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Please hold tight to your chair before you scroll down for the images. ... Are you ready? ... Ok, be prepared, OK? Sadly, this is how the new Japanese Rojak will look like... Patent images obtained by Japanese magazines from the local trademark bureau show a new take on the Crown. It doesn’t seem to be wearing its distinctive badge, but we're being told this high-riding fastback will indeed be sold as a Crown. The somewhat odd shape should be familiar as the Citroën C5 X and China's Ford Evos have a similar body. Going back in time, we're getting hints of the defunct Honda Crosstour. The car featured here will reportedly go by the name of Crown Cross and should have the following dimensions: 4,930 mm long, 1,840 mm wide, and 1,540 mm tall, with a wheelbase measuring 2,850 mm. That would make it bigger in every dimension compared to the outgoing sedan, but with a slightly shorter wheelbase. Sources from the Land of the Rising Sun claim Toyota wants to sell the reinvented Crown with a four-cylinder 2.5-liter hybrid engine hooked out to a CVT. There also might be a turbocharged 2.4-liter with an electric motor and a six-speed automatic. It will sit on the TNGA-K platform and come with a choice between front- and all-wheel drive, with a plug-in hybrid option in the works. The official premiere is allegedly locked in for July 15. And I forgot to add, when I first saw its face, it is >90% like the Civic.

Move aside Alphard and Vellfire, this is the new King in large size MPV segment. But honestly, it look more like a Hiace passenger van to me, than a luxurious full size MPV. A full-size wagon, the new Granace commands outstanding presence, making full use of the broad 5.3 meters in length and 1.97 meters in width as a high-quality and comfortable interior space. Adopting a semi-bonnet package, two types of seating arrangements are available: the six-seater with seats in three rows of two, and the eight-seater with seats in four rows of two. The Granace features high-quality performance, delivering sophisticated riding comfort, superior control stability, and a spacious interior. Main features Exterior style that realizes "overwhelming presence and luxury" The large radiator grille embellished with metallic accents flows seamlessly into the headlamps, which project in vertical and horizontal directions, realizing a gorgeous and bold face. The distinctive LED daytime running lamps*6 pierce the headlamps, and together with the projective twin-lens LED headlamps that flow into the decorative chrome frame, express sophistication suitable for luxury cars. "High quality" and "gorgeous" cockpit space The black-infused instrument panel creates a luxurious atmosphere, featuring metallic accents on the air-conditioner outlets and wood-grain embellishment in front of the front passenger seat. The meter hood is wrapped in leather and genuine stitching further lends an air of quality. High-quality space with hospitality in mind leverages spaciousness - In addition to the three-row six-seater, a four-row eight-seater is also available to meet the wide ranging needs of users. - The four seats comprising the second and third rows feature leather captain seats designed for complete relaxation provide a high-quality interior space. In addition to comfortable seating, the new model is equipped with a long slide mechanism and an ottoman mechanism in and other amenities that enhance convenience and comfort. - Wood grain decorations flow from the back of the front seats toward the side trim as if to wrap rear seat passengers in comfort. The LED side color illumination is gently lit, further expressing an elegant and calm quality. Sophisticated high-quality performance - Adopted front-wheel drive layout. Equipped with a 1GD 2.8-liter clean diesel engine and a six-speed automatic transmission, achieving smooth and torque-strong driving from low speeds. - The newly developed trailing-link rigid-axle suspension is used for the rear suspension. The high rigidity body, including the adoption of a ring-shaped frame, achieves a luxurious, comfortable ride with stable handling. - Thorough vibration and sound insulation measures provide a serene quietness suitable for luxury wagons in various road environments. Enhanced advanced equipment - Comes standard with the latest version of Toyota Safety Sense, featuring improved sensing functions that make use of the pre-collision safety system that detects pedestrians during the day and at night, as well as cyclists during the day. - Fully equipped with safety equipment for safety and peace of mind such as Intelligent Clearance Sonar with Parking Support Brakes (Stationary Objects) that helps reduce and/or mitigate damage from collisions during low-speed driving in parking lots, etc. - Equipped with advanced Display Audio (DA). The smartphone linkage function including SDL allows customers to connect with smartphones and operate map applications and music via touch screen display. Specifications Ext. Dimensions: 5,300mm (L) x 1,970mm (W) x 1,990mm (H) Wheelbase: 3,210mm Tread: 1,670mm (F) / 1,670mm (R) Int. Dimensions: 3,290mm (L) x 1,735mm (W) x 1,290mm (H) Engine: 2,754cc Clean Diesel

Kia Concept EV9 if officially previewed as a large and boxy electric SUV. This EV9 Concept will be officially unveiled at the Los Angeles Auto Show on 17 Nov 2021, together with the Hyundai Seven Concept (preview of the upcoming Ioniq 7).

Nope, nothing wrong with my title, you are looking at a brand new Hyundai look-alike model... Still, it is a very handsome car! Kudos to the Korean for the continual improvement in design and quality.

Can anyone help me? I am trying to post my ads for sale but encountered the following error (checked that my files are within the 2Mb limit): 413 Request Entity Too Large nginx/0.7.65 Thanks in advance.

Hi guys, I'm a newbie to cars and am looking for some help from all you professionals in this forum. I apologize in advance if I ask stupid questions. Recently me and my dad decided to purchase the harrier as a family car and we would be interested to change a set of rims. My current set is 17 inch, 225/65/R17. I have a couple of questions I hope you guys could help me answer. What is the maximum rim size I can upsize to? What is the recommended size I upsize to? I checked the calculator for the tire size if I actually upsize to 19 inch, is the calculator reliable? What are good rim colors to fit the pearl white harrier? What brands do you guys recommend? From what I read, ppl recommend bbs, enkei, rays, vossen etc. they also said some brands like ssw are not reliable because of the way they are made? May I know how much would my rims and tires be worth if I trade them in immediately when I get the car? Lastly, may I know where is good to check out rims? I really want to see the rays(volks) but I would love to see a wide variety at awesome prices. Thank you very much for taking the time to reply and sorry for asking so many questions.

Hi, Anyone know other than Ikea and Courts. Is there any large Furniture shop in the East? going to there for window shopping with my families this weekend. (maybe looking for toddler bed to put in my room.)

This appears to be the next Land Rover Discovery, hews closely to the design of the Discovery Vision Concept of 2014. In fact, you can match up almost every detail on this prototype to the concept. The SUV retains the subtle bulge that starts above the C-pillar as a tribute to the old Discovery, LR3 and LR4. The character line running from the fender vent to the edge of the taillight, the semi-floating roof design and the shape of the lights and front grille vents are all carried over from the concept as well. Outside of small proportional changes, this Discovery is a dead-ringer for its show-car predecessor. Clearly, the days of tall, upright, and boxy are numbered at Land Rover. Our spy photographer also expects this new Discovery to trade its current body-on-frame chassis for an aluminum unibody. This wouldn't be surprising as the Discovery Sport also uses an unibody chassis with a mix of aluminum and high-strength steel. Expect the future Discovery to make its debut at the end of this year or sometime in 2017 with a supercharged gasoline 3.0-liter V6 and possibly a diesel 3.0-liter V6. Rumors suggest that the current supercharged V6 may be replaced by a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six from Ford, and a plug-in hybrid may also become an option somewhere down the line.

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/bilahari-kausikan-on-the/2235302.html Sent from Channel NewsAsia Android app. SINGAPORE: Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has posted on Facebook a speech by Ambassador-at-Large Bilahari Kausikan, which was delivered on Oct 31, when Fitzwilliam College of Cambridge University held a conference on the legacy of the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew. Below is PM Lee's post in full, including the speech by Mr Kausikan: Last Saturday, Fitzwilliam College (my father’s old college) of Cambridge University held a conference on the legacy of Mr Lee Kuan Yew. Ambassador-at-Large Bilahari Kausikan spoke at the event. He recounted his personal experience working with Mr Lee, and made telling points about the external challenges that a small country in Southeast Asia will always face. I found it well worth reading, and hope you will too. - LHL Ambassador-at-Large Bilahari Kausikan spoke at a Conference on the legacy of Lee Kuan Yew and the future of Singapore at Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge, on 31 October 2015. Thank you for inviting me to join you in paying tribute to the memory and legacy of Mr Lee Kuan Yew. My generation of Singapore Foreign Service officers were privileged to have had the opportunity to work with Mr Lee and his comrades: Dr Goh Keng Swee and Mr S Rajaratnam. These three men defined the essentials of our foreign policy. Their ideas were formed by the imperatives of survival in the less than benign environment in which Singapore found itself on 10th August 1965, the morning after what was politely termed ‘Separation’. My colleagues and I learnt our trade from them. We did so in very humble capacities: taking notes at their meetings or seeing to the necessities of their travels, but still privileged to observe them at close quarters and absorb something of their modes of thought and operating style. It was a unique apprenticeship. Then as we assumed more senior positions, we came to understand a little more of their considerations by sitting-in on their policy discussions and even occasionally contributed our mite to their decisions. Some of us had studied international relations as an academic subject before joining the Foreign Service. But after 35 years, I have concluded that any resemblance between what I had studied and what I eventually did for a living was purely coincidental. Our real education in the realities of the diplomacy of a small country only started when our professional lives were touched, however tangentially, by Mr Lee and his comrades. The most valuable thing they imparted to us was a cast of mind. Mr Rajaratnam, our first Foreign Minister, has described his first meeting with the international press as Foreign Minister. It was only a few days after we had independence thrust upon us. Relations with Malaysia were fraught with racial tension; Sukarno’s Indonesia was still fighting an undeclared war against us and to our north in Indochina, the Cold War had turned hot. The newsmen were braying for information on how newly independent Singapore would conduct itself. ‘What’, Mr Rajaratnam told us he asked Mr Lee, ‘shall I tell them?’ ‘Just wear a tie, Raja”, was the answer, ‘you’ll think of something’. Big countries may delude themselves about being always in control of events. Small countries cannot afford such illusions. For small countries, foreign policy is usually a series of not always neat or consistent improvisations to a messy and unpredictable reality. The future can at best be only dimly glimpsed and in any case cares not a whit for your concerns. So you must pragmatically adapt yourself to it. One must of course set goals. But having done so, more often than not the most one can do is keep a distant star in sight as one tacks hither and tither to avoid treacherous reefs or to scoop up opportunities that may drift within reach. Successful navigation requires a clinical – indeed cold-blooded – appreciation of the world as it is and not as you may wish it to be. This is harder than you may think. Diplomacy is an area of human endeavour that is more than usually susceptible to self-deception and wishful thinking. Mr Lee and his comrades were not devoid of idealism. Singapore as it is today would not otherwise exist. They risked their lives to make it so. But idealism must be rooted in a hard-headed understanding of the realities of human nature and power. Without power nothing can be achieved. And even with power not everything desirable will always be feasible. No matter how fervently one may wish that they may be liberated from the surly bonds of earth, pigs are never going to sprout wings and fly. Understanding requires information. Mr Lee had intense intellectual curiosity. He sought information without regard for hierarchy. He was tolerant of alternate views or at any rate, he was tolerant of the young and brash desk officer as I then was who, too green to know that the tiger is dangerous, ventured on occasion to argue with him. The tiger’s roar is fearsome and its fangs are sharp. Mr Lee sometimes tried to intimidate you into agreement. But if you stood your ground with reasoned arguments, he listened even if he did not agree. And I am here to tell the tale. Mr Lee and his comrades were impatient of complexity for complexity’s sake; for the sake of showing off how clever one was. He did not suffer fools. If he sought a view, it was to be taken for granted you had something useful to say and would say it in the fewest possible words. And if you didn’t know, say so. What Mr Lee and his comrades possessed to a greater degree than anyone else I have ever met, was an uncanny ability to zero into the core of even the most complicated problem or situation. They wielded Occam’s razor with great intellectual ruthlessness, slashing through the pious obfuscations which too often shroud international issues. Margaret Thatcher once said of Mr Lee: ‘He was never wrong’. That is of course, not true. Nobody can be always right, particularly in international affairs where most of the time most of the factors are going to be unknown or only partially known and where even the effort to know may change what you are trying to know But Mr Lee and his comrades were never shy about changing their minds. Again this is harder than you may think. Too often vested interests, stubbornness or just plain pride stands in the way. Too many people believe their own propaganda. Mr Lee and his comrades avoided this most common of pitfalls because their laser-like focus was always the national interest of Singapore. And they never confused ideology with interest. Diplomacy is not all about being pleasant or making oneself agreeable. It is about defending and advancing the national interest, preferably by being pleasant and agreeable, but if necessary by any appropriate means. In this respect, having to stand your ground in the face of the tiger’s roar – and in the shadows of diplomatic politesse lurk many wild beasts – was another valuable lesson. This is particularly so in Southeast Asia, where majority Chinese Singapore which organizes itself on the basis of multiracial meritocracy, is something of an anomaly. We live in a region where the Chinese are typically a minority and not a particularly welcome one, and where our neighbours organize themselves on the basis of very different principles. Perhaps Mr Lee’s greatest mistake was, during the period when we were part of Malaysia, to underestimate the lengths to which the Malay leadership in Malaysia would go to defend ‘Ketuanan Melayu’ – Malay dominance. It was not a mistake that he or any of our leaders ever made again. The basic issue in Singapore’s relations with our neighbours is existential: the implicit challenge that by its very existence a Chinese majority Singapore organized on the basis of multiracial meritocracy poses to systems organized on the basis of different and ultimately irreconcilable principles. That we have the temerity to be successful, adds to the offence. None of this means we cannot cooperate with our neighbours: we must, we can and we do. But we must do so from a position of strength. Mr Lee was a lawyer and had a deep belief in the rule of law. Yet as a former Chief of the Malaysian Armed Forces has recounted, Mr Lee told him: “if PAS comes into power … and tries to meddle with the water in Johor Bahru, I’ll move my troops in. I will not wait for the Security Council to solve this little problem.” But Mr Lee also once told an Israeli General who had helped start our armed forces that Singapore had learnt two things from Israel: how to be strong, and how not to use our strength; meaning that it is necessary to get along with neighbours and no country can live in perpetual conflict with its neighbours. But we are different and we must remain different to survive. Small countries have no intrinsic relevance. To small countries, relevance is an artefact created by human endeavour and having been created, must be maintained by human endeavour. To remain relevant we cannot be ordinary. We cannot be just like our neighbours. We have to be extraordinary. Yet being extraordinary does not always endear us to our neighbours. The management of this paradox lies at the heart of our foreign policy and prescribes our most fundamental approaches: maintaining balance in Southeast Asia by facilitating the engagement of all major powers in our region, while fostering regional cooperation through ASEAN and maintaining our edge and keeping our powder dry. Singapore and Southeast Asia in 2015 is obviously not the same as Singapore and Southeast Asia in 1965. But some things do not change: our geopolitical situation and how our neighbours chose to organize themselves. The parameters of choice for small countries are never overly broad. The approach that Mr Lee and his comrades bequeathed to my generation of Foreign Service Officers and which we have tried to impart to our successors, still serves us well. Our environment is still complicated and perilous. The US and China are competing for influence with a greater than usual intensity as they grope towards a new accommodation with each other and the region. Malaysia is on a political trajectory that has heightened racial and religious tensions and may well lead to violence. The haze that regularly envelopes Southeast Asia is a reminder that post-Suharto Indonesia is still an incoherent and rent-seeking polity which has yet to reach a stable political equilibrium. The key challenge is internal: that a new generation of Singaporeans will take the achievements of Mr Lee and his comrades for granted as the natural order of things and be persuaded that we are no longer vulnerable. Some opposition politicians and their fellow travellers among the intelligentsia have tried to do just that. They either do not understand their own country and region or place their ambitions above the national interest. Fortunately, as the results of our recent General Election have demonstrated, the majority of my compatriots do not believe them

Large fire at Phuket SuperCheap, reports of explosions [VIDEO] PHUKET: A large fire has broken out at the SuperCheap store on Thepkrassatri Rd in Phuket Town this evening (October 16). Claire Connell Wednesday 16 October 2013, 10:06PM http://youtu.be/duMT6f7TGkk Video: Eakkapop Thongtub The fire started at around 9.40pm this evening. Early reports say around 1,000 staff were inside SuperCheap at the time of the fire. There are now around 50-60 firetrucks at the scene, and around 300 firefighters. At 2am, there were still no details about the injured or if any people are dead. A support centre for the public has been set up at the Phuket Provincial Hall. A Phuket Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation official told The Phuket News on Thursday, “I have not received any reports about any injured or dead people. The fire is under control now. We have 15 officials from the department standing by at the scene to help.” An earlier report said one person had been treated at Vachira Hospital, but it was now established this man was not injured by the fire. Phuket Vice Governor Sommai Prijasilpa is now at the scene of the blaze along with mayors from other districts in Phuket. Police have now evacuated the area due to the risk of a possible explosion, both from the gas tanks inside SuperCheap and also the nearby Esso petrol station. Phuket News reporter at the scene Naraporn Tuarob said she arrived to find a lot of flames coming out of the building and people running from the scene. “At the moment I can hear explosions but I don’t know where they are coming from. The flames have moved to the Thanksina wood factory. “One couple told me they were about to pay the bill inside the store, and someone told them there was a fire – people were yelling “fire fire”. Then they ran out of the store and everyone else was running. They said everything was in chaos.” A pregnant Thai woman who lived in the village behind SuperCheap told The Phuket News on Wednesday night, “My husband and I heard a loud bomb noise around 9.30pm. Then I saw the flames and we escaped out. There is only one main exit onto the main road, but we went the back way and managed to get out.” Rasha Shidmaher, originally from Iran but living in Phuket for two years, was driving in the area when he saw the fire, and stopped to take a video. "It was awful when I saw the people crying and trying to leave the area where the fire was. There were people screaming and trying to leave the area. I saw a lot of ambulances as well from all around the island." Families living nearby have been ordered by officials to evacuate the area. One early report said the damage could be around B900 million. Nuengruethai Buddawong was at SuperCheap around 10.30pm this evening, after she drove there from Khao Rang Hill to see what the fire was. "I can hear the sirens and the bomb sounds. The traffic police have blocked the main road and the alleyway to get through to SuperCheap. Now I'm at the electric company office close by. On the main road there are a lot people."

"Car-loving creature trying to "monitor" engine problems from the inside" No tall 'tail': Large lizard found under car bonnet A video of men trying to yank a monitor lizard from one man's car engine has gone viral. The driver, Thum Wai Loong, shared with Channel NewsAsia, his close encounter with the scaly kind. Screengrab from a video of a monitor lizard stuck in a car bonnet (Image: Thum Wai Loong's Facebook page) PENANG: He left for a short business trip, and when he returned, found a nasty surprise in his car - a monitor lizard, wedged in the bonnet. Mr Thum Wai Loong, a Malaysian, posted a video of his scaly find on Facebook, and it has since gone viral, with over 6,500 likes as of Tuesday (Sep 9). The Assistant Sales Manager for Winston Engineering Corporation told Channel NewsAsia he had a business appointment on the island of Langkawi on Sep 3, and so drove from Penang where he lives, to Kuala Kedah Jetty. "I parked my car at an open car park exactly in front of the jetty entrance and boarded the ferry. I stayed one night and came back the next day (Sep 4) at about 2:30pm." The first sign of trouble came about five minutes after he drove off. "After passing two traffic lights, I heard a short tapping sound coming from the engine area," he related. He stopped by the roadside, and popped the bonnet open to check - then came the "surprise", he said. Mr Thum said he let go of the bonnet and stepped away as a natural reflex. "I could only see a big fat tail slithering. I didn't see the whole lizard." He called a friend for help, who in turn contacted RELA Corps - a volunteer community service group. Despite much tugging by two men, the reptile stayed stubbornly inside the hood. "The whole process took about 10 minutes. They couldn't pull it out, so finally they let go and it crawled underneath the car and quickly went into a big drain just beside the car," Mr Thum said. It moved so fast, he was unable to get a clear shot, but he estimated the lizard to be around 1.5 metres. "The tail itself was 2.5 feet (70 cm)." No word on how the lizard came to be in the bonnet, and where it slithered off to. However, netizens had a field day cracking jokes about the car-loving creature, with some saying it was simply trying to "monitor" engine problems from the inside. - CNA/ly (Source: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asiapacific/no-tall-tail-large-lizard/1354148.html )

Such gracious act definitely deserves a mention here. If the driver is a member here and reading this, double thumbs up to u! Going out of your way and creating convenience for other drivers. We need more good and kind drivers like you, thank you! http://singaporeseen.stomp.com.sg/singaporeseen/get-inspired/kudos-man-removes-large-fallen-tree-branch-causing-traffic-obstruction Kudos! Man removes large fallen tree branch causing traffic obstruction Posted on 08 September 2014 | 243 views | 1 comments More Sharing Services PHOTO: Video screengrab A man who moved a large fallen tree branch away from the middle of the road has won praises of netizens for his Samaritan spirit. In a video posted by Facebook user Paul PK Wong on Sep 6, it showed the driver pulling the tree branch which was obstructing the traffic on a two-lane road. The video was shared over 60 times and was Liked by over 80 people. In the video caption, he wrote: "Wanted to drive pass the tree branch, and it was blocking the traffic flow. "Then decided, why not move it away. "It took me only a few sec to move it. "Hope my kids inside the car learn some good values of life from me.

http://www.tremeritus.com/2014/02/22/large-jumps-in-pas-operating-expenditure-after-2006/ Large jumps in PA’s operating expenditure after 2006 February 22nd, 2014 | Author: Editorial Yesterday (21 Feb), People’s Association (PA) gave a statement attempting to explain why its auditors had given its financial reports an “adverse opinion”. PA’s reply was duly published in ST (‘PA responds to online reports on its accounts’, 21 Feb). In the article, ST also wrote that PA receives more than $300 million from the government each year. It said: “The PA is a statutory board under the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth and receives more than $300 million in government grants each year.” As a matter of fact, PA is receiving a whole lot more than $300 million grants from the government these days. TR Emeritus (TRE) went through the PA financial reports [Link] and found that beginning from the year FY2006, the government has been increasingly giving more grants to PA ranging from $257 million in FY2006 (06/07) to $434 million in FY2012 (12/13): And beginning from FY2006 till FY2012, the average increase in government grants given to PA was 9.3% per year: % inc in Govt Grants FY2012 2.1% FY2011 9.3% FY2010 4.9% FY2009 13.8% FY2008 7.2% FY2007 18.3% Average 9.3% This was not the case prior to 2006 when the amounts given were about the same. The smallest increase since FY2006 was in FY2012 at 2.1% after the 2011 General Elections, when PAP’s votes went down to a record low of 60.1%. Government grants to PA need to be increased because PA’s total operating expenditure has been increasing since FY2006. It was more or less flat prior to that time: In the last FY, PA’s total operating expenditure was $483 million. On average, since FY2006, PA’s total operating expenditure has been increasing at 11.1% per year. From PA”s publicly disclosed information, in FY2007, there were 1,139 grassroots organization under its charge. By FY2010, this figure shot up to 1,803 (‘BREAKING: Auditors give adverse ratings to PA’s financial reports‘). Interestingly, the increase in PA’s spending and government grants to PA coincides with the increase in the foreign population in Singapore especially after 2006: (source: DOS) Perhaps PA is trying to help in the integration of the foreign population into Singapore’s society for the betterment of Singapore. What do you think?

Hi fellow motorist, I observed Shell recently has removed the price tag for fuel in all its fuel station. There were price tags for 95/98/V-Power indicated on their electronic board. I wonder the reason why??

From Yahoo!News: "Probably from an American's point of view": Retirement in the United States is nice and all, until they ask you to actually pay for stuff. When retirees' nest eggs are a finite and dwindling resource, rising local and federal taxes can put even the staunchest, flag-draped patriotism to the test. If retirees are willing to leave the states behind, the savings can be substantial. The folks at International Living crunched the numbers and looked at the price of simple staples, assimilation and staying in touch with family left behind. The following countries scored high marks not only for their inexpensive living, but for overall friendliness toward American retirees: Panama A retiree has it pretty sweet in Panama, where a program commonly known as pensionado help retirees settle in quickly. International Living says retirees can live like kings here for $1,500 to $2,000 a month and score apartments for less than $500 a month or buy waterfront condos for less than $200,000. Pensionado, meanwhile, gives users 15% off fast food, 15% off at hospitals and clinics, 20% off professional services used in Panama, 25% off the price of food eaten in a sit-down restaurant; 25% off domestic flights on Copa Airlines, a 30% discount on public transport and 50% off movies, theater tickets and sporting events. There's no age limit for the service, either, so help yourself. Mexico Considering the tensions over the state of Mexico/U.S. immigration law, it's at the very least amusing to consider American workers streaming south to chase their retirement dreams. But great homes on Mexico's Caribbean coast go for less than $170,000 while places such as Lake Chapala are home to dozens of expat communities. It's not such a bad place for snowbirds, either. It's the only retirement destination on this list withing driving distance, and retirees can rent out their properties in the off months to cover costs. Malaysia The country's My Second Home retirement benefits program for all foreigners is a great draw, but so is the quality Internet access, cellphone coverage and roads. It also helps that it's dirt cheap. A sea-view apartment with a pool and gym on Penang Island goes for $1,000 a month, and big-budget movies usually premiere here, are shown in English and go for about $4. Oh, and there's plenty of English being spoken as well. Colombia Medellin has a notorious reputation among Americans who know it mostly for its drug-laden past, but that hasn't prevented a huge expat population from springing up within city limits. Medellin's El Poblado district has Japanese, French, seafood and Italian restaurants within a block of each other. Its health care system ranks atop any other stop on this list, while the cost of everything from housing to entertainment are a great fit for a fixed income. New Zealand The English speaking certainly helps, but so do the winters that come during an American summer. That's some pretty costly snowbirding, so maybe the proliferation and low cost of every day amenities as well as more frivolous items should be seen as long-term investments. New Zealand's reputation for healthy living and near-absent pollution should also appeal to those who want to extend retirement as long as possible. Nicaragua A visit to the doctor is $15. Overall health care can cost as much as 60% less than the U.S., while U.S.-trained doctors speak English and will make house calls. A huge expat population in the colonial city of Granada spends about around $1,200 a month to live there, considering a small house can be $500 to $1,000 a month to rent. The best steak dinner in town runs about $13, while regular meals go for half that and "local meals" are $2 to $3. Local beer, meanwhile, runs between 75 cents and $1.50. This makes Florida's cost of living look like Manhattan's. Spain Wait, the same Spain that just dodged a bailout and is still dealing with crushing debt? Yep, that's the one, but austerity measures haven't bitten into the best of what Spain has to offer. This is by no means the cheapest option on the list and, in fact, has the most expensive real estate of any country listed. That said, it's really easy to fit in, with near-ubiquitous English, three-course meals for less than $20 and modern infrastructure that places high value on convenient, punctual rail service. Combine that with teeming culture and tons of ways to pass the time and Spain can be a great fit for retirees who've already weathered a shaky economy. Thailand About $500 a month is enough to score a nice new home just about anywhere in Thailand. One of International Living's contributors pays just $222 a month for a beachside bungalow with air conditioning, hot water, Wi-Fi and a refrigerator. Altogether, the cost of living in Thailand sets retirees back only about $1,000 a month while giving them great amenities and vibrant cultural and entertainment options. Bangkok still gets pretty wild, but loads of expats and lots of English speakers help ease the transition. Honduras The benefits offered to retirees beyond the three-hour flights back to see the kids are fairly substantial, especially considering that expats living on beachfront property can do well here on less than $1,500 a month. The scuba diving, fishing, sailing, kayaking, snorkeling and surfing are lovely too. But even Honduras can't top the last entry on our list: Ecuador This basically is Florida or Arizona for the expat community. The country's retirement benefits package includes 50% off transportation, utility bills, international round-trip flights originating in Ecuador and tickets for cultural and sporting events. Foreigners can also enroll in Ecuador's Social Security medical program for $57 a month. Those over 65 also pay lower income tax. Penthouse suites and beachfront condos go for $50,000, while beachfront rentals hover around $500 a month. A retiree's entire cost of living rounds out to roughly $800 to $1,500 a month, and the neighbors more often than not are either A) other expats or B) English-speaking locals. We'll warn that this isn't exactly undiscovered country among retirees, but it's several steps up from the costly retirement kennels and golf carts of more costly American hot spots.

Hey bro and sis, Any idea where can I order beer mug in large quantity and it would be good if they provide engraving services. Thanks Regards, Rustyz Happy Voting Day

I've had a look around the web for local distributors of commercial vehicles but can't seem to find any that sell that really large version where you can stand up comfortably inside the back of it. I need to look for one that isn't so big that you need to sit for a different class of driving license. I think it can't be more than a 14ft vehicle if I am not mistaken. What I am tying to do is source for a vehicle and convert the inside of it to make it into a mobile showroom. Any advice is much appreciated.

I am looking for a large digital clock, 7-segment prefably, about 24-inch digit size. I hope this is viewable from 50metre. Any supplier here or introduction please?

Who in MCF is going to Avalon At Large ???? Day One/Two Line-Ups: Day 1: FLO RIDA, SANTIGOLD, ABOVE & BEYOND, STEVE ANGELLO, STEVE AOKI, MAJOR LAZER, and many more

GENEVA (AFP) -

Home > Breaking News > Singapore > Story Feb 10, 2009 Jailed for contraband tobacco By Elena Chong A CHINA national was jailed for 23 months on Tuesday for having contraband tobacco and medicinal products. Huang Kexin, 63, pleaded guilty to having 270 kg of duty unpaid tobacco and not paying Goods and Services Tax of $6,800 on the 150 packages found in a rented room in Lorong 16 Geylang on Jan 16. The unpaid duty amounted to $95,040. He also admitted to possessing for retail sale African Black Ant capsules and Power 1 Singapore tablets containing controlled substances. A district court heard that a team of Health Sciences Authority and police officers raided his room and seized a variety of medicines and tobacco. The green tobacco packages were labelled as Chinese tea. Huang told investigators that he had bought the tobacco two days earlier from an unknown China national at $14 a package and had intended to resell them at $20. The medicinal products he had in his possession could only be sold in a registered pharmacy or under the supervision of a pharmacist. Under the Customs Act, he could have been fined up to 20 times the amount of customs duty or tax evaded or $10,000, whichever is greater, and/or jailed for up to three years. Huang could have been fined up to $5,000 and/or jailed for up to two years on each of the Medicines Act charges. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I am always puzzled when cars slow down upon seeing large patches of water My dad says its to prevent water from entering the engine. But still, i have see people zooming into the puddle head on and sending water all over the place . They say its okay and doesnt affect thier engine

PUB clears river sludge along Robertson Quay By Jinny Koh, TODAY | Posted: 27 May 2008 0952 hrs Photos 1 of 1 SINGAPORE: The air along Robertson Quay has finally been cleared. And the source of the offending stench a 1m-thick layer of sludge lining the bed of the Singapore River has been removed, giving the area a breath of fresh air. The years of muck that lined a 50m stretch of riverbed could have been due to dead leaves, litter and silt discharged from nearby worksites, especially after rain, said a PUB officer during a media briefing at the quayside on Monday. The sludge fronting the Red House at The Quayside had been assailing the nostrils of visitors, patrons and tenants for the last three months. And while the PUB assured that the air is clean again, the agency would

Well, not quite. But I decided to bring the 2007 Australian Motorshow to my fellow Singaporeans here at MCF. Meanwhile, unless you're heng enuff to be on assignment in Australia (like me), you guys have to contend with our smaller-scale motorshows in Singapore or enjoy the photos I've put up! Lunchtime crowd The Civic Type R: exterior and interior shots Audi RS4: Audi's answer to the BMW M3? Audi's new S5 The new Subaru Impreza WRX: Potentially the uglist car at the show Lexus ISF: Lexus' answer to the M3. Lotus booth at the Aussie motorshow Mercedez Benz sold more than AU$1 million worth of cars in the first two days of the motorshow. They made that after selling only a handful of Merc-AMG cars including the E55, new CL65 and S65s. Craaazy. Maserati took about five orders of their new Gran Turismo in the same amount of time. I'll be uploading more pictures when I have the time. Meanwhile, enjoy.

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