Pete's Write

A movie franchise always has it's highs and lows, and each person will remember the best of a series of movies and regret watching the lows. Robert Downing Jr IS the Ironman, and he has added the personal touch to the man in the metal suit, with his larger than life megalomaniac style, and it will be hard to think of another person who can play this superhero better. Nevertheless, the high in the franchise, most will probably agree, is the first movie or the combination Avengers movie, helmed superbly by Josh Weldon. The trouble with the third installment is perhaps the need to break out of the same mold with more of the over the top larger than life RDJ swagger, and new cool gadgets and the like. So they bring in Shane Black, best known for his efforts in writing Lethal Weapon, and he tries to add a more human factor in, plus a bit of conspiracy into the show, and he throws in heavyweights like Ben Kingsley, expands Gwyneth Paltrow...

GI Joe will sell a certain number of tickets regardless of it’s actual quality, since there are a considerable number of economically viable folks now in their 30s or 40s who remember the old cartoons and toys very fondly. The first remake about 3-4 years ago, didn’t do too badly either, and was a commercial if not a critical success. The formula is simple, get some fine, handsome, fit young men, partner them with the latest weapons and gadgets, throw in some equally fine hot ladies with outrageous figures, and add plenty of explosions, and viola, you have a movie that even Michael Bay could endorse. You will see some of the old main stars from the first movie back here, plus some new additions, and I have to say getting Bruce Willis in the picture and let him have some fine quips (“my cholesterol is a little high”) is a hoot. There is little character development time, but who cares? This isn’t Oscar winning fair, and revels in the booms per minute, and ...

A couple lived for many years together... a long life, fulfilling and happy. During this time, the wife kept a metal box which she told the husband never to open, and he dutifully obeyed. One day after almost sixty years of marriage, as the wife lay on her deathbed, she called the husband over, feeling it was time he knew what was in the box. He brought it over and opened it for her. Inside the box, there was a couple of knitted sweaters, and a big wad of cash, worth almost $100 000. The wife then explained, that before they were married, the grandmother of the wife had advised her, that whenever she felt angry with the husband, she should knit a sweater... At this point, the husband smiled proudly and in his heart, he was glad that she was only angry with him only twice. He nodded, told her he understood what the sweaters were about, and asked about the big pile of money... She replied "oh, that the money I got from selling all the other sweaters.." Married ...

This post is a good reminder for all readers to avoid any unhappiness and misunderstand. After all, you just spend a whole ton of green on that shiny new flatscreen TV. First, before you leave the store, get in writing what you want. Take note of the sale person's name, and better yet, get his contact number. We are not talking about a generic store phone number, which no ones tends to pick up, but his or her own cellphone. Check the delivery date. Write down on the deliver invoice on what you expect: Installation required? Wall Mount? Cabling or extra trunking or even electrical work? Type of socket (USA or UK socket - get the right plug) Timings of delivery and installation Narrow down the time frame, so you are not stuck at home the whole day. Check on the actual number of years of warranty, and what they cover. If you buy extra insurance or coverage, see what they cover, and if the entire set is spoilt, will they replace it and with what kind of set of and are th...

Taken from: http://www.asiaone.com/News/Latest%2BNews/Singapore/Story/A1Story20130309-407428.html Plans to bring BTO prices to around 4 years of salary: Khaw Minister Khaw Boon Wan said that they have stopped BTO prices from rising, and are now looking at ways to bring down prices to around 4 years of salary. -AsiaOne Sat, Mar 09, 2013 AsiaOne SINGAPORE - A relook at current public housing policies is necessary in the light of significant demographic and economic changes, National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan said yesterday in Parliament. He added that the primary mission of HDB to offer an affordable flat for the majority of Singaporeans will remain unchanged. "...

I have been doing this for a while, and with the aid of the XT 32 of the new Denon 4520 and the twin sub (JL Audio F113) and Hsu MBM MK II, things have got better. But there is no substitute for measuring the bass response. I have posted before about the dip in response in my sitting position, which ranged roughly from 60-120 Hz. But unless one measures it more definitively, it's hard to correct. You could hire someone, or ask for help, but sometimes friends aren't free, so you just have to find a way. I tried going the PC way, but it proved too complicated for a PC idiot like myself, so I sat down with my sine wave CD, and my SPL meter, a pen and paper. I set the volume to be around 80db, playing through all 11 channels, and two subs. Then measured the db level as the CD swept from 10Hz to 300kHz.  I manually noted the db level for each 10Hz step in frequency change. I found dips in the 30 Hz (-3db), 60 (-4db), and some peaks. So I then played with the ELF, t...

http://www.stereotimes.com/comm021913.shtml  A nice article about Adelphi LE GRAND DAME   SINGAPORE’S ADELPHI BUILDING High-End Audio's Grand Emporium Once upon a time there was a grand dame. As a wealthy fin-de-siecle tourist landing in Singapore from Europe or the Americas, you would want to live in the best hotel, where you can attend the best balls and listen to the best Dixieland bands or chamber orchestras in town. There were only three choices; the Raffles, the Hotel De L’Éurope, and the Adelphi. In the early 21st century, the grand dame has reinvented herself. Ever the attention-seeker but never the dilettante, she manages to retain a reputation for genuine sophistication, still being the go-to place for a high end auditory experience, except now through electronic equipment. Rebuilt from the ashe...

From here: http://www.asiaone.com/print/News/Latest%2BNews/Singapore/Story/A1Story20130225-404559.html Budget 2013 in brief Here are the key points in brief, delivered earlier in Parliament by Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam. -AsiaOne Mon, Feb 25, 2013 AsiaOne SINGAPORE - Quality growth and an inclusive society has been outlined as key themes in the Budget 2013. Here are the key points in brief, delivered earlier in Parliament on Monday by Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam, released in a statement by the Ministry of Finance: RELATED STORIES Special: Singapore Budget 2013 We are transforming our econo...