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Suburbia photo gallery

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General interest discussions, not necessarily related to depletion.
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Unread postby lowem » Sun 07 Aug 2005, 09:55:30

"Green-urbia"

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Blocks 300+, Sengkang, Singapore. They're mostly painted green on this side.
The structure at bottom-right is a multi-storey carpark.

http://www.post1.net/page/moblog/20050807#green_urbia
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Unread postby lowem » Sun 07 Aug 2005, 09:56:58

"Market"

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Vegetable stall at the "wet" market.

http://www.post1.net/page/moblog/20050807#market
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Unread postby lowem » Sun 07 Aug 2005, 09:59:05

"Air-conditioning"

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Air-conditioning accounts for roughly a quarter of all electricity usage.
And, of course, Singapore is the "Air-Conditioned Nation" (re: Cherian George).

http://www.post1.net/page/moblog/200508 ... nditioning
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Unread postby lowem » Sun 07 Aug 2005, 10:00:28

"Do you find our lack of flags disturbing?"

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This was taken three days prior to Singapore's National Day.
40th birthday, furthermore. Spot the balcony flags (erm *what* flags?)

http://www.post1.net/page/moblog/200508 ... d_our_lack
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Unread postby lowem » Sun 07 Aug 2005, 10:02:00

"Sunday morning, suburbia"

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Sunday morning in suburbia.

http://www.post1.net/page/moblog/200508 ... g_suburbia
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Unread postby lowem » Sun 07 Aug 2005, 10:03:25

"Couple of flags"

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There would have been a lot more, in times past. Better times, that is.
*shrug* As economic indicators go ...

http://www.post1.net/page/moblog/200508 ... e_of_flags
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Unread postby fossil_fuel » Sun 07 Aug 2005, 15:50:23

still not sure how you can call that suburbia.... that would be considered EXTREMELY URBAN by U.S. definitions at least....
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Unread postby Specop_007 » Sun 07 Aug 2005, 18:27:23

Hey Lowem, how big are the insides? Are these considered below avergae, average or above average housing units?
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Unread postby lowem » Mon 08 Aug 2005, 01:17:32

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('fossil_fuel', 's')till not sure how you can call that suburbia.... that would be considered EXTREMELY URBAN by U.S. definitions at least....


If you've been following some of the earlier threads, I call it "vertical suburbia" .. 8) - in the USA, it's your garden-variety horizontal suburbia. The town/housing estate I'm in, Sengkang, is near the extreme north-eastern edge of the country, while the city area is in the southern end, so, yeah, location-wise it *is* suburbia.

If you're thinking in terms of "individual houses" as suburbia, ah, heh, forget it, most of the people (>95%) can't afford it over here, it will cost something like $5 million apiece.
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Unread postby lowem » Mon 08 Aug 2005, 01:21:55

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Specop_007', 'H')ey Lowem, how big are the insides? Are these considered below avergae, average or above average housing units?


There are several "classes" of apartments, which are called "3-room flats", "4-room flats", "5-room flats", "Executive Apartments" and "Mansionette".

Mine is a "5-room flat" which actually only has 3 bedrooms - they count the dining room as one "room" and the living room as another "room", although in most cases they are joined together. The floor area is 110 sq m, or about 1184 sq ft. But we actually get a bit less than that because the air-con ledge which is hanging outside is also counted (which is kinda cheating, lol).
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Unread postby lotrfan55345 » Mon 08 Aug 2005, 01:38:13

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('lowem', 'i')t will cost something like $5 million apiece.


Very, very nice. Is there a real-estate boom/bubble in S'pore?
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Unread postby lotrfan55345 » Mon 08 Aug 2005, 01:42:44

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'M')ine is a "5-room flat" which actually only has 3 bedrooms - they count the dining room as one "room" and the living room as another "room", although in most cases they are joined together. The floor area is 110 sq m, or about 1184 sq ft. But we actually get a bit less than that because the air-con ledge which is hanging outside is also counted (which is kinda cheating, lol).


Who do you live with? How much does electricity/water/garbage cost? Do you use A/C? (I suppose you NEED to use the air-con in the opressive tropical heat and humidity... in Manila I would die without air-con[or atleast suffer from heat exhaustion])
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Unread postby lotrfan55345 » Mon 08 Aug 2005, 01:45:00

Middle Eastern Suburbia:

Middle Eastern suburbia 2000*1300 pixels

Thankfully they don't bother putting up grass...
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Unread postby Specop_007 » Mon 08 Aug 2005, 02:04:13

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('lotrfan55345', 'M')iddle Eastern Suburbia:

Middle Eastern suburbia 2000*1300 pixels

Thankfully they don't bother putting up grass...



Jaws spinoff.....

"We're gonna need a bigger bulldozer"
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Unread postby lowem » Mon 08 Aug 2005, 02:20:33

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('lotrfan55345', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('lowem', 'i')t will cost something like $5 million apiece.


Very, very nice. Is there a real-estate boom/bubble in S'pore?


Umm. How do I put it - the height of the bubble was in the 1997/98 period. Depending on the housing type, prices are now 30-60% off the peak then. But personally, I believe that it's still in the process of deflating, that the current prices are still over-valued, and that we've hardly reached bottom yet.

Those expensive houses are in the nice 'burbs - think Beverly Hills, 90210 or thereabouts.

There are almost no in-betweens. Over 80% of the population lives in "vertical suburbia", aka "public housing", or "HDB flats" as it is known here.
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Unread postby lowem » Mon 08 Aug 2005, 02:35:01

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('lotrfan55345', 'W')ho do you live with? How much does electricity/water/garbage cost? Do you use A/C? (I suppose you NEED to use the air-con in the opressive tropical heat and humidity... in Manila I would die without air-con[or atleast suffer from heat exhaustion])


3 adults and a kid. That'll be myself, wife and maid (err, "foreign domestic worker"). Currently my wife's mother is also staying with us for a few months, so it's 4 adults now.

Lemme see, electricity is about $0.16/$0.17-ish per KWh, nowadays we use around 600 KWh monthly - so electricity usage at about $100 makes up the bulk of the cost.

The total utilities bill includes water, piped gas, garbage collection service (around $8), and taxes, which comes to over $150 per month - typically. It's a little bit on the high side for my housing type (some couples might just have the two of them, or them, plus a kid). Oh, and to convert to USD, divide all the Singapore dollar figures by 1.65.

Air-con? No, usually not, unless it goes over 30.3 degC at night. Even if it does, we might get up and turn it off around midnight or so.
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Unread postby lotrfan55345 » Mon 08 Aug 2005, 12:50:37

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('lowem', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('lotrfan55345', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('lowem', 'i')t will cost something like $5 million apiece.


Very, very nice. Is there a real-estate boom/bubble in S'pore?


Umm. How do I put it - the height of the bubble was in the 1997/98 period. Depending on the housing type, prices are now 30-60% off the peak then. But personally, I believe that it's still in the process of deflating, that the current prices are still over-valued, and that we've hardly reached bottom yet.


Ahh, I see. I suppose the 1997 crash might do some good, not having that long of a way to crash...

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', '3') adults and a kid. That'll be myself, wife and maid (err, "foreign domestic worker"). Currently my wife's mother is also staying with us for a few months, so it's 4 adults now.


For some odd reason I thought you were single. :P

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'L')emme see, electricity is about $0.16/$0.17-ish per KWh, nowadays we use around 600 KWh monthly - so electricity usage at about $100 makes up the bulk of the cost.

The total utilities bill includes water, piped gas, garbage collection service (around $Cool, and taxes, which comes to over $150 per month - typically. It's a little bit on the high side for my housing type (some couples might just have the two of them, or them, plus a kid). Oh, and to convert to USD, divide all the Singapore dollar figures by 1.65.

Electricity is cheaper than Manila... and you get piped gas?! Wow! LoL, most houses in Manila use electricity for food/hot water or you have to manually go to the Propane/NG place and carry the big propane/NG tank.
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Unread postby lowem » Mon 08 Aug 2005, 19:54:53

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('lotrfan55345', 'A')hh, I see. I suppose the 1997 crash might do some good, not having that long of a way to crash...


Yup, but try not to remind those who bought at the height, like one of the neighbours back at my parents' place, they bought their 5-room flat at $450K back then. And now? The recent resale transactions in that area have been going for around $250K. They're probably going #!@$!@#! whenever they think about it.

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('lotrfan55345', 'F')or some odd reason I thought you were single. :P


Ah, what makes you think that? :)

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('lotrfan55345', 'E')lectricity is cheaper than Manila... and you get piped gas?! Wow! LoL, most houses in Manila use electricity for food/hot water or you have to manually go to the Propane/NG place and carry the big propane/NG tank.


Oh, how much does electricity cost in Manila?

Piped gas is available in many places, but not all. For a period of time, they decided not to install pipelines to the blocks they were constructing. But for newer flats, they've been including them again.
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Unread postby Keith_McClary » Tue 09 Aug 2005, 00:22:35

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Specop_007', '
')Your right. I really should get out and pick up all those bottles, needles, cans, papers and other trash littering our area. :roll:

The funny thing is? We keep our parks nicer then those other people keep their front lawn! Well....the front whatever it is.

Keep Kansas City Beautiful
Project Blue River Rescue: A Great American Cleanup Success Story

The Blue River, all 41 winding miles of it, flows through the second largest urban forest in the country and the city's urban core before spilling into the Missouri River. Walk its banks and you can see deer, beaver, turtles, hawks, and native wildflowers. You can also see beer cans, broken glass, discarded tires, disabled refrigerators, and an occasional abandoned car.

Revitalizing the river is what Project Blue River Rescue is about. Organized by The Friends of Lakeside Nature Center's Stream Team #175, the Rescue is now in its fifteenth year. Project Blue River Rescue is the largest one-day stream cleanup in Missouri.

During the 2004 Cleanup, 650 volunteers gave more than 3000 hours of their time to clean up 300,000 pounds of trash and 650 illegally dumped tires. This one day effort required a diverse crew including individuals, families, and civic and professional groups. Volunteers were assigned to teams and targeted particular areas, which they heroically and victoriously restored in a single day.
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Volunteers cleaned 300,000 pounds of trash
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I guess you were busy that weekend.
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Unread postby Specop_007 » Tue 09 Aug 2005, 00:36:16

Actually, I was. I'm busy every weekend.
It plays hell with my schedule. :(

Point? I've stated we (being we here, we Americans, whatever) organzie and clean up our area.

Why havent the people in the pic posted?
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