Changes in your EZ Link Card

The Land Transport Authority’s (LTA) next-generation e-payment system for public transit, Symphony for e-Payment (SeP), is ready for implementation. The new system which is built on the Singapore Standard for Contact less ePurse Application (CEPAS), allows any smart card that complies with the standard to be used with the system and in a wide variety of payment applications.

With SeP, commuters will be able to use cards issued by any card issuer for transit purposes as long as the card complies with the CEPAS standard and includes the transit application. Commuters can eventually use CEPAS-compliant cards for Electronic Road Pricing payments in vehicles fitted with the new generation In-vehicle Unit, Electronic Parking System carparks and other electronic payment systems that support the CEPAS standard.

Unlike the existing ez-link card, the new CEPAS-compliant ez-link card will not have requirement for a travel deposit. Commuters will have full use of the stored value of the card for transit and non-transit purposes. To ensure commuters are familiar with the no-deposit feature and use of the CEPAS-compliant card, LTA is launching a public education programme for commuters from 2 December 2008.

Posters highlighting the no-deposit feature of the new card will be put up at MRT stations and bus interchanges/stops as well as on trains and buses. These posters also remind commuters to ensure that they have sufficient value in their cards to complete their journey before entering the transit system, and to top-up their cards when the balance is low (i.e. less than $5) as there is no travel deposit to tap on.

When SeP is launched this December 2008, the new system and the existing Enhanced Integrated Farecard System (EIFS) will run concurrently to allow commuters ample time to replace their cards.

REF: http://www.lta.gov.sg/public_transport/pt_travel.htm#ezlink

Online Street Guide - Singapore

In Singapore, To plan for any traveling, there are lot good sites to guide you. SMART bus guide will guide you on route and there is online street map i found very useful and recent few meetings and visit to new places, i used this web site. Hope it will be useful for any one traveling in Singapore.

http://www.streetdb.com/

MRT travel time

I was looking for Singapore MRT travel duration between different locations. Normally any one can see board in MRT station. However for any travel planning, it is good to access from web. Here link

http://www.smrt.com.sg/trains/documents/RailTravelTimes61.pdf

China Melamine Scandal - How bad do business with Infant's Life

It was really sad story that most of people heard about infants affected in many thousands numbers in China due to contaminated milk which has melamine in considerable amount.

What is "Melamine" ?
Melamine is a chemical rich in nitrogen that is used in making plastics, glues and whiteboards.

However, Don't panic if you already had milk or milk related foods which has melamine. So, Far no issues.. It is really fine for Adults and no harm in significant. it based on level and usage also. However main issue identified for infants as for them milk is main food and if they had more melamine percentage milk items, they will get suffer with kidney failures and related diseases. So, Be careful for infants mainly.

Check more on : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melamine
And China's recent Melamine issue on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_Chinese_Milk_Scandal

As i have seen, Singapore government taking serious action plan to save its people and you can get updated details from web site http://www.ava.gov.sg/

And there you will able to see the listed food items which has banned to due to melamine. keep mointoring it. And FAQ and details also there.

Please pass this post details to every one who has infants in family and living in South / South East Asian Countries.

Mount Faber - Singapore

I used do my morning walk (it is still not proper jogging :-) ) to Mount Faber in weekends. It is really nice place and suitable for that as well. And it is another important place for people to visit also.

Mount Faber is a hill 105 meters height and can have nice view from top, one side city and other side harbour front. I have took few shots during my visits and will upload here. And people wish to go Senthosa. They could come either here or harbour front and take cable car to make their trip enjoyable.

Read more about Mount Faber on wikipedia

Cable car ticket rates can found from here

To visit Mount Faber check this site

Corruption Perceptions Index 2008 - Well done Singapore

Hope most of you aware about recently released Corruption Perceptions Index 2008. Singapore achieved good position in that. Mostly every one aware about Singapore and its uniqueness among Asian countries. But, this achievement is really great one. Every Singaporean should proud of that.

The Sweden, New Zealand (Well done NZ too) and Denmark are in first place and Singapore is next to them just because of 0.1 index difference. All other countries beyond them.

2008 CORRUPTION PERCEPTIONS INDEX
country rank	country	2008 CPI score	surveys used	confidence range
1	Denmark	9,3	6	9.1 - 9.4
1	New Zealand	9,3	6	9.2 - 9.5
1	Sweden	9,3	6	9.2 - 9.4
4	Singapore	9,2	9	9.0 - 9.3
5	Finland	9,0	6	8.4 - 9.4
5	Switzerland	9,0	6	8.7 - 9.2
7	Iceland	8,9	5	8.1 - 9.4
7	Netherlands	8,9	6	8.5 - 9.1
9	Australia	8,7	8	8.2 - 9.1
9	Canada	8,7	6	8.4 - 9.1
11	Luxembourg	8,3	6	7.8 - 8.8
12	Austria	8,1	6	7.6 - 8.6
12	Hong Kong	8,1	8	7.5 - 8.6
14	Germany	7,9	6	7.5 - 8.2
14	Norway	7,9	6	7.5 - 8.3
16	Ireland	7,7	6	7.5 - 7.9
16	United Kingdom	7,7	6	7.2 - 8.1
18	Belgium	7,3	6	7.2 - 7.4
18	Japan	7,3	8	7.0 - 7.6
18	USA	7,3	8	6.7 - 7.7
21	Saint Lucia	7,1	3	6.6 - 7.3
22	Barbados	7,0	4	6.5 - 7.3
23	Chile	6,9	7	6.5 - 7.2
23	France	6,9	6	6.5 - 7.3
23	Uruguay	6,9	5	6.5 - 7.2
26	Slovenia	6,7	8	6.5 - 7.0
27	Estonia	6,6	8	6.2 - 6.9
28	Qatar	6,5	4	5.6 - 7.0
28	Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	6,5	3	4.7 - 7.3
28	Spain	6,5	6	5.7 - 6.9
31	Cyprus	6,4	3	5.9 - 6.8
32	Portugal	6,1	6	5.6 - 6.7
33	Dominica	6,0	3	4.7 - 6.8
33	Israel	6,0	6	5.6 - 6.3
35	United Arab Emirates	5,9	5	4.8 - 6.8
36	Botswana	5,8	6	5.2 - 6.4
36	Malta	5,8	4	5.3 - 6.3
36	Puerto Rico	5,8	4	5.0 - 6.6
39	Taiwan	5,7	9	5.4 - 6.0
40	South Korea	5,6	9	5.1 - 6.3
41	Mauritius	5,5	5	4.9 - 6.4
41	Oman	5,5	5	4.5 - 6.4
43	Bahrain	5,4	5	4.3 - 5.9
43	Macao	5,4	4	3.9 - 6.2
45	Bhutan	5,2	5	4.5 - 5.9
45	Czech Republic	5,2	8	4.8 - 5.9
47	Cape Verde	5,1	3	3.4 - 5.6
47	Costa Rica	5,1	5	4.8 - 5.3
47	Hungary	5,1	8	4.8 - 5.4
47	Jordan	5,1	7	4.0 - 6.2
47	Malaysia	5,1	9	4.5 - 5.7
52	Latvia	5,0	6	4.8 - 5.2
52	Slovakia	5,0	8	4.5 - 5.3
54	South Africa	4,9	8	4.5 - 5.1
55	Italy	4,8	6	4.0 - 5.5
55	Seychelles	4,8	4	3.7 - 5.9
57	Greece	4,7	6	4.2 - 5.0
58	Lithuania	4,6	8	4.1 - 5.2
58	Poland	4,6	8	4.0 - 5.2
58	Turkey	4,6	7	4.1 - 5.1
61	Namibia	4,5	6	3.8 - 5.1
62	Croatia	4,4	8	4.0 - 4.8
62	Samoa	4,4	3	3.4 - 4.8
62	Tunisia	4,4	6	3.5 - 5.5
65	Cuba	4,3	4	3.6 - 4.8
65	Kuwait	4,3	5	3.3 - 5.2
67	El Salvador	3,9	5	3.2 - 4.5
67	Georgia	3,9	7	3.2 - 4.6
67	Ghana	3,9	6	3.4 - 4.5
70	Colombia	3,8	7	3.3 - 4.5
70	Romania	3,8	8	3.4 - 4.2
72	Bulgaria	3,6	8	3.0 - 4.3
72	China	3,6	9	3.1 - 4.3
72	Macedonia (Former Yugoslav Republic of)	3,6	6	2.9 - 4.3
72	Mexico	3,6	7	3.4 - 3.9
72	Peru	3,6	6	3.4 - 4.1
72	Suriname	3,6	4	3.3 - 4.0
72	Swaziland	3,6	4	2.9 - 4.3
72	Trinidad and Tobago	3,6	4	3.1 - 4.0
80	Brazil	3,5	7	3.2 - 4.0
80	Burkina Faso	3,5	7	2.9 - 4.2
80	Morocco	3,5	6	3.0 - 4.0
80	Saudi Arabia	3,5	5	3.0 - 3.9
80	Thailand	3,5	9	3.0 - 3.9
85	Albania	3,4	5	3.3 - 3.4
85	India	3,4	10	3.2 - 3.6
85	Madagascar	3,4	7	2.8 - 4.0
85	Montenegro	3,4	5	2-5 - 4.0
85	Panama	3,4	5	2.8 - 3.7
85	Senegal	3,4	7	2.9 - 4.0
85	Serbia	3,4	6	3.0 - 4.0
92	Algeria	3,2	6	2.9 - 3.4
92	Bosnia and Herzegovina	3,2	7	2.9 - 3.5
92	Lesotho	3,2	5	2.3 - 3.8
92	Sri Lanka	3,2	7	2.9 - 3.5
96	Benin	3,1	6	2.8 - 3.4
96	Gabon	3,1	4	2.8 - 3.3
96	Guatemala	3,1	5	2.3 - 4.0
96	Jamaica	3,1	5	2.8 - 3.3
96	Kiribati	3,1	3	2.5 - 3.4
96	Mali	3,1	6	2.8 - 3.3
102	Bolivia	3.0	6	2.8 - 3.2
102	Djibouti	3,0	4	2.2 - 3.3
102	Dominican Republic	3,0	5	2.7 - 3.2
102	Lebanon	3,0	4	2.2 - 3.6
102	Mongolia	3,0	7	2.6 - 3.3
102	Rwanda	3,0	5	2.7 - 3.2
102	Tanzania	3,0	7	2.5 - 3.3
109	Argentina	2,9	7	2.5 - 3.3
109	Armenia	2,9	7	2.6 - 3.1
109	Belize	2,9	3	1.8 - 3.7
109	Moldova	2,9	7	2.4 - 3.7
109	Solomon Islands	2,9	3	2.5 - 3.2
109	Vanuatu	2,9	3	2.5 - 3.2
115	Egypt	2,8	6	2.4 - 3.2
115	Malawi	2,8	6	2.4 - 3.1
115	Maldives	2,8	4	1.7 - 4.3
115	Mauritania	2,8	7	2.2 - 3.7
115	Niger	2,8	6	2.4 - 3.0
115	Zambia	2,8	7	2.5 - 3.0
121	Nepal	2,7	6	2.4 - 3.0
121	Nigeria	2,7	7	2.3 - 3.0
121	Sao Tome and Principe	2,7	3	2.1 - 3.1
121	Togo	2,7	6	1.9 - 3.7
121	Viet Nam	2,7	9	2.4 - 3.1
126	Eritrea	2,6	5	1.7 - 3.6
126	Ethiopia	2,6	7	2.2 - 2.9
126	Guyana	2,6	4	2.4 - 2.7
126	Honduras	2,6	6	2.3 - 2.9
126	Indonesia	2,6	10	2.3 - 2.9
126	Libya	2,6	5	2.2 - 3.0
126	Mozambique	2,6	7	2.4 - 2.9
126	Uganda	2,6	7	2.2 - 3.0
134	Comoros	2,5	3	1.9 - 3.0
134	Nicaragua	2,5	6	2.2 - 2.7
134	Pakistan	2,5	7	2.0 - 2.8
134	Ukraine	2,5	8	2.2 - 2.8
138	Liberia	2,4	4	1.8 - 2.8
138	Paraguay	2,4	5	2.0 - 2.7
138	Tonga	2,4	3	1.9 - 2.6
141	Cameroon	2,3	7	2.0 - 2.7
141	Iran	2,3	4	1.9 - 2.5
141	Philippines	2,3	9	2.1 - 2.5
141	Yemen	2,3	5	1.9 - 2.8
145	Kazakhstan	2,2	6	1.8 - 2.7
145	Timor-Leste	2,2	4	1.8 - 2.5
147	Bangladesh	2,1	7	1.7 - 2.4
147	Kenya	2,1	7	1.9 - 2.4
147	Russia	2,1	8	1.9 - 2.5
147	Syria	2,1	5	1.6 - 2.4
151	Belarus	2,0	5	1.6 - 2.5
151	Central African Republic	2,0	5	1.9 - 2.2
151	Côte d´Ivoire	2,0	6	1.7 - 2.5
151	Ecuador	2,0	5	1.8 - 2.2
151	Laos	2,0	6	1.6 - 2.3
151	Papua New Guinea	2,0	6	1.6 - 2.3
151	Taijikistan	2,0	8	1.7 - 2.3
158	Angola	1,9	6	1.5 - 2.2
158	Azerbaijan	1,9	8	1.7 - 2.1
158	Burundi	1,9	6	1.5 - 2.3
158	Congo, Republic	1,9	6	1.8 - 2.0
158	Gambia	1,9	5	1.5 - 2.4
158	Guinea-Bissau	1,9	3	1.8 - 2.0
158	Sierra Leone	1,9	5	1.8 - 2.0
158	Venezuela	1,9	7	1.8 - 2.0
166	Cambodia	1,8	7	1.7 - 1.9
166	Kyrgyzstan	1,8	7	1.7 - 1.9
166	Turkmenistan	1,8	5	1.5 - 2.2
166	Uzbekistan	1,8	8	1.5 - 2.2
166	Zimbabwe	1,8	7	1.5 - 2.1
171	Congo, Democratic Republic	1,7	6	1.6 - 1.9
171	Equatorial Guinea	1,7	4	1.5 - 1.8
173	Chad	1,6	6	1.5 - 1.7
173	Guinea	1,6	6	1.3 - 1.9
173	Sudan	1,6	6	1.5 - 1.7
176	Afghanistan	1,5	4	1.1 - 1.6
177	Haiti	1,4	4	1.1 - 1.7
178	Iraq	1,3	4	1.1 - 1.6
178	Myanmar	1,3	4	1.0 - 1.5
180	Somalia	1,0	4	0.5 - 1.4

Source : http://www.transparency.org

Deepavali - Singapore

COMEX - 2008

I have been visited Saturday and Sunday. COMEX was really great event and i never expected and prepared for that. Whatever i thought to buy or identified from web were over on last day. However i was able to buy good camera, mp3 players from Samsung. It was good offer. Then Another normal camera, Plam mobile phone with good offer and portable DVD player. Next time, i should prepare well for the event to do good purchase.

Here photo captured during COMEX:

Find COMEX Hot deals

Here link to CNET which has update on the Hot deals available in up coming COMEX event

http://asia.cnet.com/comex/08/

COMEX - IT event 2008 -- coming soon

This is the first time, i am plan to visit. Looks more offers and hopes ... Will see.

CHECK OUT THE BEST TECH BARGAINS AND HOTTEST PRODUCTS IN THE COMEX SPECIAL SHOW SUPPLEMENTS IN:

DIGITAL LIFE ON 26th August 08 (Tuesday)

THE STRAITS TIMES ON 28th August 08 (Thursday)

TODAY Newspapers ON 28th August 08 (Thursday)

Win Holiday in Singapore

Look interesting race game..

Fire works at National Day 2008

Fire works at National Day 2008

Latest MRT map which i found useful

Two weeks back, i traveled to Tai Seng, That time the above map only showed me the central line. Hope this would be useful for any one looking for MRT map. (click above image to open full size image)

Singapore National Day 2008 - Video

Singapore National Day 2008