what is rule 72 ?

Do you know about rule 72 ? I recently came across the term when I was reading a book about investment property. If you're in accounting, the term would be familiar to you.

It's a simple way to count how long your money will double in value given the current interest. It's not a sure answer but gives a very good approximation.

So, if you want to know when that $100 in your bank account is going to be $200, then you will use this formula. It's just simply,

72
number of years needed = --------
interest

And for your $100, with the current interest of around 6%, it will be 12 years before your money double up.

This can also work with inflation, I think currently the inflation is around 3% (I THINK). That means your $100 in 24 years (72/3%) will only be worth $50. This concept is a bit harder to understand because the value of money decreases overtime.

So that's just a short lesson in Rule 72.

bring on the fat

I'd say thank God that I don't live in the States. Just have a look at what they've got on the menu.

This is from KFC. They called it the Famous Bowls. The content: a tub of mashed potatoes or rice, with yellow corn, fried chicken nuggets, gravy and three types of cheese.

This one belongs to Burger King (Hungry Jack's here in Oz). It's called a Quad Stacker. The content: four beef patties, cheese and bacon (NO vegetables or salad) squeezed into a bun.

Last but not least, who could resist two of your favourites....PANCAKES AND SAUSAGE ON A STICK. Very nice indeed and to top it all off, some cholocate chip. If you don't like the chocolate chip, I think they've got one with berries.

change of look

As you can see, it's a new design.....it's Blogger Beta and I'm still learning so please be patient with me if you see any hiccups here and there.

another store in VIC

Krispy Kreme has done it again. After opening a store in the city (Melbourne), they are now going to open the third store in Victoria and take a guess where are they going to open it........it's at Chaddy (Chadstone). Yes, that's right.....the shopping centre. Here is the news that came on my email today.

Big news for our Friends in Victoria! We're excited to announce that our third store is set to open at Chadstone Shopping Centre this November. Chadstone – the fashion capital has just become Chadstone – the Krispy Kapital

You'll be able to meet the Store Manager, Kylie and her team for a fresh espresso coffee and doughnut from 7:30am on Thursday 2 November. Don't forget, it's Spring Carnival time and the weather and the fashions are hotting up in Melbourne – call in for a Krispy Kreme Ice Kreme while you're shopping for your Melbourne Cup outfit. See you at Chadstone!

Chadstone Shopping Centre, 1341 Dandenong Road (Warrigal Rd entrance, located near bus stops)

red ipod nano

Apple has released a red iPod nano. They name is (PRODUCT) RED, don't know why. I am not sure whether it will be available in Australia, so far there is no word about it. It's the 4GB model and it's the same price with other 4GB model, US$199.

For every red nano that they sell, they will give $10 to the Global Fund to fight AIDS in Africa.

So, let's just hope that it will come to Australia soon. That way you can have another excuse to buy an ipod, charity (or you can persuade your parents with this excuse as well).

Jobs on Zune

This is what Apple's CEO got to say about Zune (the new Microsoft media player to compete with iPod).

- Are you worried about Zune ?

In a word, no. I've seen the demonstrations on the Internet about how you can find another person using a Zune and give them a song they can play three times. It takes forever. By the time you've gone through all that, the girl's got up and left! You're much better off to take one of your earbuds out and put it in her ear. Then you're connected with about two feet of headphone cable.

no more student discount on ipod

How sad.....

Final Fever

It's next week, the final battle between West Coast Eagles and Sydney Swans. It's AFL of course. It's a repeat final battlle between the two. The pair met last year and Sydney won it. So let's see who'll win it this year.

There's going to be the usual show (the parade, etc) during the week ahead. And I think there will be free concert on Federation Square by the Australian Idol 06 finalist and Marcia Hines, Young Divas (if I'm not mistaken). Just check with the website, www.thatsmelbourne.com.au

And also coming next week is the opening of Krispy Kreme store in city, right at the end of Collins St. (not the Paris end). It's near Spencer St. It's opening on Tuesday, 26th of September. They are opening accross the street from Fitness First Collins St. I hope the gym junkies don't turn into sugar junkies. :)

I think the Royal Melbourne Show is still on. I'm not sure.....hmmm..no...yes...no...YES, it's still open, I just saw a pig fly.

summer in september

Look at that. This is the temperature for Tuesday, 19 of September 2006. And I thought, summer is a still a couple of months away.

Picture taken from The Age.

Wii is coming...

Newsflash,word just come for the release of Nintendo Wii. I had just received an sms from Nintendo Australia.

"As a nintendo.com.au member, we thought you'll want to be the 1st to know the Wii will arrive in Aus on Dec 7th for SRP AU$399.95. Unsubscribe at nintendo.com.au"

This is cool stuff. US will get it sooner though, on the 19th of November 2006. More news just check out www.nintendo.com.au for local news.

i'm a married man

I can't believe it. For you people that don't know, I got married last Wednesday with a nice little ceremony at the Cathedral and a nice little dinner somewhere in Kew.

It was a really special day for me because not only that I got married but I've got family and friends celebrating it with me. It was a really wonderful day

I (and my wife) just like to thank everybody who helped me (I mean us) with the wedding. I'll try and get some photos up on the web.

new iMac

WOW, after checking the Apple's website for a couple of weeks, finally, the new iMac is released. And they added a new 24 inch model.


They are loaded with the new Intel Core 2 Duo and the 24 inch model uses nVidia 7300GT. Prices start at AU$1599 for the 17 inch model and goes up to $2999 for the 24 inch model.

A new line up is also released for the mac Mini. Apple discontinued the Intel Core Solo and used Intel Core Duo for both models.

This is so exciting. I'm going to the stores to check out the 24 inch screen. Nice!!!

do not laugh!!!

Japanese and their creative minds.

Steve Irwin: A Wildlife Warrior

Yesterday, I opened a newspaper website and found out that Steve Irwin has died. He died in an accident while filming a documentary.

I am deeply saddened by the news. I think Steve Irwin is a great guy. He is so passionate on what he does. His family is great as well. It's just a terrible terrible news.

My thoughts and prayers goes to the family he left behind. You're a great man, mate. You're a legend. We will all miss you.

computer update

Today, we mark the end of August. Tomorrow, it will be September and officially the start of spring. Since yesterday, Melbourne temperature is hovering around the 20s. Nice....I only hope that it will stay that way until mid-September (so selfish of me)....ok until the grand final then.

A couple of days ago, I messed up my computer. Tried to install a new RAM and a new USB 2.0 expansion slot but ended up destroying it. Lesson to be learnt, never fix your computer while it is still in standby mode, plug the damn cord first. But, I think my computer's time is up. This baby has been serving me for nearly 6 years. I think it's time to go dual core.....terabyte......

I always like Mac but I'm the kind of people that still hesitated on getting one because of this and that (well, mainly about software wise). But now, I'm seriously thinking of getting one. I've been researching the Apple range, from iMac, Mac Mini, and Macbook. I was deciding between a 20-inch iMac


or 13-inch black Macbook.


The iMac was the first to use Intel processors and it's been there for a while. Macbook however, was just released as the iBook G4 replacement.

Then, I just thought to myself. Maybe I should just get a new PC with the Intel Core 2 Duo alias Conroe. But I decided not to because Vista's release is still uncertain. I think if I do get a PC, I would want to wait until the Vista is launched and ready to go.

But the same problem comes with Mac. The new OS, Leopard, is going to be released in 2007. So, it'll be nicer if you get the Mac with the new OS as well.
On top of that, there is rumour going on that Apple will launch their new range by using the Intel Core 2 Duo. It is rumoured to come up around September. But the rumour was for Mac mini. I don't know.

Confusing.

Maybe I'm not destined to change computer after all :(

Anways, in the meantime, check out Apple's new commercial about PC vs Mac here.

busy busy busy....

Fiuhhhh....

again the promise of keeping the blog updated is not kept.
Well, this month and the next is going to pretty busy for me.

Beginning of the month, my brother graduated from uni. Yayyy...
He's preparing to end his life in Melbourne and start anew back home.

Anyways, I've just read news that Krispy Kreme is opening in Indonesia.
Ok, I know you're probably bored to death with Krispy Kreme again and again.
I'm not trying to promote them at all.

I'm just rambling here, don't know what I'm really going to talk about.
I am actually busy with my master project and the wedding. I can't believe
that you need to think about so many things for just a wedding, my GOD.
Once this is all over, I'll tell you my wedding story from the beginning.

For now, I'm just going to stop writing. Nothing is making sense (sorry people).
Oooo, a few days ago I just found YouTube....ok I know, it's not new and it's been
there all this time. It is cool that you can share video from other people. I guess
the time is already upon us where everybody has a broadband connection.

Also, Intel just released their Intel Core 2 Duo, imagine saying this to the sales guy
to buy. It's easier to say 'the new Intel processor'. Apparantly they are going to stop
Pentium and Core Duo chips eventually because this baby can deliver 40% more power
with 40% less power (???) .

Ok ok I'll stop, I really don't know what I'm taking about, better get back to my chair.
Ciao.

touch down at krispy kreme

Today, I managed to get myself INSIDE Krispy Kreme store in Fountain Gate. I went through pass the door after 40 minutes of standing outside in the cold.

The store fairly big. Once you go in through the doors, you'll see the toilet on your left. The toilet has a baby change facility BUT only one at a time, which can be a bit hard after drinking lots of water to wash down the sugar from the doughnuts (or donuts, the way they say in the states).

Alrighty back to the store. Once you pass the toilet and the rubbish bin. Trust me, this is the worst place to queue - the door to the toilet is very big and swing outwards, i.e. towards you, so make sure you stick to the right.

After that, you'll be entertain with the process of "making the original glazed". They have explanation for each step of the way but it's a bit hard to read considering that people are still queuing there. Well basically the donuts are rollep up and down, up and down, up and down and then fried on the oil, flipped, glazed and cooled down (just to keep things short).

Passing the donut-making-demo, I was greeted with a donut - I should say it's FRESH from the conveyor belt. It was a sample that was given to everybody. But somehow after eating that donut, I don't feel like ordering anymore donuts. I don't know why. Maybe the blood sugar is talking.....I don't know. But the donut is soft, warm, and totally sugar loaded......yummm.

Ok, then when you finish the 'charade of donuts', you actually get to ORDER. Then you pay for it. You can pay by cash (of course), eftpos and credit card (Amex not yet - according to the staff, Amex is still working on it but it's been more than a month and they still haven't fixed it).

Well, my trip this Sunday took 67 minutes from the outside until I received the donuts in my hand. The total was under $60 for 2 sampler and 2 bottles of Mt. Franklin. This does not include the travel time and petrol etc etc. Was it worthed ? I don't know. Frankly, I can't answer that question. One side you know that queuing for donuts is stupid but on the other side, well let's just say you need the sugar.

Don't know whether I'll be back pretty soon though. Although maybe I just might......

so out of date

I have been visiting my own blog these couple of weeks and noticed how out-dated everything is. I kept thinking that I should update and put in a couple of entries for the the blog but I never get around to do it. Everytime I have an idea or thought to put in my blog, I'm always away from the computer. And if I am in front of the computer, it will be a public computer (like in state library, been going there these couple of weeks) or a uni computer, where they can track what I do.

Well, now finally I am able to put something down. Not a lot happened since the Aussie went out of the world cup. That is if you exclude the war in Lebanon, more tsunami in Indonesia, North Korea testing its missile that can reach Australia, Italy won the World Cup, etc, etc. Other than that, it's same old.

Anyways, I will update my blog link. Apparantly, a lot more of my frens are interested in blogging. I will try to update my blog every day. My passion to actually make a website like aerowalk's has not come true. I still need some guidance from him :) So, just wait and see.

Ok, will post some new topics soon. Please check again. And thanks to everybody that has been patient with me and my blog.

aussie out of world cup

I have no idea how many Australians who actually watch the game live, must have been plenty, but unfortunatly they lost. A bitter lost, I might add. 90 minutes of fighting and it was ended by a penalty kick.

So with the final score of 1-0 favouring Italy, Aussie is now out of the World Cup. Well the good news is we will be able to sleep like we used too.

a stupid bird

Please turn on your speaker for the bird.


Want one? Go to www.geocities.com/testiflash