Exams Week

Exam week. Will resume posting again after my exams in about a week and a half from now.




.

Economical Savings?

Is this recent economic boom really for everyone? As it goes on amid claims from various sectors that everyone is benefiting, it really doesn't seem to be the case at the ground level.

Investments soaring, property prices rising to all time high, this wonderful figures are only for a wonderful front to a worrying backdrop. When these prices are split up into various components, we will then realize that its really not a normal curve. Rather, its leaning towards one side. In property market, that curve falls towards the high end markets like the districts 9, 10 and 11.

With majority of homeowners here being HDB home owners, the property boom here is hardly affecting them. The nature of HDB flats is that they are a linked closely towards a government linked board. Thus, prices are relatively stable in accordance to the aim of the board and the governments in making prices affordable for the masses. Thus, those that are really benefiting from here are the ones already rich and thus have property in these areas or condominium owners who are gong en bloc. However, the en bloc heat is forecast to cool down due to recent ruling.

While we aren't hit that hard by the effects of the sub-prime mortgage problem in the United States, we have problems of our own. With the rising inflation rate and low interest rates for savings, the economy is look set to have a widening wage gap. It is really creating a climate where it doesn't pay for Singaporeans to save.

Interests earned in the savings accounts held in banks will soon be outstripped by the climbing CPI (Consumer Price Index), a statistical estimate of the level of prices of goods and services bought for consumption purposes by households. Thus, in real terms, the value of our money in these savings will drop. In effect, this gives rise to a situation of negative real interest rates.

According to a newspaper article, negative real interest rates favors borrowers and with projection of at least one to two years of negative real interest rates, the risk of fueling asset inflation is very high. With such disproportional rates, people would be expected to want to invest in the property market where returns are deemed to be higher, this driving up the property market and thus inflation of assets.

There is hope however that if many choose to invest, then there is a chance for interest rates to go up. However, with the vast amount of cash in the banking system, which is causing an oversupply even though demand of borrowing is going up, deposit rates are set to remain low for some time.

It is thus timely for us to take a hike and think about whether we should park our savings elsewhere. With these savings paying close to nothing, its not a very bad thing to consider investing in other financial instruments which will maintain our purchasing power in this "pricer" world.

However, with such a decision, the question of whether we dare do so is quite pertinent.. This question is especially "real" for lower/middle income families and the so-called sandwich class of the society, where the money available in their bank accounts are their lifeline to the future. Risk is not a very viable option.

Going Green

I'm going green recently.
Hopefully with all the green, my eyes won't get so tired after using the computer. Probably is just my wishful thinking...



And if you're interested in the vista start menu which I used here in Windows XP, read more about it at my tech blog. Its a program called ViStart.

A negative programming

It seems like I've been involved in quite a few school related web stuff this past months. From the bowling blog to the school's anniversary website to the current alumni website which I have no time to complete till the end of my A level.

Talk about work.... The bowling site aren't that much a problem as its blogger based. However the other sites are quite an insomnia causing.
I can't believe I am going to say this, but I am starting to feel tired and nauseated from seeing codes.

Probably have to take a break from programming. coding a fully-fletched content management system, databases, maintenance tools as well as doing the graphics aren't a small feat. Especially when I have to do all those single-handedly with no one to turn to for help.

Stepping down doesn't mean totally abandon one's responsibility. I've wanted to relinquish all thoughts of intervening, but looks like I succumbed to temptation and stepped in.

Though I was asked to recover the pictures after the bowling team site mishap earlier this month, I've decided to contribute a final gift to the team, in the form of a brand new look for the site. I've given the site a "web 2.0" make-over, bringing that site up to be in line with the current trends in the web-design committee.

The theme, titled "bowl-a-lution" would add on to my list of XML templates to my collection, that would be my fifth, including all my works done on this blog (Risen Against Gravity).

Anyway, here is a screenshot of the site:


Or you to see the real thing, you can visit it at http://tjcstrikeforce.blogspot.com

Sigh.

On a sidenote, I've also decided to add a tagboard on this blog also.

Cherios.

Blogskins: Anime.Otaku

New Skin again.

I didn't schedule to make a new skin this time round. It was because I was feeling abit frustrated that I decided to code one to relief stress.
Guess it was my record time in creating a new skin also. 45 minutes including the graphics.
In fact the graphics took me almost 30 minutes (I aren't that good at graphic manipulation. The css coding only took 15 minutes.

The rationale behind this skin name was because, Anime Otaku is taken to mean anime fan.
Although Otaku is a fairly derogatory term in Japan. Its most commonly used to refer to excessive obsession with Anime. However, in America, the term is often a badge of honor for hard-core anime fans.

This skin include a few firsts.
These are: Opacity effects, being Anime themed, a gradual (gradient) background as well as a new skin cataloging system.
Moreover, its the first skin to use CSS3's opacity property. However, this means that opacity effects will not be shown on certain browsers. Its minimal though. In fact, almost unnoticeable.

Since I constantly add new skins, I guess I should have some detailed skin launch format from now on.
So here it goes:

Skin Title: Anime.Otaku
Number: Quarto (4th)
ID: N4-19D08M2K7Y
Customization: None

As usual, this skin can be applied to the page permanently regardless of my future layout changes using this URL: http://gyeojz.blogspot.com/?css=4

To reset, use http://gyeojz.blogspot.com/?css=0

Credits to the respective creators of the individual pictures used to make the masthead.

Site Headaches

Many websites multiple headaches.
I can't list it here due to nature of these projects which are commissioned by certain parties....

My design juice just ran out. No inspiration for any design at all....

On top of that, the bowling website just got all the graphics, JavaScript removed. I don't know how will the current committee settle that. Don't say I didn't warn them on the impending deletion the other time. Too bad it wasn't heeded.

However, since my websites are designed for the LCF (Lowest Common Factor), the bowling website will continue working. Just that at a very basic level.

I really need a design inspiration. And also something to jump start my studying engine...
sheesh.

sick

Sick for 3 days already... vomited, ached.

Not the first time.

Can say its the second time in a span of a few months....

At least...
Finally can eat...