Singapore confirms its first H1N1 case.
She's an SMU student but her identity has been under protection (and I think that's only right).
A 'Lian He Wan Bao' reporter even approached me when I was in school just now, asking for additional information regarding the student.
Unfortunately for her, I knew nothing about the student. And I probably wouldn't had revealed any information even if I knew.
May 27, 2009
at
5:51:00 PM
Category:
Around The World,
Ron's Life
May 26, 2009
at
2:23:00 AM
Category:
Opinions And Thoughts
Wingmen
Was reading this article about gay penguins. Came upon this paragraph:
I personally don't need one but I wouldn't mind being a wingman for a friend, except for the part about sharing the female of course. -_-
And if you haven't heard of wingmen before, go click on the link above or pickup this best-selling book, 'The Game' to know more. Hoho.
She said studies show that adult male dolphins form long-term alliances, sometimes in large groups. As adults, they cooperate to entice a single female and keep other males from her. Sometimes they share the female, or they may cooperate to help one male.The first thought that came to my mind? Even dolphins have wingmen.
I personally don't need one but I wouldn't mind being a wingman for a friend, except for the part about sharing the female of course. -_-And if you haven't heard of wingmen before, go click on the link above or pickup this best-selling book, 'The Game' to know more. Hoho.
May 23, 2009
at
5:23:00 PM
Category:
Opinions And Thoughts,
Ron's Life
Price Matching: Consumer FAIL
Well, if you read this blog then you probably already know that I'm taking summer courses. And one module I'm happening to take is Game Theory.
And I've got something interesting to share from there.
Ever seen those commercials or ads where they make claims about how they will sell you any item at a lower price if you can produce a receipt for the same item from another shop?
And your trail of thoughts would probably go along the lines of "Wow, the shop is driving prices down, I love them"?
Interestingly, Game Theory (Economics) would like to tell you that such actions actually drive prices up than down. (And that you should hate the shop?)
(Warning: Academic Blabber Ahead)
Game Theory: Price Matching
As below is a simplified explanation where only 2 firms exists for that product. Anyway, the first table is to depict the situation before price matching and the second table for the situation after price matching. All the figures are arbitrary but makes sense intuitively.
Before Price Matching: Before price matching, companies will always have the incentive to undercut their competitors pricing. In the example above, if Firm 1 prices high, Firm 2 will have the incentive to price high as 65 > 60. And the same goes for Firm 1.
However, since both firms know that the other will attempt to undercut it if it prices high, it will only make sense for them to anticipate that and price at a low price too as it gains them 40 instead of 35. If both firms act in such a manner, we reach a equilibrium where both companies prices low.
And of course the big winner in this case would be the consumer.
After Price Matching: However, in the case where price matching occurs, the incentive to undercut your competitor when they price high is non-existent. Why? That is because while some customers will buy straight up from you, others might take the receipt from your shop to the other shop and buy there.
Therefore, if your competitor prices high, there is simply no more incentive to price low as the advantage of pricing low is gone. You might as well join your competitor in pricing high and pillage the poor consumers; as 60 > 40.
(Note: End of Academic Blabber)
Anyway, that's the short version of it. Not surprisingly, price matching is banned in quite a few countries; Singapore included, I believe.
And I've got something interesting to share from there.
Ever seen those commercials or ads where they make claims about how they will sell you any item at a lower price if you can produce a receipt for the same item from another shop?
And your trail of thoughts would probably go along the lines of "Wow, the shop is driving prices down, I love them"?
Interestingly, Game Theory (Economics) would like to tell you that such actions actually drive prices up than down. (And that you should hate the shop?)
(Warning: Academic Blabber Ahead)
Game Theory: Price Matching
As below is a simplified explanation where only 2 firms exists for that product. Anyway, the first table is to depict the situation before price matching and the second table for the situation after price matching. All the figures are arbitrary but makes sense intuitively.
Before Price Matching: Before price matching, companies will always have the incentive to undercut their competitors pricing. In the example above, if Firm 1 prices high, Firm 2 will have the incentive to price high as 65 > 60. And the same goes for Firm 1.
However, since both firms know that the other will attempt to undercut it if it prices high, it will only make sense for them to anticipate that and price at a low price too as it gains them 40 instead of 35. If both firms act in such a manner, we reach a equilibrium where both companies prices low.
And of course the big winner in this case would be the consumer.
After Price Matching: However, in the case where price matching occurs, the incentive to undercut your competitor when they price high is non-existent. Why? That is because while some customers will buy straight up from you, others might take the receipt from your shop to the other shop and buy there.
Therefore, if your competitor prices high, there is simply no more incentive to price low as the advantage of pricing low is gone. You might as well join your competitor in pricing high and pillage the poor consumers; as 60 > 40.
(Note: End of Academic Blabber)
Anyway, that's the short version of it. Not surprisingly, price matching is banned in quite a few countries; Singapore included, I believe.
May 19, 2009
at
12:51:00 AM
Category:
Opinions And Thoughts
I Wonder...
I wonder...
Isn't it better if Country S scrapes their 'National' Table Tennis Team; in the process avoid coaching fiascoes and spend the money on helping the poor instead?
Isn't it better if Country S scrapes their 'National' Table Tennis Team; in the process avoid coaching fiascoes and spend the money on helping the poor instead?
May 16, 2009
at
10:37:00 PM
Category:
Ron's Life
The India Accent
Just as I was about to leave school this afternoon (opposite Hotel Rendezvous), two Indians approached me apparently wanting to ask something.
Er, all was good, just that I couldn't made out what they were trying to ask? The only word I ended up making out was Masters so I naturally made a guess that they wanted to ask more about the Masters program in SMU and tried to direct them to the administration building.
By then, I was pretty flustered already. Making guesses at what people are saying from just a few words just isn't so fun.
However, my torturers were relentless. They wanted to ask some other question, probably one that I wouldn't be able to make out again.
Unwilling to withstand their barrage of Indian accent anymore, I gave the classic "I'm running late for an appointment" excuse; never gets old.
Extract: Successful.
Er, all was good, just that I couldn't made out what they were trying to ask? The only word I ended up making out was Masters so I naturally made a guess that they wanted to ask more about the Masters program in SMU and tried to direct them to the administration building.
By then, I was pretty flustered already. Making guesses at what people are saying from just a few words just isn't so fun.
However, my torturers were relentless. They wanted to ask some other question, probably one that I wouldn't be able to make out again.
Unwilling to withstand their barrage of Indian accent anymore, I gave the classic "I'm running late for an appointment" excuse; never gets old.
Extract: Successful.
May 14, 2009
at
9:59:00 PM
Category:
Ron's Life
Living in the (Concrete) Jungle
Was running and saw this ad. Stopped to took a photo of it. Kind of liked it. Dark humor?
May 8, 2009
at
7:46:00 PM
Category:
Geek It Up,
Opinions And Thoughts
Fighting Bloatware
Bloatware (blōt´wãr) (n.) jargon Software that has lots of features and requires considerable disk space and RAM. As the cost of RAM and disk storage has decreased, there has been a growing trend among software developers to disregard the size of applications.
(Definition by Webopedia)
Fantastic stuff. Maybe it hits only the 'IT Geeks' like me but the bloatness of the software I have been employing has kept me disturbed; so much that I finally decided to pull the plug on two software I have been using for ages.
(And yes, I almost fainted when I realized that I have used Winamp for 10 odd years; I'm seriously getting old)
Anyway, I decided to replaced the bloatware with AIMP2 and Avira Anti Virus respectively. Been using them for a few days already and they have been fabulous. Do try them if you need a new anti virus software or media player software.
Okay and that's it for the post. Old guy, Out.
(Definition by Webopedia)
Fantastic stuff. Maybe it hits only the 'IT Geeks' like me but the bloatness of the software I have been employing has kept me disturbed; so much that I finally decided to pull the plug on two software I have been using for ages.
1. Winamp (10 odd years)
2. AVG Anti Virus(7 years)
(And yes, I almost fainted when I realized that I have used Winamp for 10 odd years; I'm seriously getting old)Anyway, I decided to replaced the bloatware with AIMP2 and Avira Anti Virus respectively. Been using them for a few days already and they have been fabulous. Do try them if you need a new anti virus software or media player software.
Okay and that's it for the post. Old guy, Out.
May 5, 2009
at
6:48:00 PM
Category:
Ron's Life
Acai Berry FAIL
First of all, a ShoutOut thanks to Vincent and Kun Guan for informing me about this.
Apparently, I was sending out MSN messages while I wasn't even logged on to my account at 223pm.
While I'm not an IT genius, I am no IT idiot either; I haven't clicked any suspicious links or activated any suspicious .exes recently. So... this leads me to conclude that I got infected in some alternative method.
A user on a forum suggested the 'check who has blocked you' websites as the source. Yes, I'm a user of these websites sometimes. Yes, you need to enter your MSN password for it to work. No, I never thought that they would use my password against me. Yes, I am an idiot. =)
Either way, I have changed my MSN password. Hope this doesn't persists. -_-
Apparently, I was sending out MSN messages while I wasn't even logged on to my account at 223pm.
"ozg02591834 said (2:23 PM):A quick search on the web revealed similar cases on also Yahoo Messenger. However, there seems to be no agreed reason on why exactly users get 'infected'. Note that I'm using the word 'infected' loosely (reasoning as below).
Woah those acai berry pills are no joke I just lost like 23 pounds in two weeks, I am living proof that they work with no special diet or nothing, they only cost me five dollars over at http://kindgave.com"
While I'm not an IT genius, I am no IT idiot either; I haven't clicked any suspicious links or activated any suspicious .exes recently. So... this leads me to conclude that I got infected in some alternative method.
A user on a forum suggested the 'check who has blocked you' websites as the source. Yes, I'm a user of these websites sometimes. Yes, you need to enter your MSN password for it to work. No, I never thought that they would use my password against me. Yes, I am an idiot. =)Either way, I have changed my MSN password. Hope this doesn't persists. -_-
May 4, 2009
at
7:52:00 PM
Category:
Around The World,
Opinions And Thoughts
Trapped
Interesting tidbit of the day: One of the trapped fellows in the Hong Kong hotel is a SMU student, or so says my professor.
That's one unlucky fellow. -_-
That's one unlucky fellow. -_-
May 3, 2009
at
2:56:00 PM
Category:
Barrage of Bookmarks
BOB: The Random Stuff I Read
Epic Gigapan: Strictly speaking, I can't read a photo can I? Anyway, a Gigapan is just a huge huge photo that you can zoom in and zoom out. Fantastic stuff. This one was taken during Obama's inauguration ceremony.
Tan Hong Ming: A commercial that got some great awards in Malaysia apparently, or so says my professor who once used to work with the agency that created this. Personally, I think it's not fantastic, but not too shabby either. Anyway, I can't read a Youtube video too right?
Dancing Parrots:
Yes. Dancing parrots. Yes, you heard that right. Dancing parrots. An interesting choice of song though. Some Backstreet Boys song. How about some trance? -_-. *head bobbing*
Making Fruits Ripe: Did you know that putting your apples and pears beside a ripe banana actually makes them ripe faster? I did not knew that. Apparently, it's the act of some gas by the name of Ethylene. Maybe my Science just sucks.
Generating Electricity from Running Rodents: This idea has been around for some time. But it was only made viable recently as too much energy was lost in previous systems. Can you imagine charging your cellphone or powering your laptop with a running hamster? Will SPCA come after me? *Gulp*
Man Bites Snakes in Epic Battle: Seriously. The snake was a python and the man bit the snake.
Trevvy - A Gay Forum: *Gulp*. I was doing some research on where to buy male apparel and somewhat landed on the site without realizing it was a gay site. That was all until I saw some 'interesting' pictures. -_-". Anyway, the forum is a really interesting one. Go navigate around and you'll know why I say so.
Tan Hong Ming: A commercial that got some great awards in Malaysia apparently, or so says my professor who once used to work with the agency that created this. Personally, I think it's not fantastic, but not too shabby either. Anyway, I can't read a Youtube video too right?
Dancing Parrots:
Yes. Dancing parrots. Yes, you heard that right. Dancing parrots. An interesting choice of song though. Some Backstreet Boys song. How about some trance? -_-. *head bobbing*
Making Fruits Ripe: Did you know that putting your apples and pears beside a ripe banana actually makes them ripe faster? I did not knew that. Apparently, it's the act of some gas by the name of Ethylene. Maybe my Science just sucks.
Generating Electricity from Running Rodents: This idea has been around for some time. But it was only made viable recently as too much energy was lost in previous systems. Can you imagine charging your cellphone or powering your laptop with a running hamster? Will SPCA come after me? *Gulp*
Man Bites Snakes in Epic Battle: Seriously. The snake was a python and the man bit the snake.
Trevvy - A Gay Forum: *Gulp*. I was doing some research on where to buy male apparel and somewhat landed on the site without realizing it was a gay site. That was all until I saw some 'interesting' pictures. -_-". Anyway, the forum is a really interesting one. Go navigate around and you'll know why I say so.
