to be able to kill his enemies, ultimately is to bring peace to the land without any more killing.
The ultimate act for peace and act of wisdom, is sacrifice.

Ideas to Think About

Give up ones life in Sacrifice vs Live a Life of Meaning

Is one's life is worth giving up or dedicated for higher ideals greater than himself Or should One's life should be lived based on one's own personal desires and beliefs.
Movie e.g. Should a person live his life to kill because of his own need for revenge, or sacrifice his desires and life for the greater good.
Religious e.g. Should I as a faithful Muslim give up my life and kill infidels, in so being a martyr, bring glory to my religion; or should I be a faithful Muslim, living life to the fullest with the best example of my religion so that I myself can enter paradise? As a Christian, should I be a living sacrifice and give up all worldly desires to fulfil God's words, or should I embrace society's values and pursue a prosperous life in combination with fulfilling the church's beliefs and rituals.
Asian conundrum e.g. Should I do my best and give my all in order for my children to have a better life OR should I have children so that I can be pious and dutiful in continuing the family line/ in my old age I will not be lonely and have someone to take care of me?

Ways to Live life or Give up one's life

To live one's life

by giving in to immediate desires/ situational cognitive shortcuts to fulfil an immediately obvious ideology and purpose. e.g. To give in to a movement: The environmental movement believes that not using plastic bags will help save the environment. Hence I will not use plastic bags.
to consistently pursue an end-goal based on a non-shifting philosophy or mission. It is not good to waste material. e.g. To develop a lifestyle: I will try not to use plastic bags as I also try not to waste other things. e.g. money, electricity etc.

To give up one's life (Metaphorically or physical existence)

by giving-in to immediate desires/ situational cognitive shortcuts to fulfil an immediately obvious ideology and purpose. e.g. To give up a habit or behavior: I will remove every plastic items currently in my life and endeavor not to have any new ones.
to fulfil an end-goal based on a non-shifting philosophy or mission. e.g. To give up a lifestyle: I will no longer be a consumer and no longer use disposables. I will not buy more than one set of crockery and cutlery and use them when I eat in or when I take out.

Collectivism Vs Individualism (moral, political and social theory perspective)

Does 'Eastern' philosophy equate to 'Confucianism', hence collectivism: The idea that people should be interdependent on others and all conform to the same ideas and worship the goals of group than that of the individual.
Does 'Western' philosophy equate to 'Rights Movement', hence individualism: the freedom of action for individuals over collective or state control.

Differentiating between Following a Mission Vs Choosing an Ideology

To fulfil oneself, one can choose a Mission that benefits others
To fulfil others, one can choose a Mission that benefits himself.
One's goal can be selfish or selfless and can be perceived as collectivistic or individualistic. e.g. if I give a donation,

What is a good life?

To live life faithfully following a mission that has a system of prescribed behaviours, or to choose an ideology and constantly check to see if the independent decisions you make in life are consistent in espousing it.

Other ideas to think about

Reductionism Vs Holism - Can we understand things by logical conclusions or by building theories?
Is there such a thing as alturism?
The good tend to sacrifice themselves as an example for the rest to believe in what they are doing.
Is man's intrinsic or basal motivation driven only by euphoria? Or can at ground state (without education or choice) be a higher idea e.g. eudaimonia. Conversely can a person who transcends basal motivation and deny instinctive desires choose euphoria over eudaimonia?

My Mac Pro (Late 2013 Desktop) won't power on.

noreply@blogger.com (Aldrin) — Wed, 10 Aug 2016 05:51:00 +0000

Tags: MacPro start up issues, problems and troubleshooting

Backstory:

What happened?

My Mac Pro won't start up when I press the power button.

When I physically move the MacPro, the port lights are turned on but the power button remained off.

What did I do?

I removed the Mac Pro cover, cleaned the insides from dust, removed and reinserted the RAM.
Removed all peripheral devices.
Changed power points, turned off unnecessary electronics near the power outlet.
Pressed and held the power button for some time.
Tried various keyboard combinations during Startup

Resolution

Nothing worked. Then Miraculously the power button turned on by itself.

ReSearch

Getting Support from Apple Support

Apple Support> Mac> Mac Pro - https://support.apple.com/mac/mac-pro

Mac Pro Support

Get Help with Windows and Boot Camp
Get Help with Start Up
Learn about Mac Service

New to Mac
Featured Topics: Setup/ Displays/ Printing/ Wireless/ Accessories/ Memory
OS X Support
Resources

User Guides
Tech Specs
Downloads

Mac Pro Community: Find Mac Pro solutions from users around the world
Contact Apple Support

Talk to Apple Support Now - https://getsupport.apple.com/

Enter Your Serial Number

Suggested Troubleshooting Steps

Reset the System Management Controller (SMC) on your Mac - https://support.apple.com/en-sg/HT201295
How to Reset NVRAM on your Mac - https://support.apple.com/en-sg/HT204063
Logic Board Battery Replacement: Get it done at an Apple Store or Authorised Apple Service Center

Outlines

About the SMC (System Management Controller)

From https://support.apple.com/en-sg/HT201295

About the SMC:

The SMC is responsible for these and other low-level functions on Intel-based Macs:

Responding to presses of the power button
Responding to the display lid opening and closing on portable Macs
Battery management
Thermal management
The SMS (Sudden Motion Sensor)
Ambient light sensing
Keyboard backlighting
Status indicator light (SIL) management
Battery status indicator lights
Selecting an external (instead of internal) video source for some iMac displays

How to Reset the SMC on Mac Desktop Computers

Shut down the Mac.

Unplug the power cord.

Wait 15 seconds.

Plug the power cord back in.

Wait 5 seconds, then press the power button to turn on the Mac.

When will SMC Need to be Reset?

After you perform normal troubleshooting, these symptoms may indicate that an SMC reset could be necessary:

The computer fans run at high speed, though the computer is not experiencing heavy usage and is properly ventilated.

The keyboard backlight behaves incorrectly on Mac computers that have this feature.

The status indicator light (SIL) behaves incorrectly on Mac computers that have this feature.

Battery indicator lights, if present, behave incorrectly on Mac notebooks that have a non-removable battery.

The display backlight doesn't respond correctly to ambient light changes on Mac computers that have this feature.

The computer doesn't respond to the power button when pressed.

A Mac notebook computer doesn't respond properly when you close or open the lid.

The computer sleeps or shuts down unexpectedly.

The battery doesn't charge properly.

The MagSafe power adapter LED doesn't indicate the correct activity.

The computer is performing unusually slowly, though it isn't experiencing abnormally high CPU utilization.

Application icons may bounce in the Dock for an extended amount of time when opened.

Applications may not function correctly, or they may stop responding after being opened.

A computer that supports target display mode does not switch into or out of target display mode as expected, or it switches into or out of target display mode at unexpected times.

The illumination around the I/O ports on a Mac Pro (Late 2013) does not activate when you move the computer.

About the NVRAM (Non-Volatile Random-Access Memory)

From https://support.apple.com/en-sg/HT204063

About the NVRAM

The NVRAM stores settings where the OS can access quickly and may include the following

Speaker volume
Screen resolution
Startup disk selection
Recent kernel panic information, if any

How to Reset the NVRAM

Shut down your Mac.
Locate the following keys on the keyboard: Command (⌘), Option, P, and R.
Turn on your Mac.
Press and hold the Command-Option-P-R keys immediately after you hear the startup sound.
Hold these keys until the computer restarts and you hear the startup sound for a second time.
Release the keys.

Logic Board (Mother Board)

Further Steps to resolve NVRAM related issues

If issues related to these features continue on a desktop Mac, its logic board battery may need to be replaced.
The logic board battery on desktop computers helps retain NVRAM settings when your Mac is unplugged.
You can take your Mac to an Apple Store or Apple Authorized Service Provider to replace the battery on the logic board.

Fix it Yourself: NOT RECOMMENDED

Apple Logic Board for Mac Pro Late 2013 - http://www.dvwarehouse.com/661-7527-Apple-Logic-Board-for-Mac-Pro-Late-2013---NEW-p-41393.html - $549USD

Older Versions of Mac Pro Logic Board Replacement

Mac Pro (2010) Repair - Logic Board removal - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tUVMVjqVw0
Mac Pro Battery Replacement Instructions - https://manuals.info.apple.com/MANUALS/0/MA175/en_US/MacPro_Battery_DIY.pdf
Mac Pro Logic Boards on ebay - http://www.ebay.com/bhp/mac-pro-logic-board

Quotations/Meeting the Dalai Lama

noreply@blogger.com (Aldrin) — Sun, 29 May 2016 04:33:00 +0000

The Dalai Lama

The Dalai Lama is an enigmatic person.
I had the pleasure of encountering him in my trip to Dharamshala in 2011, where the current exiled Tibetan Government resides in India. Guarded by fierce looking, machine-gun trotting, moustached and pot-bellied Indian soldiers, the largely Tibetan crowds kneeled and bowed in respect as he walked past them.
He passed by me, only a few meters away. I could see his ?smiling? face and somehow I felt a wash of calm all over me. Amazing ?charisma?.

I've watched some documentaries about him, and attended a religious ceremony presided by him. Also met and chatted with locals who shared their experiences with him.

Quotations and Words of Wisdom by the Dalai Lama.

*Unverified source*

Changing our World View

"People exist to be loved; objects exist to be used. The world is in chaos because these things are the other way round"
"Arrogance can never be justified. It is the result of either low self-esteem or temporary and superficial achievements."
"The purpose of life is to be happy."
"By maintaining a positive attitude towards life at all times, you can be content even in the most unfavourable circumstances."
"Our enemies provide us with excellent opportunities to practice patience, perseverance and compassion."

What we can do - Actionables

"Be kind whenever you can — which is all the time."
"When someone feels that everything in their life is going wrong, it means that something wonderful is about to occur."
"If you can help, you should do so. If you can’t, at the very least don’t do any harm."
"I don’t celebrate birthdays. For me, they’re no different from any other day. In one sense, every day is a day of birth. "
"Every day, you wake up in the morning, everything is fresh and new, and your only goal for the new day is for it to teach you something important."

On religion

"The idea of compassion is not related to religion. It is a universal concept; its existence is the sole condition for the survival of the human race."
"I believe that the only true religion consists in having a good heart."
"Well-being comes through action, not through prayer."
"Each of us bears responsibility for all of humanity. This is the basis of my simple religion. We have no need of temples or complicated philosophy. Our mind and our heart are our temples; our philosophy is our kindness."

Dance Movement: Butoh

noreply@blogger.com (Aldrin) — Fri, 27 May 2016 04:16:00 +0000

Dance Movement: Butoh

Meguri: Teeming Sea, Tranquil Land by Sankai Juku

I recently watched a Butoh Performance by group Sankai Juku at the Super! Japan Festival of Arts at the Esplanade. Seated at the 2nd row from the front, every detail - movement, clicks and hisses, smell and powder dust can be heard, smelt, felt and seen.

It was visually Stunning, mesmerizing and beautiful. For a first time Butoh viewer, the discomfort, shock was minimal. I'm now a new Butoh fan.

About Butoh

Websites and Articles

Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butoh
History of Butoh by Don McLeod - http://www.zenbutoh.com/history.htm
Butoh by Contemporary Dance - http://www.contemporary-dance.org/butoh.html
About Butoh by Misaki Iwana - http://www.iwanabutoh.com/butoh.php
About Butoh by Flesh Blood Mystery Theatre - http://home.earthlink.net/~bdenatale/AboutButoh.html

Documentaries

Japanese Documentary on Butoh - Piercing the Mask (49 Mins in Japanese with English Subtitles)

English Documentary on Butoh - Dance of Darkness (55mins in English)

Butoh Groups and Performers

Sankai Juku

Website - http://www.sankaijuku.com/
Youtube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/user/sankaijukumedia

Butoh Performances

Butoh Performances by Japanese

Kazuo Ono by Butoh's Co-founder Kazuo Ono

Performance in Tobari by Sankai Juku

Ritournelle by Ko Murobushi

Butoh Performances by Non-Japanese

Performance by Swiss Imre Thormann

Grain of Salt by Fred Herrera

Butoh By Women Contains Nudity

Dance of Darkness

Dance by Goldens in Koenji Daidogei Festival in 2014

Learning Butoh

Learn Butoh: Episode 1 - Ash Walk

Backstory: (more later!)

What happened?

A cow jumped over the moon. The dish ran away with the spoon.

What did I do?

Went to the market and screamed wee wee wee wee.

Resolution

The cows came home.

TED: The Unexpected Benefit of Celebrating Failure // The Counter-Intuitive Nature of Motivating Individuals to be Audacious

noreply@blogger.com (Aldrin) — Wed, 25 May 2016 03:14:00 +0000

Taking Audacious Risk

The Counter-Intuitive nature of Motivating Individuals to be Audacious

From TED Talks: The Unexpected Benefit of Celebrating Failure

"...enthusiastic skepticism is not the enemy of boundless optimism. It's optimism's perfect partner. It unlocks the potential in every idea. We can create the future that's in our dreams."

On AUDACIOUS RISK

"Being audacious and working on big, risky things makes people inherently uncomfortable."

On PEOPLES' RESISTANCE

"You cannot yell at people and force them to fail fast. People resist. They worry. "What will happen to me if I fail? Will people laugh at me? Will I be fired?""

GETTING PEOPLE TO BE AUDACIOUS

"The only way to get people to work on big, risky things -- audacious ideas -- and have them run at all the hardest parts of the problem first, is if you make that the path of least resistance for them."
"We work hard at X to make it safe to fail. Teams kill their ideas as soon as the evidence is on the table because they're rewarded for it. They get applause from their peers. Hugs and high fives from their manager, me in particular. They get promoted for it. We have bonused every single person on teams that ended their projects, from teams as small as two to teams of more than 30."

Backstory: (more later!)

What happened?

A cow jumped over the moon. The dish ran away with the spoon.

What did I do?

Went to the market and screamed wee wee wee wee.

Resolution

The cows came home.

Deciding on a Mobile Phone Line on A Budget in Singapore

noreply@blogger.com (Aldrin) — Mon, 23 May 2016 02:53:00 +0000

About Mobile Phone Lines in Singapore

There are 3 main Mobile Telcos in

Deciding on a Mobile Phone Line on A Budget in Singapore

Singapore

Singtel
M1
Starhub.

There are current 4 kind of mobile phone lines available in Singapore

Pre-Paid - Requires frequent Top-ups.
!NEW! Contract-less SIM - Pay a monthly rate for a mobile number. Can stop anytime.
Post-Paid Subscription/Contract based - This is what most Singaporeans have. Pay a monthly fixed 2 Year contracted rate and get a mobile phone with reduced prices
Mobile VOIP: Internet-based phone lines that are compatible with mobile and landlines. E.g. Skype Number, Google Voice (Not yet available in SG)

Prepaid Cards in Singapore

Things to note

There are 3 main telcos offering Pre-paid Mobile cards. Singtel, M1 and Starhub.
There are different features between New SIM cards and TOP UP cards. e.g. A new SIM could have 180days validity, but subsequent top ups are only 30 days. READ CAREFULLY!
There are 3 different usage types

For Tourists and those who want short term mobile and data.
For Long Term use

Besides Prepaid

Choosing a Prepaid Card

Singtel - Best for customised needs.
M1 - New $5 SIM have 180 days validity.
Starhub - Simple Price plans

Singtel hi! Cards

Types of Cards

hi!Tourist Cards
hi! SIM Cards - $8, $15, $38, $50
hi! Data SIM Cards - $20
hi! top-up Cards - $10, $20, $50

Rates

Calls: 8 - 16 cents/ min (Depending on day and time)
SMS: 5 cents per sms
Data: 2.7 - 5.4 cents/ 10kb

Validity of SIM

Validity of all SIM Cards from 90-180 days

Features

Data is chargeable, or free depending on value of hi! SIM card purchased
Free incoming calls (10-20days) for Hi! top-up cards.

M1 M Cards

Types of Cards

M Card - $5, $15
M Card Topup - $17, $23, Super Data($30)

Rates

Calls: 8 - 16 cents/ min (Depending on day and time)
SMS: 5 cents per sms.
Data: 0.2 cents/ kb

Validity of SIM

New M Card is 180 Days.
Top ups between 30-50days

Benefits

Free 10 sms with every 5 sms sent
Data is Free 100-500MB (valid 30 days) for new M1 Card purchased
Free incoming Calls (50-30days) for M1 Top Up cards.

Starhub Happy Prepaid SIM

Types of Cards

Happy Prepaid SIM - $8, $15
Prepaid Internet SIM - $18
Happy Tourist Pack - $32
Happy Prepaid Top-up - $8, $18, $38
Happy Stars Prepaid Top-up - $17, $25

Rates

Calls: 22cents for 1st minute, 8 cents after
SMS: 5 cents per SMS
Data: 7cents per 10kb

Validity

New Happy Prepaid Card from 90-180days
Topup Card - 60-180days

Features

Data is free 100GB for 5 days for new $15 Happy SIM

Pre-paid Promotions

Singtel Prepaid Promotions
M1 Prepaid Promotions

Comparing with Postpaid Subscription Services

SIM Only Plans

References

The Expat's Guide to Getting a Prepaid SIM card in Singapore - http://blog.moneysmart.sg/lifestyle/the-expats-guide-to-getting-a-prepaid-sim-card-in-singapore/
How to Buy A Local SIM Card in Singapore - http://www.travelfish.org/orientation_detail/singapore/central_region/central_area/downtown_singapore/10
Prepaid Data SIM Card Wiki - http://prepaid-data-sim-card.wikia.com/wiki/Singapore

Backstory: (more later!)

What happened?

Mobile phone subscriptions in Singapore are costly. I need to reduce the cost of my mobile phone subscription. At the same time, I have to set up a business presence with a contact number. Should I use my personal mobile line? Or to subscribe to a land line and have it forward to my mobile line? I have to design a way to integrate my personal line with my business line in such a way to keep costs down, as well as to be remain contactable.

What did I do?

Conduct research between mobile post-paid and pre-paid subscription, as well as the new kind of contract-less SIM that has popped up due to the presence of the 4th telco in Singapore, as well as land lines plans.

Resolution

My Personal Line, I will wait till end of contract in Sept to convert to SIM only line. Reduce monthly cost from $45 to $25.
For my business, I will use the free landline number (Bundled with my Internet) and sign up for a forwarding service to a NEW contract-less SIM business mobile number. It will first be from M1 awaiting the 4th telco. This will then be eligible for a family pack discount.

Going to The Singapore Science Centre Group of Attractions: Science Centre, Omni-Theatre, Snow City

noreply@blogger.com (Aldrin) — Tue, 03 May 2016 07:22:00 +0000

About the Science Centre Group of Attractions

Buying Tickets for the Singapore Science Center Group of Attractions

Main Attractions

The Science Center

The Omni Theatre

Snow City

KidsSTOP

Exhibitions and Other Attractions

Human Body Experience

Butterflies Up-Close

Arctic Snow Playground at Snow City

Internet Search Results for Tickets to the Science Centre

Science Center Singapore Group of Attractions (Official Ticketing)

For Full and Updated list of Single Venue Rates, See here!

Science Center

Singaporeans/PR

Peak: Adult $6, Children $4, Seniors $4
Off-Peak: Free

Foreigners: Adult $12, Children $8, Seniors $12

Snow City 1 Hr

Singaporean/PR: Adult $15, Children $12, Seniors $12
Foreigners: $18

Omni Theatre: Adults and Children $14, Seniors $12
KidsSTOP

Singaporean/ PR

Peak - Adult $5, Children $10, Seniors $5
Off-Peak - Adult $2, Children $5, Seniors Free

Foreigners

Peak - Adult $13, Children $23, Seniors $13
Off-Peak - Adult $10, Children $20, Seniors Free

HBX: Adults $15. Children $12, Seniors $15
Butterflies Up-Close: Adults and Children $10, Seniors $8

Qoo10

for Science Center Tickets

Travelplus Aviation - Science Center + Omni-Theatre Ticket Adult $15.50 Child $12.50

For Snow City Tickets

Filair - Snow City Admission with 1Hr with jackets and Boots $12
Travelplus Aviation - Snow City Admission with 1 Hr with jacket and boots $12.50

The Omni-Theatre

Events and Promotions for Tickets to the Science Centre

Official Science Centre Promotions Page
iMob Shop

Science Centre + Omni-Theatre + Snow City Adult $25

Groupon Deals for Science Centre / Snow City
Cuponation for Science Cenre / Snow City
Singpromos for Science Centre / Snow City
Be My Guest for Science Centre / Snow City

The Mind's Eye Exhibition at the Science Centre

Credit Card and Membership Promotions

Passion Card - Snow City Singapore 4 pax for $60

Backstory: (more later!)

What happened?

I made a last minute decision to visit the Bird Park Tomorrow. I want to find the cheapest tickets available for 2 senior citizens, 2 foreign visitors (one Adult and one Child), and 2 local Adults.

What did I do?

I just typed for Jurong Bird Park Discounts and Promotions on google and did my research.

Resolution

Purchased 2 senior citizen tickets on the official online store for $26, and bought the rest of the tickets on BeMyGuest (with a 8% discount code from Cuponation) for $86.

What is Marketing Research?

noreply@blogger.com (Aldrin) — Tue, 03 May 2016 05:03:00 +0000

What is Marketing Research?

Set of Processes that

Specifies information required to address marketing issues
Design methods for collecting information
Manages and implements data collection process
Analyse Results
Communicates findings and implications

Formation of Links from the Marketer to

producers
customers
end users

Finding Information that is used to

Identify and define marketing opportunities and problems
Generate, refine and evaluate marketing actions
Monitor Marketing Performance
Improve Understanding of Marketing as a Process

More Concepts Behind Marketing Research

History of Marketing Research

First pioneered by Arthur Nielsen with the founding of the ACNielsen Company in 1923. Mainly conducted by in-person focus groups and pen and paper surveys.
With the internet and Web Analytics, two way communication was possible and large amounts of primary data was made available for data mining and analysis.
Need to understand buyer rationale led to New tools to Track Behavior of Site Visitors, collection and interpretation. e.g. online focus groups, pop-up or website intercept surveys.
Development of innovations in technology allows even more methods to understand buyers in various methods, means, platforms, devices etc.

Other Definitions of Marketing Research:

Systematic gathering, recording and analysis of qualitative and quantitative data about issues related to marketing products and services
A form of applied sociology that concentrates on understanding preferences, attitudes, behaviors of consumers in a market-based economy.
Systematic and objective identification, collection, analysis and dissemination of information for the purpose of assisting management in decision making related to identification and solution of problems and opportunities in marketing

Goal

identify and access how changing elements of the marketing Mix impacts customer behavior

What Types of Marketing Research are there?

Marketing research Vs Market research

Marketing Research focuses on Processes
Market Research focuses on Customers

Marketing Research By Target Market

Consumer Marketing Research
Business to Business Marketing Research

Decision making unit far more complex in B2B than consumer markets
B2B products and applications more complex than consumer products
B2B marketers address smaller number of customers who are much larger in consumption of products
Personal relationships are of critical importance

Problem Identification Vs Problem Solving

Problem Identification Research:

Identify problems not apparent on surface, yet to exist or likely to arise in future like

Company image
Market characteristics
sales analysis
short-range forecasting
long-range forecasting
business trends research.

Provides information about marketing environment and diagnose problems.

Problem Solving Research

Sources of Data

Primary Research: Original data collected to solve problem in hand.
Secondary Research: Pre-existing and published data collected for other purpose

Exploratory Research Vs Conclusive Research

Exploratory Research:

Provides insights into an issue or situation. To get basic idea about solution at preliminary stage of research
Usually unstructured and qualitative in nature. Small sample size can be collected if secondary source of data is not present.
Serve as input to conclusive research
Definitive conclusions are accepted only with extreme caution
Simplify findings of conclusive or descriptive research if findings are hard for managers to interpret.
Methods

Focus Group Interviews
Reviewing Literature or books
Discussing with experts

Conclusive research:

Draws conclusions about a problem
Usually Structured and qualitative in nature.
Can be generalised to whole population
Output of research is input to management information systems

By Methodological Approach

Based on questioning

Qualitative marketing Research

Used for exploratory purposes
Small number of respondents
Not generalizable to whole population
Statistical significance and confidence not calculated.
Data collection Examples: Focus groups, in-depth interviews, projective techniques

Quantitative Marketing Research

Used to draw conclusions
Involves large number of respondents
Uses random sampling techniques to infer from sample to population
Tests specific hypothesis
Data collection Examples: Choice modeling, maximum difference preference scaling, covariance sampling

Based on Observations

Ethographic studies (Qualitative nature)

Researcher observes social phenomena in natural setting
Observations can occur

cross-sectionally (made at one time)
longitudinally (over several time-periods)

Examples: product-use analysis, computer cookie traces

Experimental Techniques (Quantitative nature)

Researcher creates quasi-artificial environment to control spurious factors, then manipulates at least one of the variables
Examples: purchase laboratories, test markets

What are the different kinds of Marketing Services available?

Customised Services:

Customised services to suit client's specific needs.Each project is treated uniquely.

Limited-Service Suppliers

specialisation in one or few phases of project. Examples:

Field services: Field service Organisations collect data throgh internet, traditional mail, in-person, telelphone interviewing.
Coding and data entry services: editing completed questionnaires, developing coding scheme, transcribing data to digital format
Analytical services: Designing and pretesting questionnaires, determining best means of collecting data, designing sampling plans and other aspects of research design that may include sophisticated procedures, specialised designs and analytical techniques such as conjoint analysis and multidimensional scaling.
Data analysis: Tab houses that specialise in computer analysis of quantitative data i.e. Tabulations (Frequency counts) and cross Tabulations (Frequency counts that describe 2 or more variables simultaneously)

Branded Marketing Research Products and Services

Procedures that are patented, given brand names.
Specialised data collection and analysis procedures developed to address specific types of marketing research problems

Standardised Research Studies

Research studies conducted for different client firms but in a standard way. Example: Procedures for measuring advertising effectiveness standardized so results can be compared across studies and evaluative norms can be established.
Starch readership Survey: Most widely used for evaluating print advertisements
Gallup and Robinson Magazine Impact Studies

Marketing Research Techniques

Ad Tracking

periodic or continuous in-market research to monitor a brand’s performance
measures such as brand awareness, brand preference, and product usage. (Young, 2005)

Advertising Research

used to predict copy testing or track the efficacy of advertisements for any medium, measured by the ad’s ability to

get attention (measured withAttentionTracking)
communicate the message
build the brand’s image
motivate the consumer to purchase the product or service. (Young, 2005)

Brand equity research — how favorably do consumers view the brand?
Brand association research — what do consumers associate with the brand?
Brand attribute research — what are the key traits that describe the brand promise?
Brand name testing - what do consumers feel about the names of the products?
Commercial eye tracking research — examine advertisements, package designs, websites, etc. by analyzing visual behavior of the consumer
Concept testing - to test the acceptance of a concept by target consumers
Coolhunting - to make observations and predictions in changes of new or existing cultural trends in areas such as fashion, music, films, television, youth culture and lifestyle
Buyer decision making process research — to determine what motivates people to buy and what decision-making process they use; over the last decade, Neuromarketing emerged from the convergence of neuroscience and marketing, aiming to understand consumer decision making process
Copy testing

predicts in-market performance of an ad before it airs by

analyzing audience levels of attention, brand linkage, motivation, entertainment, and communication,
breaking down the ad’s flow of attention and flow of emotion. (Young, p 213)

Customer satisfaction research - quantitative or qualitative studies that yields an understanding of a customer's satisfaction with a transaction
Demand estimation — to determine the approximate level of demand for the product
Distribution channel audits — to assess distributors’ and retailers’ attitudes toward a product, brand, or company
Internet strategic intelligence — searching for customer opinions in the Internet: chats, forums, web pages, blogs... where people express freely about their experiences with products, becoming strong opinion formers.
Marketing effectiveness and analytics — Building models and measuring results to determine the effectiveness of individual marketing activities.
Mystery consumer or mystery shopping - An employee or representative of the market research firm anonymously contacts a salesperson and indicates he or she is shopping for a product. The shopper then records the entire experience. This method is often used for quality control or for researching competitors' products.
Positioning research — how does the target market see the brand relative to competitors? - what does the brand stand for?
Price elasticity testing — to determine how sensitive customers are to price changes
Sales forecasting — to determine the expected level of sales given the level of demand. With respect to other factors like Advertising expenditure, sales promotion etc.
Segmentation research - to determine the demographic, psychographic, cultural, and behavioural characteristics of potential buyers
Online panel - a group of individual who accepted to respond to marketing research online
Store audit

to measure the sales of a product or product line at a statistically selected store sample in order to determine

market share,
whether a retail store provides adequate service

Test marketing — a small-scale product launch used to determine the likely acceptance of the product when it is introduced into a wider market
Viral Marketing Research

designed to estimate the probability that specific communications will be transmitted throughout an individual's Social Network.
Estimates of Social Networking Potential (SNP) are combined with estimates of selling effectiveness to estimate ROI on specific combinations of messages and media.

Characteristics of The Marketing Research Methodology, Process and Design

Systematic

Planning is required at all stages of marketing research process.
Procedures followed are methodologically sound, well documented, planned in advance
Scientific method used to collect & analyze data, Test prior notions or hypothesis

Objective

Provide accurate information reflecting true state of affairs
Conducted impartially, free from personal or political bias of researcher or management.

Similarities to Political Polling and Social Science Research

Meta-analysis (also called the Schmidt-Hunter technique) refers to a statistical method of combining data from multiple studies or from several types of studies. Conceptualization means the process of converting vague mental images into definable concepts. Operationalization is the process of converting concepts into specific observable behaviors that a researcher can measure. Precision refers to the exactness of any given measure. Reliability refers to the likelihood that a given operationalized construct will yield the same results if re-measured. Validity refers to the extent to which a measure provides data that captures the meaning of the operationalized construct as defined in the study. It asks, “Are we measuring what we intended to measure?”
- Applied research sets out to prove a specific hypothesis of value to the clients paying for the research. For example, a cigarette company might commission research that attempts to show that cigarettes are good for one's health. Many researchers have ethical misgivings about doing applied research.
- Sugging (from SUG, for "selling under the guise" of market research) forms a sales technique in which sales people pretend to conduct marketing research, but with the real purpose of obtaining buyer motivation and buyer decision-making information to be used in a subsequent sales call.
- Frugging comprises the practice of soliciting funds under the pretense of being a research organization.

Traits of Market Research by SME and Non-profits

Overall analysis should be based on 6W+1H (What, When, Where, Which, Who, Why and How) question.
Marketing information can be derived by observing the environment of their location and the competitions location.

Small scale surveys and focus groups are low cost ways to gather information from potential and existing customers.
Most secondary data (statistics, demographics, etc.) available to the public in libraries or on the internet and can be easily accessed by a small business owner.

Steps

Provide secondary and or primary data (if necessary);
Analyze Macro & Micro Economic data (e.g. Supply & Demand, GDP,Price change, Economic growth, Sales by sector/industries,interest rate, number of investment/ divestment, I/O, CPI, Social anlysis,etc.);
Implement the marketing mix concept, which is consist of: Place, Price, Product,Promotion, People, Process, Physical Evidence and also Political & social situation to analyze global market situation);
Analyze market trends, growth, market size, market share, market competition (e.g. SWOT analysis, B/C Analysis,channel mapping identities of key channels, drivers of customers loyalty and satisfaction, brand perception, satisfaction levels, current competitor-channel relationship analysis, etc.),etc.;
Determine market segment, market target, market forecast and market position;
Formulating market strategy & also investigating the possibility of partnership/ collaboration (e.g. Profiling & SWOT analysis of potential partners, evaluating business partnership.)
Combine those analysis with the SME's business plan/ business model analysis (e.g. Business description, Business process, Business strategy, Revenue model, Business expansion, Return of Investment, Financial analysis (Company History, Financial assumption, Cost/Benefit Analysis, Projected profit & Loss, Cashflow, Balance sheet & business Ratio,etc.).

Organisations for Market Research

Stanford Research Institute

Reference

The Definition of Marketing. American Marketing Association. http://www.marketingpower.com/AboutAMA/Pages/DefinitionofMarketing.aspx
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marketing_research

Backstory: (more later!)

What happened?

I have been doing much research on books and the internet, without any proper methodology and plan.
It was just random learning.
It is time to be able to do things proper and follow a set course of Action. I have to differentiate between Research for gathering more knowledge just for knowledge sake, VS Research for a specific purpose. i.e. for business

What did I do?

The first type I learnt about was Marketing Research. I had many notes on my wiki, and had several book reviews. Now to consolidate everything onto this blog post.

Resolution

This blog post will be part of a larger concept called Business Analysis/ Business Intelligence/ Business Research.

Buying Tickets to the Jurong Bird Park

noreply@blogger.com (Aldrin) — Sun, 01 May 2016 17:04:00 +0000

Buying Tickets for the Jurong Bird Park (Singapore)

About the Bird Park

http://www.birdpark.com.sg/

Internet Search Results for Tickets to the Jurong Bird Park

Wild Life Reserves Singapore (Official Online Store)

For Singaporeans (with 25% off)

Adults $21.75, additional $5 for Tram
Children (3-12) $14.25, additional $3 for Tram
Senior Citizen (60 Above) $13 Inclusive of Tram

For Foreigners (with 10% Off)

Adults $26.10, additional $5 for Tram
Child $17.10, additional $3 for Tram

Qoo10 for Jurong Bird Park Tickets

New Travel -- $17 for children (3-12 Yrs) and $24 for Adults for Admission + Tram Ride

Gumtree for Jurong Bird Park Tickets

Cheap Jurong Bird Park Tickets with Tram ride for Sale - Adult $18, Child $12

Events and Promotions for Tickets to the Jurong Bird Park

Admission and Tram E-Ticket: Adult $25.50, Children $16.50

Credit Card and Membership Promotions

Passion POSB Debit Card - 1 for 1 every 10th day of the month

Backstory: (more later!)

What happened?

I made a last minute decision to visit the Bird Park Tomorrow. I want to find the cheapest tickets available for 2 senior citizens, 2 foreign visitors (one Adult and one Child), and 2 local Adults.

What did I do?

I just typed for Jurong Bird Park Discounts and Promotions on google and did my research.

Resolution

Purchased 2 senior citizen tickets on the official online store for $26, and bought the rest of the tickets on BeMyGuest (with a 8% discount code from Cuponation) for $86.

Old Man at MacDonalds

noreply@blogger.com (Aldrin) — Sun, 01 May 2016 15:00:00 +0000

There was a frail and feeble old man eating alone at Macs. Having finished his meal, with one hand on his walking stick, he attempted to dispose the contents of his tray with the other.

I resisted the urge to assist.

He was slow and unsteady at the simple task, pushing and shoving at the flap that covered the bin with his tray-full of trash. He eventually succeeded, and hobbled away out the door of the restaurant on his walking stick.

The blaring pop music is making my ears hurt.

The air-conditioner is blowing uncomfortably cold air at my face.

And I can't help sighing at the mundane conversation and incessant swearing from the youths sitting beside me.

It's time for me to leave.

I need some peace.

What is Business Intelligence (a.k.a BI)?

noreply@blogger.com (Aldrin) — Sat, 30 Apr 2016 12:33:00 +0000

What is BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE?

A set of technologies, techniques and tools for acquisition and transformation of raw data into meaningful and useful information for business analysis purposes

Tags: Market Research, Marketing Research, Business Analysis, Data Surfacing, As a Concept vs As a Service Vs as an executed Project

What is the Purpose of BI?

To Identify, develop and create new strategic Business opportunities

Gain insight into new markets
assess demand and suitability of products and services for different market segments
gauge impact of marketing efforts

To Support wide range of Business Decisions

Operational: Internal, Financial and Operations data
Strategic Business Decisions: Priorities, Goals, Directions
Product positioning
Pricing

What is BI made up of?

BI Components

Multidimensional aggregation and allocation
Denormalization, tagging and standardization
Realtime reporting with analytical alert
A method of interfacing with unstructured data sources
Group consolidation, budgeting and rolling forecasts
Statistical inference and probabilistic simulation
Key performance indicators optimization
Version control and process management
Open item management

BI Technologies, Techniques and Tools

Handle large amounts of unstructured data
Functions include

Reporting
Online Analytical Processing
Analytics
Predictive Analysis
Perscriptive Analytics
Data Mining/ Process Mining/ Text Mining
Complex event processing
Business Performance Management

Best when combined with External and Internal data to give complete picture.

ReSearch

Reference and Links

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Business_intelligence

Backstory: (more later!)

What happened?

As I am developing many platforms, projects and services, I have to first learn and master the concept and ideas behind business intelligence, and to be able to tie up everything together logically and in a manageable form.

What did I do?

I had various research neatly tucked away in my repository thats waiting to be read. Started the wiki site page and did a rudimentary summary on BI from wiki.

Resolution

I need to continue the depth and breath of research by creating the following artifacts and completing further research on them.

The Big Picture/ Visual Map: Mindmap or Doc
Concepts and Overview: Aldrintee blog
Research: This Blog, Google Doc
As a Service: Aardvark Services (Service), 3is (Marketing Research), TSD (Consulting)
As an executed Project: For 3is, for TSD, for tanda, for