matrix0405

How old are yr friends?

I have a new hamburger-type ceiling light and I think the cover is 'over frosted'. When I put up the cover, around 50% of the brightness is cut off and the room becomes not bright enough. So the cover is taken off to expose the bulb but the light becomes 'unsightly' or 'incomplete'. Anybody face the same problem and have a solutions? Like is there some way we can defrost the glass cover (with chemical or scrubbing etc?) Or can we drill some holes (likely will crack?) on the glass cover to allow more light through? Any good suggestions? TIA.

Another sore point coming up is PR is allowed to own other property and rent out their HDB. Many old PR has completed their tour of duty here and returned to home base to their landed houses. Yet they are still holding on to HDB and renting them out for income. Given the shortage and they don need the HDB, it is better that they should release their HDB back to the market.

Basically GE is coming so they are able to push issue thru rapidly. If you realised, not even need to mention by HDB or debate in the house, they can get things going. But don expect the same resolute after GE.

You can pledge as collateral for loan. Or you can try Asset line; all local banks have this.

The 'cheap and good' solution is to have a a/c + fan combo in your masterbed room. With this combo, you don have to worry abt BTU, as 'any' a/c will be strong enough. U can get any system 2 a/c for your two rooms. Saves electricity too.

Your tiler is not skilled and did a bad job. Even if the wall is slanted, an experienced craftman will be able to take this into consideration before laying the tiles. Worst still is you have an ID, who shd help manage/supervise the work. Talk to yr ID, he has sufficient margin to re-tile the walls; if the slant is intolerable.

U are 1 fierce mama but i like. Need to consult u, how did u manage to post date the check? Is it like they say delivery in 2 weeks, u post date the check for 2 weeks? No downpayment?

Anyone refinanced/took pte pty loan recently? What is the 'typical' housing loan rate now for Sibor 3mth, then u wont get chop carrot?

If the upstair pipe is leaking onto u, then u can 'nego' with him to split the bill for the repair. If it is your pipe leaking, and purchase is recent, then u can 'nego' with the seller to split the bill. But if bill is like a couple of hundreds, then likely handle it yourself.

this is the most understated. but contractor don recommend any more because not must money to make from it.

no lah, they just need to remove this sore point before election, if it kills anything it is collateral damage.

How abt using hair spray? Those that can turn your hair into solid as a rock. Spray on the lizard and the lizard will 'solidify' (not dead) and hence easy to catch and remove.

Workers should be allowed to draw down their Central Provident Fund (CPF) savings at the age of 60. That was the stand of the Workers’ Party (WP) who said that the CPF drawdown age should not also be linked to the retirement age. On Tuesday, the two MPs from the WP, Mr Low Thia Khiang (Hougang) and Non-Constituency MP Sylvia Lim raised concerns about workers who are not re-employed after turning 62 years old, yet cannot draw on their CPF savings until they turn 65. According to The Straits Times, while the drawdown age is currently set at 62, the government had earlier announced that it would be raised to 63 next year, 64 in 2015 and 65 in 2018. In addition, the government will give incentives to those who voluntarily defer their CPF drawdowns. Speaking during the debate on the Retirement and Re-Employment Act in parliament, Mr Low criticised the new law as “half-cooked”. He argued that Singaporeans could be left “hanging in the air” – without a job at the age of 62, yet unable to tap their CPF savings. Ms Lim weighed in, charging that the new law will subject older workers to a “stressful re-employment process” at 62. She highlighted that the new law applies to those who are already employed when they turn 62, and does not assist those who are unemployed to seek a job at that age. If the government wants to delay CPF drawdowns till 65, Ms Lim said that “it should at least correspondingly provide for a more seamless transition of employment from 62 to 65”. Under the new legislation, employers are required to offer re-employment to workers who turn 62. If they are unable to do so, the worker needs to be compensated with an Employment Assistance Payment to tide him over as he seeks another job. However, People’s Action Party MP Heng Chee How (Jalan Besar GRC), rebutted the WP’s call to allow drawdowns at the age of 60, calling it unhelpful. “It would be like saying, you have a bank account. I have no idea how you are going to add money there, but I know you have to spend, so don’t listen to these guys when they tell you how to add more money into your account; just listen to me and go and draw whatever you have and start spending.” Mr Heng, who is also the deputy secretary-general in the labour movement added that as Singaporeans have longer life spans, there would be a need to provide them with more resources. Ms Lim later asked Manpower Minister Gan Kim Yong on the possibility to allow drawdowns to start earlier so long as payments could be stretched out over a longer period. In his response, Mr Gan said it would mean that people would have less to survive on every month. “The better solution is to continue to add on to their savings,” he said. “That is why Workfare has a CPF component to help to top up. If the worker continues to work, he will be able to accumulate more savings. If he starts his drawdown later, his savings will allow him to last longer.” Mr Gan also pointed out that the unemployment rate for older resident workers – those 50 and above – remains very low. It was 3.3 per cent in June last year. Rather than redesign the CPF scheme to cater to this minority, Mr Gan said that it would be better to deal with them on a case-by-case basis and encourage them to look for work. He added that if they face difficulties coping, they could still be supported by programmes such as the ComCare Fund.

With this open net, other than more expensive internet connection, what other services are available? Does it come with TV programs?

Thanks for the info on stamping. You can now do stamping online, which is easier and save u tons of time and effort making yr way to novena. Wonder why they took so long to implement online stamping!

If do not use an agent to rep and the landlord rents out his own place, but the tenant goes thru an agent, does the landlord still have to pay the agent; given the new ruling that an agent cannot rep both party? Does the agent in this case collect the service fee from the tenant? What is the practice now with this new rule?

Jan 3, 2011 Singapore private property prices rose 17.6% in 2010 PRIVATE property prices rose 17.6 per cent in 2010, according to Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) estimates released on Monday. Based on the estimated price index of private residential property, prices rose from 189.6 points in the third quarter of 2010 to 194.8 points in the fourth quarter of 2010, or 2.7 per cent in Q4 compared to 2.9 per cent the previous quarter. The URA also released estimates in the price changes in three geographical regions for the fourth quarter. Prices of non-landed private properties rising 2.3 per cent in the Core Central Region, 1.7 per cent in the Rest of Central Region and 1.6 per cent in the Outside Central Region. Prices in these three regions increased by 14.5 per cent as a whole in 2010. The flash estimates are compiled based on transaction prices given in caveats lodged during the first ten weeks of the quarter. The URA added that they will release the updated full fourth quarter 2010 real estate statistics in four weeks, when more data on the caveats lodged and the take-up of new projects are captured.

Its a good idea because you can choose the location you want and you can enjoy the condo facilities; which yr kids wld love them.

Is this true? How come got this type of rule that does not put customer first?

Looking for a wireless device that help me do away with coaxial connection to antenna point. The advantage is same as using notebook with wifi, you can place the TV anywhere or shift the TV around. Mio TV has a wireless device with this function. Is there other brands out there can do the same thing?

Is the false ceiling strong enough for laundry pole brackets? I'm referring to those non-movable $9 aluminium brackets, not those 'fancy' heavier laundry system. Checked with 2 hardware stores, one say cannot and say the ceiling cannot take the weight of wet clothes. Another store say can, just use those false ceiling white plug to secure the brackets. So who is right? Are there different type of false ceiling? Anyone have their brackets on false ceiling for a number of years already?

Yeah lah, erection coming. You want coe low, they will give you news that coe is low. You want cov $10K, also no problem. From now till then, it is one good news every week. Until you song song and give strong mandate. After that, 100K FT come in to fight for job and housing, COV hit $100K and GST increase to 10%.

PLANS for Adora Green, the first Design, Build and Sell Scheme (DBSS) development in Yishun, were unveiled at a groundbreaking ceremony attended by developers, prospective buyers as well as MP for Sembawang GRC K Shanmugam. Adora Green, which will offer 800 apartments, is slated to be launched within the first quarter of next year, and is likely to be the first DBSS project put up for sale after recent cooling measures were introduced earlier this year. Of the units available, there will be an estimated 520 four-room flats, 160 three-room ones and 120 five-roomers. Under DBSS, the developer tenders for the land and can exercise flexibility in pricing and designing the flats subject to relevant legislation and rules from the Housing Board. Guthrie SK Land, which won the bid at $148.89 million, or about $180 per sq ft per plot ratio (psf ppf) for the 27,474 sq m site, will be selling the flats with a 99-year lease. Director of Guthrie SK Land Michael Leong, said the five-room flats will come with four bedrooms instead of the standard three. One of the bedrooms however, will be smaller and suitable for use as a study, nursery or walk-in wardrobe. Another feature is that multi-storey car parks will be spread further apart, so residents will be able to park closer to their flats. Mr Leong estimates the pricing of the units to be between $450 to $500 psf pending market conditions. 'This is what we are looking at but not all the costs are factored in. Still, it will be within market expectations,' he added. The last DBSS project sold - The Peak@Toa Payoh - fetched prices of up to $600 psf earlier this year in April. http://www.adoragreen.com.sg/location.htm

Lizards like the behind of bookcase, wall painting etc. As long as there is a gap between the wall and a panel, they feel safe there, you cannot see them but when u are too near, they will spring a surprise on you by 'jumping' out. Is there something/chemical/spray we can put/paint/ apply behind these panel to discourage lizards.