random thoughts

We saved SGD 500! It was from two months ago while we were in
Singapore. Iron-wife's Tissot watch had a problem with the the
mechanic hands for the analog movement. Digital display was fine.
Took to the Official service centre having a battery replace. I had
the same problem before and that was all it needed. After waiting for
30 minutes, the result was that the watch needed a complete internal
gear change. The cost quoted was SGD 500 and we had to leave the
watch for 3 months. Right.... I took the same watch to the Service
Centre here in Shanghai. 45 minutes, RMB 200 and a new battery, the
analog hands are moving in sync with the digital display part. Wow,
wonder what the Singaporean technician was looking at! A rip-off?
Yes, I did converse with the Shanghai Service Centre in Mandarin.

Just downloaded the Steve Job's 1 1/2 hour talk about Apple's new
technologies and all on HD. By invitation only; sorry people.... I
downloaded it overnight and watched it. Wow, he was so skinny. And
the belt on his pants, he was wearing it like most Chinese here...
Skinny and use the last hole on the belt with extra length sticking
out at the end. Bick would not have approved. Anyway, his company's
technologies delivered. It was so exciting to see. He dissected the
new phone and explained the internal workings... How half of the
steel strap on the outside was used to be antenna for bluetooth and
GSM and the other half on the other side of the phone was used for
other wireless and Wi-Fi protocols. I can see why this phone is so
amazing. But here's a thought: what happen to all those original
phone and the 3G that cannot handle the new operating system? Lots of
Chinese are still buying the 3G model over the weekend. I was in a
computer mall. Wait until they found out..... Man... Shanghainese
got angry... Bring out the pepper spray now. So how green is that to
dispose of these old, outdated phones? I myself now has a 3G phone
that has become a iPod Touch/paper-weight. Green? That's not really...

The other day, I bought a full set of ink cartridges for the printer.
The cost came to an eye popping RMB 680. OK, after the exchange rate
conversion still cheaper here. I bought 2 black and 5 other mandatory
colours in total. Need genuine parts. Well... That bag of ink was 3
months of our cleaning lady payment, twice a week with each time 4
hours.