Notes From the Far East

Chew Eng Han Escape to Malaysia Foiled Just nine days before he was due to begin his jail term – Chew was arrested on Wednesday morning for attempting to flee Singapore in a motorised sampan [CNA1]. Chew Eng Han attempt to flee has ended with ridicule and being mocked by the general populace; just because he was caught, the media portrayed an imbecile and the comedy of the escape plan.  His lack of success could be attributed to perhaps the lack of time to plan, conscience, resources and contacts to make success getaway.  The intrigue brings me to examine if his escape plan was viable in the first place or was it too haphazard.  An escape due to an opportunity appearing suddenly.  If so, it likely to fail and perhaps this was what happened.  As a bail bond jumper, the $1 million bail sum to be forfeited is almost a certainty,  along with it, the risk of being arrested and extradited to Singapore and face an extended jail term.   Shou...

Marlin Programme onto Melzi / Sanguino w/ATMega 1284P 16 MHz using Arduino IDE. Objective To programme Marlin 1.0.7 onto a Melzi Sanguino w/ATMega 1284P 16 MHz board so that it will operate a Mendel Tricolour built 2013/2014. New boards has since been released to replace the Melzi Sanguino however this microcontroller is still usable on the Mendel Tricolour Reprap 3D printer and hence used for educational purposes. Tools 1x PC loaded with Arduino IDE and Marlin files for Mendel Tricolour,  2x Sanguino w/ATMega 1284P 16 MHz chip set and board (Tricolour has a Master and Slave board). 1x USB cable Configuration for Arduino IDE Files > Open > Marlin Multicolour files   //All files including library files will be opened e.g. xxx.h// Tools > Board > Sanguino w/ATmega1284p 16MHz Tools > Programmer > AVRISP MkII Configuration for Sanguino Board to Reset and Programme Jumper JP1 to receive only USB power.  Jumper the pin near the ed...

To say that Mediacorp and Singapore does not possess any talent is totally incorrect. It needs to be seen in the likes of a fledgling company with ambition trying to wrestle into the regional media space.   Many of the programmes aired are of good quality and the talen pool undertakes programming and acting well.  However Mediacorp does suffer from negative perception of being boring and the mouth piece of "G" and thus the regular "joe or jane" consumer would be immediately turned-off when a foreign production is screened at the same time slot.  Programmes that take a dig at the G policies or agnostic of G policies do better. Programmes that have a repeat nationalistic theme of civility and social cohesiveness needs a new look as these seemed recycled and overused with no new angle and the predictability that comes with the particular programme.  Consumers sense a underlining G message that is not that sublime and those that watch these programme...

  Anyone with a computer and access to the internet, a messaging system would use it to look for information as it is  convenient and expedience to do so and in the process transmit messages that may result in strong emotive responses.  Anecdotal evidence suggests that the tendency is to believe such content due to the convincing arguments or the factual way an argument was presented.  The veracity of the information cannot easily ascertain and due to human nature retain the first exposure to be factual until a contradiction comes along.   Where the content is repeated often enough it would be deemed to be authoritive in nature.  Those uninitiated  would fall prey to scams and misinformation from time to time.    Past personal experience is often cited along with maturity of age as capabilities in discerning misinformation and whether the content is right and wrong.    Since no one has all-encompassing and absolute ade...

SG Transport System Can Lah..  With aging ambulant and lucid parents, I am fortunate.  So.., they have been able to commute to their jaunts without much issue on public transport that includes taxis.    Occasionally they are given car rides considering their age (80+), agility and their sometimes-laboured movement.  Going by all the public announcements, car rides would be the privilege of a few very soon. Whilst most time we get by using public transport there will be times when the car makes a big difference, for instance when we have weary parents with items on hand to transport and given the flexibility of the choice of route comfort and timing.  Often inconsiderate PMDs, cyclists, other wheeled users and indiscriminate parking are encountered, there is just too much to complaint about that most are resigned to the situation, gives a sigh, jump aside and allow them thru. Today motorcyclist also seems to share pedestrian walkways and cros...

Enticed by the Grab Advertisements? Considering Driving for Grab as an option? Signing with Grab was easy enough you basically have to make your way to Grab office in Sin Ming Lane, approach the counter who will direct you to one of the millennium staffers who then guides you through registration, application form, photo taking, installation of the Grab driver application on your Android phone (Yes, you need an Android phone and a google email account) and to the car rental counter.  In the latter, if you do not already have a car.  If you intent to use your car for GrabCar driving you would need  the appropriate insurance and LTA decal. Should you not have the requisites on your car then you can proceed with Grab registration but it will not be possible to use that car as a GrabCar until you have the correct insurance for chauffeur driven and the LTA decal affixed to the car windscreen. When the registration is done at Grab, you need to take the simple onl...

Connecting to DVB – Getting Ready  Helping Singaporeans with Assessing their TV for DVB-T2 Implementation TV broadcasting by Singapore Broadcaster “Mediacorp” will cease (switch off) transmitting in analogue and move to digital transmission by 31 Dec 2018.   You may have noticed the TV advertisement of Suhiami and Kym Ng and another running to each other and then eating ice cream…. These folks are trying to tell you about digital TV but what is not clear is the impact to you if your TV is not compatible or you have not prepared for digital TV. If your TV set is 5 years old or older than there is likelihood that you would need to upgrade it to be able to continue watching Mediacorp TV programmes.   Mediacorp and MDA (now IMDA) has distributed a booklet to every household on this, however the content looks cramp and confusing thus the need for supplementary explanation.  Points to Note  If you are unsure about your TV on whether it is ...