Code & Words

Just a couple of notes while I work. I'll try and keep up with this before it overwhelms me.

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Oue Twin Peaks

In the realm of financial markets, the enigmatic emergence of the Oue Twin Peaks has captivated the attention of astute observers and discerning investors. This intriguing phenomenon, characterized by dual peaks in a market trend, has become a focal point for analysis and speculation within the financial community.

The Oue Twin Peaks phenomenon unfolds as a distinctive pattern where a market experiences two prominent peaks within a condensed timeframe, interspersed with a temporary decline or consolidation phase. This intricate market behavior serves as a barometer of heightened volatility and uncertainty, reflecting the intricate interplay between investor sentiment and prevailing economic conditions.

From our vantage point, delving into the intricacies of the Oue Twin Peaks offers a unique opportunity to unravel the underlying dynamics shaping market movements and investor decision-making. By dissecting the contributing factors behind each peak and subsequent trough, analysts can glean valuable insights into market cycles, trends, and potential future trajectories.

A critical facet to consider when scrutinizing the Oue Twin Peaks is the impact of external catalysts and macroeconomic variables that exert influence on investor sentiment and market dynamics. Geopolitical developments, economic data releases, monetary policy decisions, and global market trends all play pivotal roles in sculpting the contours of dual peaks within a market trend.

Moreover, the Oue Twin Peaks phenomenon underscores the imperative for prudent risk management practices and strategic foresight among investors. By adeptly recognizing the telltale signs of a potential twin peak scenario and comprehending the driving forces at play, investors can adeptly position themselves to seize opportunities or shield against risks amidst periods of heightened market turbulence.

In summation, the unveiling of the Oue Twin Peaks phenomenon through the lens serves as an illuminating exploration for financial connoisseurs and market participants seeking to unravel the intricacies of market behavior. By peering into the underlying drivers behind dual peaks in a market trend, analysts can unearth invaluable insights into investor psychology, market sentiment, and prospective trajectories. As we navigate through the labyrinthine terrains of financial markets, the Oue Twin Peaks phenomenon stands as a testament to the multifaceted nature and perpetual evolution of global finance.

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The MRT Effect

The MRT Effect — What is it?

The MRT Effect examines how the distance from an MRT station impacts property prices. To ensure we capture convenience, we consider whether the property is within walking distance of an MRT station. However, what constitutes walking distance can vary, as it depends on individual perspectives and locations.

For example, what may be considered a short walk in Shanghai or Melbourne could be a 30-minute journey. This may come as a surprise to Singaporeans, not because they lack the willingness to walk long distances, but because of Singapore's hot and stormy weather conditions. We understand this concern.

The MRT Effect assesses the walkability of a property to existing and upcoming MRT stations, ensuring that you won't have to endure excessive heat or rain. To determine the impact of walking distance, we assign 5 points to properties that can be reached in less than 5 minutes, and 1 point for those within a 15-minute walk.

We also consider upcoming MRT stations to future-proof our analysis. A high score on the MRT Effect doesn't necessarily mean that there is currently an MRT station nearby, but it indicates that one will be available in the future, if not already present. This metric captures the future value of the property due to MRT accessibility, as property investments should focus on long-term value appreciation.

With the MRT Effect, you can now compare and assess the difference in future accessibility value among properties. We also take into account the presence of interchanges and multiple stations nearby.

Why does the MRT Effect matter?

The importance of the MRT Effect lies in the increased accessibility it provides across Singapore due to the addition of new lines over time. This is particularly beneficial for the working-class population. As more people start returning to the office, having an MRT station in close proximity to where one lives becomes highly valuable. Unless someone has a job that allows for remote work, it is important to mentally prepare for a return to the previous normal.

Certain companies, like J.P. Morgan and Goldman Sachs, are actively encouraging employees to come back to the office, although there are still some individuals who prefer flexibility in their work arrangements. Depending on the specific company, boss, and role, the new normal may involve a combination of office work and remote work. It is important to anticipate the challenges that come with a return to the office, such as peak-hour traffic, crowded MRT rides, and busy stations.

While the number of people using the MRT for commuting is gradually increasing, it is not yet at pre-pandemic levels, but is expected to reach that point soon. However, the positive aspect of this return to normalcy is the revitalization of the economy, particularly for commercial and retail sectors.

If ridership levels return to pre-pandemic levels this year in a V-shaped recovery, we expect a 61% increase compared to 2021. Adjusting to almost 3.4 million riders from 2.1 million will be challenging. However, we should anticipate this level of crowding going forward.

The MRT Effect is significant because if remote work is not prevalent among most working adults, accessibility options will become more important. This will affect property values as people seek homes near affordable transportation options. Even if you own a car or can afford taxis, investors still prioritize accessible locations. Buyers are looking for the best deal for themselves and future potential buyers.

See all condo prices by mrt stations.

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Using python 2.7 and 3 concurrently - the simple way

It’s quite damn simple, actually. The convolution online is ... 

Basically, the reason behind it all is that if you look at the executable for both versions, they are both named, python.exe thus whichever was installed first, will just simply be the one activated when you enter python in the cmd. 

Given all the new updates, just add python27 to the environment variables, and then change the python 3.3′s executable to python3.exe. When you launch in the cmd, just type python3 instead of python. Tadah. PIP will automatically be renamed as PIP3. That’s it. o.0 

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Using Facebook PHP SDK 4.0 with composer

From the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6dT0AKSvok

Create a new directory where the facebook api project is suppose to be. 

Create a new folder in the directory called vendor. 

Run CMD and navigate to the directory. 

To reverse to C:// type cd\ || To navigate forward, type cd

For example: cd xampp/htdocs/fbfile

Test run composer by typing composer. Once you see a whole list of commands, or that it doesn’t say the system does not recognize said command, all is good.

Back in the editor, create a composer.json. file. Key in the following in the file. { "require" : { "facebook/php-sdk-v4" : "4.0.*" } }

Save and return to the CMD.

Type composer install, then wait till everything is downloaded and installed.

To use the loaded composer dependencies, just do php require_once ‘autoload.php’; in the index.php file.

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Using Composer

From the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6dT0AKSvok

Create a new vendor folder in the directory of choice. (Really just create a new folder -- right-click + new folder - enter vendor) 

Run CMD, navigate to the directory. 

Test run composer by typing composer. 

Back in the editor, create a composer.json file (not in the vendor folder - just common directory). 

Key in the requirements in JSON format:

{ "require" :{ "item-name" : "version number" } }

Save and return to CMD and navigate to the folder.  

Type composer install. Then wait till everything is downloaded and installed. 

In the index.php, just

require_once ‘autoload.php’;

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Installing Python on Windows

Actually a rather simple process despite previous unfortunate attempts. 

Download the installer from python, of course. (3.4 is the current version at the time of writing.) There are two varying versions that are being maintained. But since for the purpose of the library that I was using, 3.4 is choice. 

Just install the package like a normal installer. 

After which, press windows and type cmd in the search bar. This should bring up the command prompt. 

Type python in the prompt -- if it says file/direction not found, go on to the next step. 

Press windows and type 'system'. Select the 'System' under Control Panel. 

This should bring up a dialog box. Select 'Advanced system settings' on the left sidebar. Go to 'Environment Variables'. 

Under "User variables for Admin" if path is not created, press 'New..' 

For variable - path 

Value - C:\Windows\System32;C:\Python34;C:\Python34\python.exe;C:\Python34\Scripts;

Save changes and return to command prompt. It should run properly when you type python.

To run PIP 

The declaration of the above system environment variables makes this possible already. Simple type 'python -m pip' in the command prompt. 

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Scrolling to specific point in the page with anchor points

As simple as it can get, a couple of mistakes here and there will take you forever to get it right. Scroll to a specific points of the page using anchor-links are in high demand right now.  Just some straightforward instructions and good-to-know stuff. :)

1.  Of course, attached the latest jquery file.

2. We're using the Ariel Flesher Scrollto Plugin and localScroll Plugin (click link to download) It can run with or without the localScroll plugin -- localScroll

3. Then set up the html. Under the links, (when you click on a button, it brings you a certain part of the page - referring to the button here.) href to the element on the page you are referring to.

Brief Intro History Benefits

These three links here will bring us to div with id=briefIntro, history and benfits respectively.

4. More importantly, these three divs must exist.

<div id="briefIntro"></div> <div id="history"></div> <div id="benefits"></div>

** IMPORTANT -- the three div must float, individually so that the window/page will scroll the element to the top of the page. If they are floated as a group, the script will detect the top of the element as the top of the group -- which create inconsistency.

5. Now for the jquery bit.

$(document).ready(function(){ // Scroll the whole document $('#aboutMenu').localScroll({ target: 'body', }); });

First line, executes the script only after the document is loaded. **the browser needs to collect information on the links first before execution. 

Second line (excluding comment), identifies where all the links are hosted, in this case, in a div with an id of aboutMenu. Attach the localScroll plugin to it.

Third line identifies the area that we are scroll through, i.e. the whole page/window.

5. If there are multiple links we are scrolling to, use this instead. This identifies all the links on the page with anchor links and scroll directly to it.

$(document).ready(function(){ // Scroll the whole document $.localScroll({ target: 'body', }); });

That's all. However, most importantly, float them separately to prevent problems and headaches.

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Note to Self:

To change the units in illustrator, go to Edit>Preference>Units.

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Pure CSS Drop Down Menu

Drop down menus are so ubiquitous, yet creating one is still always some sort of mystery.  A full CSS menu is so much cleaner, faster and simpler. I'm not going nag and dwell on the benefits of this, but if you've no idea how to code in jquery or javascript, this is pretty much your best bet. I looked around the net, many sites provided only a couple of lines of code, or very simplified instructions, so here's a full list of steps for an absolutely stripped down version of the drop down menu.

1. HTML Markup. It's pretty straight forward. Just a couple of unordered lists. :) Links labeled main are those on the main level, and sub the drop-down.

Main1

Main2

Sub1

Sub2

Sub3

Main3

Main4

2. Now, on to the CSS. Align the list without any indents or paddings. This applies only to the main level.

ul#nav { /*Applies to main level only*/ list-style: none; padding: 0; margin: 0; }

3. We've got to let the individual elements float side by side. To do this, we use position: relative -- for which each element is positioned relative to the left of the nearest element.

#nav li{ /*Main level*/ float: left; /*Position everything next to each other.*/ position: relative; /*Space out each choice*/ margin-right: 5px; }

4. Last part for the main level to be fully functional buttons!

#nav li a{ /*Allow the entire area to be selected*/ display: block; }

5. On to the sub menu. The most important thing here is probably display: none; . It ensures that when the mouse is not hovering over the main, no sub menu is shown. But, you should probably key in this last. And since, IE does not recognize the child selector,It ensures that when the mouse is not hovering over the main, no sub menu is shown. But, you should probably key in this last. And since, IE does not recognize the child selector, #nav li ul will do.

#nav li ul{ display: none; position: absolute; /*Place it directly inside of the parent.*/ width:100px; list-style: none; padding:0; /*Aligns the list without indents.*/ margin: 0; /*Aligns the list without indents.*/ /*!!!!! IMPORTANT to place the list under the parent*/ top: 0; /*For ie only*/ left: 0; /*For ie only*/ margin-left:-1px; }

Do not miss out the IMPORTANT part. Otherwise the sub menu will be out of place. Also, remember, it only works for IE so don't freak out if you're testing your drop-down on firefox.

For all other browsers, add the code below.

/*!!!!! IMPORTANT to place the list under the parent*/ #nav li > ul { /* For everything else*/ top: auto; left: auto; }

6. For the magical part. To make the sub level appear upon hover, simply add this code.

#nav li:hover ul, #nav li.over ul{ display: block; /*Make visible upon hover*/ }

7.OK, we're almost done. For the last part, the hover isn't possible for ie8 so you'll have to add the csshover.htc script to the body. (Search for csshover.htc to download the script and save it in the root folder.

body { behavior:url(csshover.htc); /*Make hover possible for ie8*/ }

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Login Function Notes

1. If the password is stored with SHA1 encoding, add it. But not at the SELECT function. For some strange reason it doesn't seem to work.

$p = SHA1('123456') $q = "SELECT user_id FROM users WHERE pass='$p'";

2. If the password column has a 20-char cap on it, the SHA1 will be stored as 20-char instead of the default 40. So shrink the password down to 20 or there will be no match.

$p = substr(SHA1('123456'), 0, 20);

3. Under the WHERE clause - no need for the parade of brackets, just keep adding AND. It works.

WHERE pass='$p' AND email='$e' AND active IS NULL"

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Configure Gmail as SMTP in XAMPP to send mail

So, after rummaging through the net for 2 whole days trying to look for good complete instructions to set up the mail server, I didn't find. Eventually, I'd figured it out after piecing together random info from various numerous blogs and forums. Never have been this happy to finally successfully send a mail. So, I decided I'd put up the complete set of instructions to do so.

Below instructions are written for XAMPP1.7.4 (Working on Vista)

1. Open the PHP.ini file. (Most likely found in C:\xampp\php\php.ini or whichever drive you installed your XAMPP)

2. Search for the [mail function]

3. Change the settings to -[mail function]

; For Win32 only. ; http://php.net/smtp SMTP = localhost     ; http://php.net/smtp-port smtp_port = 25 ; For Win32 only. ; http://php.net/sendmail-from ;sendmail_from = ; For Unix only.  You may supply arguments as well (default: "sendmail -t -i"). ; http://php.net/sendmail-path  sendmail_path = "\"C:\xampp\sendmail\sendmail.exe\" -t"

(Removing the ; enables the function.)

4. Save it and restart the Apache.

5. Open the sendmail folder (Found in the XAMPP folder thus C:\xampp\sendmail)

6. Chances are, the bundle probably comes with a weird combination of files and codes. So, to save all the hassle of troubleshooting afterwards, clear all the files in the folder.

7. Download a new version of the sendmail.zip from http://glob.com.au/sendmail/

8. Unzip the entire folder into the original sendmail folder - C:\xampp\sendmail

9. Open the sendmail.ini (C:\xampp\sendmail\sendmail.ini  -- found in the same folder)

10. Change the setting to the following -- (I'll post the entire file so no one gets confused from the cuts)

[sendmail] ; you must change mail.mydomain.com to your smtp server, ; or to IIS's "pickup" directory.  (generally C:\Inetpub\mailroot\Pickup) ; emails delivered via IIS's pickup directory cause sendmail to ; run quicker, but you won't get error messages back to the calling ; application. smtp_server=smtp.gmail.com ; smtp port (normally 25) smtp_port=465 ; SMTPS (SSL) support ;   auto = use SSL for port 465, otherwise try to use TLS ;   ssl  = alway use SSL ;   tls  = always use TLS ;   none = never try to use SSL smtp_ssl=auto ; the default domain for this server will be read from the registry ; this will be appended to email addresses when one isn't provided ; if you want to override the value in the registry, uncomment and modify ;default_domain=mydomain.com ; log smtp errors to error.log (defaults to same directory as sendmail.exe) ; uncomment to enable logging error_logfile=error.log ; create debug log as debug.log (defaults to same directory as sendmail.exe) ; uncomment to enable debugging debug_logfile=debug.log ; if your smtp server requires authentication, modify the following two lines [email protected]    auth_password=PASSWORD ; if your smtp server uses pop3 before smtp authentication, modify the ; following three lines.  do not enable unless it is required. ;pop3_server= ;pop3_username= ;pop3_password= ; force the sender to always be the following email address ; this will only affect the "MAIL FROM" command, it won't modify ; the "From: " header of the message content [email protected] ; force the sender to always be the following email address ; this will only affect the "RCTP TO" command, it won't modify ; the "To: " header of the message content ;force_recipient= ; sendmail will use your hostname and your default_domain in the ehlo/helo ; smtp greeting.  you can manually set the ehlo/helo name if required ;hostname=

The bolded text are the ones that requires changes. Enter your google username and password where appropriate. I enabled the force_sender to be my mail because changing the php.ini is such a pain. You can alternatively choose to change the Mail from setting in the PHP.ini instead.

11. After this, all should be good. Run a mail script and send out the mail. It should work.

Hope this would relieve some distress from the whole SMTP setup. Have fun. :)