FISCA Financial Planning Workshop on 29 October

The workshop on 29 October was well attended with over 30 people, mostly young people. The participants told me that the talk made them more aware about the good and bad financial products and was very useful to them. I asked them go get their friends and parents to attend the next talk, which will be held monthly. It is important that they make the right financial decision and avoid giving away a lot of money on bad products.

Several participants said that they came especially to hear my talk! They must have got the recommendations from their friends!

More details of future workshops can be found at http://easyapps.sg/assn/Org/Event.aspx?id=5. Register early!

Speculators are increasing the prices of hard disks

Quote: "Speculators are gouging the market significantly and in some cases making enormous profits out of the people of Thailand's misery," Buckley told Reuters. He declined to say which distributors.

http://www.cnbc.com//id/45082719

My comments: It is bad to allow speculators to make profit by taking advantage of the misery of other people. This applies not only to hard disk prices, but to oil, food and most other essential products. The speculation should be stopped. The world system, under the control of financial speculators and the greedy banks and based on the "free market", has to be changed - to make a fairer world for the ordinary people.

When Should I Buy Used Tires For My Car?

Taking care of our automobiles is a very important and expensive enterprise. One aspect of that care is buying tires when necessary. While it can be easy to ignore this particular maintenance issue, letting tires deteriorate or grow bald to save a dime can be a costly error.

If money is a true concern, the fugal can save by purchasing used tires. Although these tires may not have the longevity of new ones, they are safe and can be found rather easily if you know where to look.

We Buy Any Car

When to Buy

Government regulations stipulate that tires have to be replaced when they have become dangerously worn. What constitutes wear?

Well, if the things are bald or showing rot from non-use, then one wouldn't have a doubt as to the tires unsuitable nature. Problem is, some wear is not so easily discernible.

Experts in the field advise placing the head of a dime in a crack in the tire. If you can do this, it will indicate the tire needs to be replaced. Another thing to look for is potential rubber degradation. The lowest part of the tire is the place where most tires show wear first. Check this area periodically to look for places that are staring to lose their tread or show steel.

Where to Buy

Many people have begun to buy used tires online which can be a bit foolhardy.

You can of course buy them online if you want to, but one should really look at tire purchase as a hands-on thing, as car tires are too important to leave to chance. If you have to buy used rubber, buy where you can physically inspect what you're getting.

One can find used tires at local automotive chains, discount and regular local tire shops. Again, this is the safest bet for obtaining quality used tires.

Longevity of Used Tires

The question of how long tires may last, whether used or new, can depend on a number of variables.

Even the best of tires, for example, won't last long if you are prone to speeding or skidding on pavement, gravel or asphalt. Severe climates and atmospheric conditions can also affect the life of the tire.

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration acknowledges that tire maintenance and rotation will increase the longevity of the tires, but the heaviest factors of consideration will always be how often the car is driven.

In many cases, with great care, most may last between 30,000-50,000 miles.

Tire care and maintenance

Used tires can be maintained and kept to government regulation by keeping them inflated, checking them routinely for leaks, and wiping the tires down with soap and water. The latter is very important because you will be able to check for cracks, leaks and wear.

Now, in regards to tire inflation, you should know that it is possible to both over inflate and under inflate your tires. Manufacturers usually have specified instructions for how often their tires should be inflated. If the tires are used, you may have to call the manufacturer or ask the seller about these particular specifications.

The lifespan of a tire decreases when they are not inflated the way they should be. Buy a usable tire gauge and check for leaks as often as you can.

The Value of Transportation

Vehicles are essential to our livelihoods and independence, so we mustn't take any aspect of auto care for granted. If you wish to purchase used tires, make sure they are reliable and the right kind for the make and model of your car. Observing these tips alongside other simple tire care rules will keep you and your car safe and on the road for a good long while!

When Should I Buy Used Tires For My Car?

Security at the airport

The security procedures at Changi airport is excessive and is causing a lot of inconvenience. Here is my experience.

1. On arrival at the airport terminal, I have to screen my bags. Why is this necessary when the bags are also screened at the check-in counter and at the boarding room?  I suspect that this is to prevent a bomb going off before check-in. Is this so important?

2. Before entering the departure hall, I have to show my ticket and passport to the policeman.

3. After going through the automated gates and have my finger printed, there are still people to look at my passport. I recall that this procedure was implemented when someone passed the immigration desk though with a wrong passport. Do we need to over-react to this mistake by introducing another set of check?

4. Before entering the boarding room, I have to go through a detailed screening. The laptop and mobile phones and other metallic objects have to be removed  In spite of removing so many items, it is likely that the metal detector will beep and subject me to a physical check.

5. I still have to show my passport to the staff who scan my ticket.

Altogether, I have to show my passport three times and have my bags scanned twice. I suspect that more requirements will be introduced to combat other security concerns. The question is - are these measures overdone?

In the name of security

In the name of security, we do many unnecessary things and cause a lot of hassle to the ordinary people. This makes life stressful.

Look at the excessive security in the airport. I do not mind the necessary security, but the excessive security does not make sense. I shall talk about some of these excessive measures.

Look at the need to register your particulars before you enter a building. It is a regular affair. Why do they need to spend the time to record people entering into a building? How many records are being kept? Are they of any use? In fact, I am worried that the records could be abused - as it is intrusion on privacy. Is privacy and the rights of the individuals important in Singapore also?

With all the excessive security in some places, why is SMRT not paying sufficient attention to prevent outsiders from entering into their depots? Surely, this is more important than checking all the visitors to a building?

We need to speak up on measures that intrude into our lives, and do not serve a useful purpose.

Plastic Garden Shed Reviews

Amplify’d from plasticgardenshedshq.com

Our plastic garden shed reviews are designed to help you choose the best and top rated plastic garden shed on the market. We welcome reviews from readers who would like to share their own experience with whatever plastic shed, or indeed any garden shed, that they have experience with. So please submit your review of your own storage shed so that we can assist other readers to get the best garden shed for their needs. And please don’t spare the horses-if the shed was rubbish don’t worry about relating your own experience. Rubbermaid vertical storage shed review Lifetime deck box review Tuff sheds review Suncast 10 x 12 storage shed Arrow storage sheds review Motorcycle shed review Keter storage sheds review Read more at plasticgardenshedshq.com

 

See this Amp at http://amplify.com/u/a1ftix

SciArt Plugs 5: Lectures, Exhibits, News and more

New this week: a New York City gallery is featuring three-dimensional topographic maps designed by cartographer Jeffrey Ambroziak; science artist Lynn Fellman hosts an open studio in Minneapolis; the Guild of Natural Science Illustrators Greater New York Chapter?s member show closes; and ScienceOnline2012 nears registration time (Nov. 1st!)

SCIART LECTURES/EVENTS

? Lynn Fellman

**NEW** Artists? Studio Open House: Lynn Fellman (Minneapolis, MN) October 28, 2011; 4-8pm | Celebrate the last fall hues in science artist Lynn Fellman?s colorful studio with wine, autumn desserts, and lots of art!

SCIART EXHIBITS
**NEW** Underline Gallery (New York, NY): Oct. 15 ? Nov. 20, 2011 | INFINITE PERSPECTIVES: Places I?ll Remember | In partnership with Science House LLC, Underline Gallery presents an exhibition of three-dimensional topographic maps designed by renowned cartographer Jeffrey Ambroziak. Ambroziak has developed a revolutionary technique that yields true three-dimensional maps in spectacular detail ? from the mountains of Yosemite to the canyons of Mars. Also included in the show will be high-resolution renderings of historical images, including an 1863 3D rendered map of San Francisco juxtaposed against a 3D map of modern San Francisco derived from aerial photography.

**UPDATED** Artway Invitational Gallery (Brampton, ON): Oct. 13 ? Nov. 16, 2011 | Artistic by Nature | An exhibit of work by Southern Ontario Nature and Science Illustrators featuring Kathryn Chorney, Emily S. Damstra, Trish Murphy, and Jennifer Osborn.

Sweet Barrier Reef by Ken and Julie Yonetani: Sugar, Icing Sugar, and Polystyrene Foam.

GV Art Gallery 49 Chiltern Street (Marylebone, London): Oct. 7 ? Nov. 22, 2011 | Sense of Taste: Works by Ken and Julia Yonetani | The saline destruction of the Murray Darling basin in Australia and the bleaching of coral reefs as a result of sugarcane harvesting have inspired these compellingly beautiful artworks cast in salt and sugar, inspired by Dutch still lives. They allude to the emerging issue of the destruction of many of the world?s agricultural ?food bowls? through over consumption. Sweet Barrier Reef , cast in sugar, was last shown at the Venice Biennale 2009. Still Life ? the works in salt ? have never been seen outside Australia before. The London based, art-science gallery GV Art have brought these salt and sugar-cast works to London for their ?Sense of Taste? show opening 7 October 2011. A video of the exhibition can be seen here.

GNSI-New England Chapter Annual Exhibit Denison Pequotseps Nature Center (Mystic, CT): Oct. 8 ? Nov. 20, 2011 | From Observation to Illustration | The GNSI-NE Annual Exhibit is entitled ?From Observation to Illustration? since it involves accurate depictions of natural themes. It highlights a range of styles, techniques and subjects in the natural science field. Demonstrations of drawing insects through a microscope, watercolor and graphite will be shown during the reception. Portfolios and sketchbooks will also be on display.

? Ann Hoffenberg

**LAST CHANCE** Highstead (Redding, CT): Sept. 10, 2011-Oct. 28, 2011 | Nature?s Remedies: Plants and Animals | Annual show of the Guild of Natural Science Illustrators Greater New York Chapter. Over 40 paintings highlighting the medicinal values of plants and animals in folklore, traditional medicine and natural remedies on display now through October 28. Exhibit can be viewed by appointment, Monday through Friday, from 8:30am until 4:00pm.

Smithsonian Institution?s National Museum of Natural History, Sant Ocean Hall Focus Gallery (Washington, DC): Sept. 3, 2011-Jan. 8, 2012 | The Bright Beneath: The Luminous Art of Shih Chieh Huang | Artist Shih Chieh Huang spent a good part of 2007 exploring specimens of deep-ocean animals found in the collections of the National Museum of Natural History. He was a Smithsonian Artist Research Fellow and was investigating the unusual evolutionary adaptations that allow these creatures to live in environments unthinkable to humans. One adaptation, called bioluminescence, inspired Huang to create haunting installations that will be suspended in the Sant Ocean Hall Focus Gallery in a temporary exhibition.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison Ebling Library for the Health Sciences (Madison, WI): Sept. 16, 2011-Jan. 31, 2012 | Beyond the Edge of the Sea. Illustrations by preeminent deep sea watercolorist/illustrator, Karen Jacobsen | This traveling exhibit from The College of William & Mary?s Muscarelle Museum of Art features the magnificent watercolors of expeditionary illustrator Karen Jacobsen. Jacobsen had multiple voyages in the Alvin submersible, with oceanographer Cindy Lee Van Dover at the helm, exploring the deep ocean and rendering these wonderful works of art. Reception on Nov. 11 will feature Jacobsen and Van Dover talking about their joint project.

Fernbank Museum of Natural History (Atlanta, GA): Sept. 24, 2011-Jan. 1, 2012 | Darwin: Selections | In celebration of Darwin, Fernbank Museum has partnered with local artists and scientists to present a collection of illustrations, paintings and drawings that reveal the relationship between science and art. These eight Atlanta- and Athens-based artists, typically employed to create teachable science through literal imagery, reveal the evolution of art from science in this inspiring exhibition that recognizes the beauty of the natural world.

SCIART CONFERENCES

ScienceOnline2012 | January 19-21, 2012 | North Carolina State University (Raleigh, NC) | Registration opens: November 1, 2011

SCIART DEADLINES

Call for Proposals: NYU Langone Medical Center exhibition proposals for the 2012?13 calendar | Deadline for submission: October 31, 2011

Every week, we post interesting exhibits, lectures, and other science-art related news we hear about. Know about something we don?t? Shoot us an email at symbiartic.km-at-gmail-dot-com and we?ll post all relevant events. This information is also available on a public Google calendar. Under ?other calendars? click on ?add a friend?s calendar? and search for symbiartic.km-at-gmail-dot-com.

Source: http://rss.sciam.com/click.phdo?i=f0f927128110d2c512f91943514460f9

sly and the family stone sly stone the bling ring chelsea clinton facebook news facebook news boardwalk empire