5/07/2016

Climate change – Screw the economists

Watched a programme for a couple of minutes on Channel News Asia hosted by Nabili Teymore on climate change and the bugging problem of a 2-3 degree rise in world temperature and how many parts of the island or the world would be under water. The main concern was fossil fuel consumption. How to control and cut down on the use of this disappearing natural resource that was built up over millennia so that we can use it so conveniently? Not only that this taken for granted and wastefully consumed, so were other natural resources like raw materials. And all for the sake of economic growth. And in order for economic growth, you need population growth in order to create demand to consume them, even if unnecessary or wastefully.  Is this a good thing?

The big question, what for? The world’s population today is about 6-7b. For more economic growth, it could grow to 8b, 10b or 20b to consume more material, food and resources, to deplete whatever nature has bestowed to humankind, all because some silly economic formula said economic growth is good, no growth is bad, and recession is worse.

When the mythical Adam and Eve inherited mother earth, there were two of them and they had the whole world to themselves. There was not a single concern about not enough of anything other than human beans. The animals too had space of their own. Humankind unconsciously or by designed, populated this earth and grow and grow to what it is today, and still growing. And we are bungling about the fear that we don’t have enough resources to keep us growing, and climate change.

And we have morons wanting to grow the population in this island from 5m to 10m and some even want to grow it to 20m as if this is a good thing, this is the way to a better life and economic growth. And the morons jolly well know that we have limited space, limited water supply, no energy resources, and they don’t care. They are cracking their moronic heads on how to bring in more millions of people, for economic growth. To create a more vibrant society that never sleeps.  Want to consume Tongkat Ali whole day?

Imagine a different scenario, when the world’s population is down by half, to 3b, or this island’s population is down to 2.5m, there would be lesser consumption of the natural resources and abundance of food, space and all the buildings that have been built. There will be no need to build more towers of Babel.

The value of money will be increased instead of decreasing, there will be more space and food for everyone at lower cost. Why not? Why keep on growing population to please the economists for growth numbers? With today’s productivity, use of highly efficient machinery, robotics, computerization, farming and food production methods, we do not need so many people to produce what is needed.

What is the purpose of living and life, what is the purpose of economic growth? To consume to the point of self destruction by having more and more people? You don’t want growth, don’t want to increase your pay? What for when eaten up by inflation and the value of money shrunk and the earth faces a depletion of its valuable but limited resources? When productivity is high, when there are lesser people, the value of money will be high, the quality of life will be better. Do not need to be stuffed like sardines everywhere.


The natural law and cycle of nature is growth, decay and destruction and renewal. The madness in unrestrained growth for the sole purpose of growth would lead to decay and dsstruction for sure. In the name of growth, human beans are consuming and destroying mother earth at a faster rate than before. In a way, human beans are consuming itself to death.

50 comments:

Virgo 49 said...


Mr RB,

There's a saying hopefully I might quote correctly:

"The World's enough for everybody but
Not enough for the greedy"

Long live SDP

Anonymous said...

Don't grow the population, also die, maybe die faster. Simply because Sinkies cannot reverse their below replacement fertility rate.

Grow the population, maybe die slower, that is kicking the can further down the road. This is the lesser of 2 evils.

Hope RB can understand. Because there are good reasons why such morons as described by RB are chosen to be given power. Just as there are good reasons why RB did not join the alternative to replace and do a better job than these morons.

Anonymous said...

Sure, long live SDP, because Chee Soon Juan will remain SDP leader even if he loses tonight.

Or else he will not be in this for so long and without SDP under him winning a single election.

Anonymous said...

Don't worry for Chee Soon Juan. He won't resign as SDP leader, or worse commit suicide, even if he loses. That's the measure of the man, and I salute him for that.

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

Thomas Friedman: "The World Is Flat".

It's all explained in that book.

It'll be crowded EVERYWHERE. There's no escape, unless an asteroid hits the earth.

Read the book, make plans or at least have some idea of the threats and opportunities coming down the pike. Then get your "game face" on, and join the fray. Yes, it will be a fray---competition will be INTENSE.

Anonymous said...

"I am not happy when I win and I am not sad when I lose."
One long time ago Sinkie opposition leader said this

Anonymous said...

Since 2014 The US Has Added 450,000 Waiters And Bartenders, And No Manufacturing Workers
----------------------------------

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-05-06/2014-us-has-added-450000-waiters-and-bartenders-and-no-manufacturing-workers

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

After digesting the Friedman book, that you might savour "Our Final Invention: Artificial Intelligence and the End of the Human Era" by James Barrat and/ or "Superintelligence: Paths, Dangers, Strategies" by philosopher Nick Bostrom.

The day your smartphone becomes smarter than you, the game is essentially over. If you educate and inform yourself before hand however, you might stand a chance of not only "surviving", but actually benefiting from being part of an "inferior" species.

If you live in Singapore, consider yourself VERY LUCKY. The activity for AI development is boiling there. The government and private enterprise is barreling along full steam ahead.

There are heaps of opportunity to jump in and learn this stuff, and start thinking about the new stuff. All the libraries are chock-full of books and materials to help you get your learnin' on.

Or you can stay on the net and complain, complain, complain, continue shopping for non-essential trinkets or stuff your cake hole with exotic foods---which admittedly is also fun.

Your life is yours to do as you please. Remember the National Slogan:

"You die, your business"

Stay frosty!

Anonymous said...

Just pray that all so called economists can think like Red Bean

Anonymous said...

Where are the new immigrants / citizens come from to make up for 10 millions? Its likely to be India. China has minimum wage for many province, making 20000 to 30000 is very difficult? NO. Its very easy. Sg want prc to come into sg to be citizens is getting harder.

Who are the Indians? Almost all are fakes. The good ones will not come to sg too. Indian is getting better with their system being cleaned up from corruption and cronyism. Indian Congress is gone.

But Indians have fake degree.
Its PM Modi claimed to have a BA from Delhi University.
A Kejriwal, claimed that MODI s BA was bluffed.

Kejriwal said, he found no record of MODI enrolled in Delhi University.

Can sg ciizens learn basic facts? They are volunteering to be hawkers, clearners, card box collectors, besides NS Men to give away jobs in sg for the new immigrants and citizens.

But they still must ensure the new immigrants really have the knowledge to perform on technology required modern industries. Else, they will see banks got breakdowns, trains got breakdowns, hospitals got infection to patients, etc.

I strongly recommend citizens volunteer to do NS and to be jobless to go migrating or leave this world for good. Or they must take over by voting for different politicians to have different policies. Give my children a chance to live happily please.

Anonymous said...

The good ones will not come to sg too.
Anon 11:27 am

Quite true. Can we get a Satya Nadella (Microsoft CEO) or a Sundar Pichai (Google CEO) to come here?

The opportunities, happenings and action are all in the USA, or even in their own countries, so how far can a good one who came here go?

Anonymous said...

I strongly recommend citizens volunteer to do NS and to be jobless to go migrating or leave this world for good.
Anon 11:27 am

They already did. So what is left are a minority, and already factored into the 30% which did not vote PAP in GE 2015.

Because majority who did NS have jobs and even a good life.

virgo49 said...

Anon 10.29

Singaporeans cannot even survive on their own wants to have babies and be slaves to the PAP? ??

Today got take your IMH medications or not??

Anon 10.55

Tonite have the champagne that can popped to celebrate CSJ's victory. NO WORRY.

SDP CSJ to Parliament.

This botak harping about fears.

His fears are that He open the floodgates of the incompetence Chiak liao bee PAP Ministers and MPs who are fleecing the citizens all these years.

So Bukit Batok bros, sisters,unklos, aunties those who has not voted yet please mark SDP for a new awakening.

Cheers

Anonymous said...

Long long time ago, Master Wu Gui recruited a new member called Wolverine into his martial arts school. Wolf learned from Master Wu Gui the different strokes & strikes very fast so much so that he even surpassed his master. One day, during a Martial arts challenge, Wolf defeated all his opponents & even Master Wu Gui was not his match. Later, Master Wu Gui resigned from his own martial arts school as Wolf won many competitions & had many supporters. Master Wu Gui then went on to form another martial arts school just to survive & win back his supporters. Wolf thought that he is invincible & went on to challenge other opponents. Wolf was aggressive & even offended the well known respectable Si Fu. Wolf was subsequently sent to prison for offending the Si Fu. Many years later, Wolf was released from prison & he never repented & when on to attack all the Si Fu martial arts school. The Si Fu by then was very old & sick and eventually passed away. One fine day, there was a major competition held, Wolf wanted to show his capability & his martial arts skills to fight & enrolled in the competition ... Wolf fought very hard using various tactics to fool the opponents. Wolf can win many ones but there is 1 lame opponent called Moo whom he thought could easily win. Wolf use all sorts of moves, tactics but still couldn't get that Moo down. Wolf didn't know that Moo had mastered his kungfu skills from the old Master Wugui & it was hard to knock Moo down..the battle was a very tight one ..u all guess who will emerge as the Ultimate Warrior in this battle? Wolf or Moo? U bet it, it could be a 51 blows against 49 pows..but eventually Moo will win as he is known to be the white (dragooon warrioooor)..the legend continues.....

Virgo 49 said...

Wah just saw the news clip of Bukit Batok polling stations and Murali lien hey hey, Hey Zho Ren.

CSJ toking Bermuda three quarter pants smiling away.

The kopi tiams han cheng must be right.

Way to go SDP

Anonymous said...

Anon 11:38am
I absolutely agreed with you. Any name u mentioned, or the fb boss with a S, are not using here as a place for developing business. The fb boss saved USD700millions value added tax in US for coming to Sg in 2009. He was a Brazilian origin, turning into citizenship as Indonesian is as easy, as his wife is Indonesian.
In the past, Indonesians turned into sg citizens because of financial crime for some. Last month, 1 banker was arrested in china and 1 in singapore, all by Indonesian police accompanying them in plain cloths.

After Xi declared his intention to catch financial criminals in Apec meeting, the world against such crime has almost turned the routes to Sg as a trap. 1MDB is another example. Better not to talk on this.

Sg is no longer a safe heaven for the rich to hide here. The recent Panama case illustrated this. Among the 300++ journalists assigned to investigate their respective countries cases, NO sg journalist was approached.
Can u imagine? The world body simply did not trust any one here. But that does not mean the information of wealth hiding is not on the other journalists hands. Those rich men they knew too.

The disadvantage is: hiding here has no security, as there is no someone in the back lane to inform these rich to run off.

My concern is the politicians policy to depress the salary with those fake indians pmets. eg in doing admin, accounts, medical, teaching. The local ask for $3k, the politicians can release E pass at $2.5k to keep these positions staying at $2-3k for next 50 years.

That kind of policy trick has been going on for so long, yet, those working pmet are blind, or too weak to vote against it. The politicians have the white papers has mandate. Another few millions of fake pmets will be ordered in. Its better to vote for the opposition to get proper industries started. Hire citizens and grow some industries to make some names like Samsung and LG. That kind of policy will help future generations. Not letting in fake qualifications pmets to cut the salaries. All pmets suffer for next 50 years.

Anonymous said...

You know how a schooled mind works? Given a set or sets of problems, you then followed a course of systematic and often tested method to address issues as they surface. Most have no problem with this method. Would you suspect anything is amiss? How could you? it is pragmatic, it is logical.. Your leaders excel in it faultlessly and with full justification.

Just that, turn around look back at the trail. You see a pattern left behind by a particular animal? No? Good luck

Anonymous said...

Sadiq Khan won London mayor, agaisnt billionaire jew son is very special. Sadiq is a muslim and Labor opposition. He won by 57%.

Opposition won in London as mayor, from someone s logic, investors in London will pack up to night and head for the airport. Call them up, if it is true, Singapore is a good investment location. Many properties in sentosa are selling below original bought price.

What is going to happen in Bukit Battock to night? Its a part time or full time job? or if opposition win, investors in sg will run for the changi gates?
Oh no

Anonymous said...

On Amos FB, someone posted an interesting picture of "illusion of choice".

virgo49 said...

PAP holding their supporters at their BB branch office whereas SDP at Bukit Batok Stadium.

PAP Mati liao.

No confidence.

Cheers

Anonymous said...

Sample poll is out.
SDP 39% PAP 61%

Like one Anon said, SDP cannot go past 40%. How true!

Anonymous said...

PAP retains Bukit Batok, despite the PAP MP scandal that caused the by election. Majority Sinkies indeed are pragmatic, because they could see there is no advantages at all to them if Chee Soon Juan wins.

And with that, all opposition, and not just SDP and Chee Soon Juan, should reflect on this result to plan and rethink their strategy and themselves for the next election. If not, please close shop because majority Sinkies don't need you, if you remain the way you are.

Anonymous said...

Don't enter into the pigsty. Send the pigs down the cliff.

Virgo 49 said...


Still early.

Don't count your chickens before they are hatched.

They just took the sample votes with the pap crosses just for confidence.

39% at this stage cannot cross 40%??

If the PAP really wins, then the Phase

STUPIDITY HAS NO CURE iS VERY ADPT.

Anonymous said...

If only WP Teochew Hia had helped to campaign for Chee Soon Juan, the results could have been different and in favour of SDP.

Anonymous said...

Hope WP Teochew Hia don't be too ya ya. WP may lose all seats in enxt GE, if they remain the way they are.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

The result is likely 60:40. This is a case of Man is superior to God. Man won, god lost.

Anonymous said...

The results will be significant to SDP at 55:45. WP was able to run into a win on second round after passing 55.
But Chee is supported by the young. He needs to wait. 10 years after, the old generations so called pioneers and the prince generation are gone, Chee has no doubt will be elected. I hope he can continue to do a good show in 2020GE.
Why? The young support opposition because the pap s population policy is to raise the rental or installments on assets, and depress their salaries with indians pments. Their education is also affected by at least 40% students from foreign countries. So this young generations will be SDP s next batch of supporters.
The market for SDP and Chee is not ready. Chee has to wait. At best only 10 years. He will see results, my guess.

Anonymous said...

Redbean, to your question "Why keep on growing population to please the economists for growth numbers?"

Because endless growth is the model that our betters have embraced.

Why?

It has everything to do with the false monetary system. Consider this: Every dollar that the central bank issues is backed by a dollar of government debt. Which carries interest that has to be repaid out of... future increases in value of real goods and services. Every dollar of credit created by the commercial banks for credit cards, housing loans, etc. carries interest as well. That's why the inflation rate has to be a positive number, despite technology decreasing the price of many goods (TVs, PCs, etc), otherwise all that debt would become unpayable.

How to get future increases in value of goods and services? "Grow" the economy by making everyone better off, or debasing the value of the currency through inflation, or importing more people. One of these things is harder to do than the other two. Hence, here we are.

The only lasting solution is to get rid of the unsustainable debt-based money system and go back to one that cannot be inflated at the whim of central bankers and commercial banks. Similar to what the global economy had before 1971 when Nixon took the US off the gold standard to pay for the Vietnam war. No other choice. Of course, that also means the banks in the form they exist today will have to disappear too. That's the biggest stumbling block as they resist the collapse that should dissolve them all by holding the rest of us to ransom, as they did in 2008 and will do again when the next crisis comes.

Anonymous said...

Kenneth !im(reporting buttock) ..why you stuttering? Pls..hire FT to do the job lol

Anonymous said...

The model for sg is laughable. The increase of 2 millions population increased the prices of assets by 150% to 250%. Inflation rate ran up to 5.5%. The unique sg way was to increase the fixed exchange rate to curb inflation. So S$ adjusted up from 1.5 to 1 usd to 1.2 to 1 usd.

It was a double hits to the economy depending on export. The export volume declined continuously. March was -15.6%. At peak of inflation, the gdp had 15.7% and the ministers proposed increment reported by nytimes 60%, i forgot the exact figure.
But the local middle class lost their income and jobs to the newly inducted pmets from india and philippines.
The long term effects: products produced by these people are not workable or not satisfactory for export or local users.

Sg has gone, among S Korea, Taiwan, and Xenzheng. Its no long a place people talk about. Thanks to the prince and the old man s population policy. Too smart to be politicians. But the people have to live the next days. That is the issue.

Anonymous said...

Aftermath of assassination. Never underestimate the power of the strength of Sin. The wages of Sin is death, the strength of Sin is the law.

denk said...

pap win again,
sg habis liao.

Anonymous said...

The pot has consistently called the kettle black. Realise...it is the pot doing most of the calling?

The kettle is too clumsy.

Game over for the kettle

Anonymous said...

It's final.
PAP 61.2% SDP 38.8%

One Anon had said it would be a miracle if Chee can even get past 40%.

Even that miracle did not happen, let alone the miracle of Chee winning.

For those who have not, hope they learn something about Sinkie politics after this result, if they want to be or continue as a Sinkie opposition politician.

And if I were Chee, I will resign as SDP secretary general and retire from politics for good, and perhaps even consider emigrating, maybe to USA. Shoudl ahve no problem getting a green card, with a doctorate from a US university.

Anonymous said...

The rotiprata man is like a good student. In fact, consistently good track record throughout his "student life". He even spoke in 4 different languages to thank and impress his supporters.

Ask your mother and father who believe and invested in your education whether they approve and are happy that you do very well in school?

The model student wins most, if not all of the time.

Your Mother said so one.

Anonymous said...

38.8% for Chee was a real achievement. I was surprised. Comparing to Murali, Chee is a newbie to Bukit Batok. Chee should consider this part. Murali has had 16 years of grassroot experience in Bukit Batok. I expected him to keep David Ong s 73% or even more.

The drop in Pap s votes is a surprise. There is no rats issue. So I think it was Chee s personal support that drew down Pap s support by 10%.

Chee should not ignore this increase swing in votes toward opposition. He needs to continue in BB. Dont even think of giving up, it is a success in BB. He managed to bring down Pap by 10%. The next target is to bring down by another 15%. It is achievable because people supporting Pap are the old folks. Those reading msm and reading wanpao about Chee s characters.

That kind of gutter politics will have to face hardlanding in next GE in 2020. Its not working now. Chee must not ever feel disappointed, remember, he is just a newbie in BB.

Anonymous said...

Hardly dented the tank. Stay positive though. Another five years, another tiny dent or you may never know, the tank may just iron your clothes free of charge.

Anonymous said...

The result of Bukit Backside Chee-Bye Erection
Is a stero-typical idiotic moronic reflection
Of the People of Singapore and New Citizens
Who care not of their children's future
But their own immediate comfort and gains
Of small pathetic measures.

Such a People is bound to be easily defeated
By an aggressive invasion by External Forces
Because in times of war, such selfish, self-centred
Gutless, Idiots and Morons would not be able
To withstand even the very first salvo of fire
From across the borders.

Pathetic, Pitiful, Spineless, and Sick to the core.

Anonymous said...

1 will b surprise,is the human intestine

Dats doinv the thinking not the brain.

Brain only carrys out orders for the

Hands n feets.to put things into ur mouth.

only a robot with intestine will den think like man.

Anonymous said...

Did we just get another part time parrot in parliament?
Is this what we need in Singapore?

Do you think we got what we deserve?

virgo49 said...

We do not get what we deserved but with the stupid and daft brainwashed majority's stupidity that knows no bound and no cure,
We are been dragged into slavery by their unthinking actions.

Think better don't waste our efforts and time to debrainwash them.

Leave them to their follies and have peace of mind.

Matland coming back to you with renewed vigour

Anonymous said...

It's not that they don't like Chee Soon Juan or what he want to do for them.

Rather it is just that they are very scared that they will not be better served due to PAP don't like Chee Soon Juan. And PAP terribly don't like Chee Soon Juan.

agongkia said...

Please show concern for Uncle RB.
Usually new topic before 9 am .
Today no new topic.Must be disheartened.
Dun be discouraged.At least win 12%.It's a victory.

agongkia said...

His team won about 12 % more than the previous election.That's a victory.

Anonymous said...

POLITICAL JOKE
=====================
Q: How many part time parrots do Singaporeans need in parliament?

A: How much money does Singapore have left in the reserves?

Anonymous said...

The 12% more is due to the following.

1. It is a by election.
2. PAP has a minority candidate.
3. It's Chee Soon Juan, and not any Tom, Dick or Harry from SDP, contesting.

Anonymous said...

Do not try to cheat God. When God is cheated, prepare to face the wrath of God.
No one can cheat God. People who think they can cheat God will be severely punished. It is a matter of when and this time it will come faster than you think, and it would be many times worse than you can imagine.

It is coming. Hear ye, hear ye.

virgo49 said...

Right 9.03

Singaporeans thought that normally those lower income groups that had been marginalised by the PAP would vote for the opposition.

That's where majority is wrong.

The PAP had these groups under their grips which seeks the most help from them.

Many had to seek their MPs for various favours.

They had fears of unemployment, no daycare,kindergartens to put their children and elders.

Many a time they had threatened withdrawals of these facilities.

Many also itchy backsides had foreign spouses that need to have PR status or long staying visas.

So their testicles stucks in wooden horses no choice die die PAP.

The PAP had conditioned this scenarios from their years of uninterrupted rule.

Business, self employed,also need licenses renewal renewals.

So the fears of an opposition MP being bushwhacked by the government agencies are there.

LHL already said the civil service is not independent from the government.

CSJ said fighting against odds against the government's machineries.

Only those who are financially sound like us retirees will vote for justice and the opposition candidates.

We do not need their favours.

So if the pop is still mainly low incomes then the PAP will be in power perpetually.

patriot said...

@Virgo 49;

indeed PAP shall lead Sin till the
Unpredictable or Manmade Disaster happens.

The Unpredictable is beyond anybody to know, it could be disease or any other natural disaster such as heatwave and drought.

The Manmade Disaster seems the More Likely One; bringinging in the Aliens to prop up the Economy is a no brainer quick fix which will be quicker to bring down the Barren Rock to break up.
Sin is not in a position to compete since the Computer and Internet take over much of the manual works.
Factory needs less workers, marketing and retail are done through the Internet.AND THE WORST OF ALL, Sin has priced itself out as a touiist attraction on top of no natural tourist attraction. All the Manmade Tourist Attractions lack the Luring and are also too expensive like most other things in Sin.

As the manufacturing, healthcare, hospitality, transport and living costs are very high, the Attractiveness of this barren rock nosedive and shall leave it high and dry soon. And as it gets hotter here literally, due to climate change and more crowding, Sin is no more in competition in anything with other nations.

Before the 90s many foreigners were here to buy branded and top end products. Today, Sinkies go overseas to buy their luxury goods or buy them through the Internet. The Top Brands are also available in almost every countries, First or Last World as more airports sprout everywhere.

The Barren Rock faces one MORTAL WEAKNESS IN HAVING TO IMPORT ALL THE ESSENTIALS IN LIVING. SIN HAS TO IMPORT FOOD, FUEL/ ENERGY AND EVEN WATER FROM OTHERS.
AND SIN HAS GONE BERSERK BY IMPORTING
MORE ALIENS TO PROP UP THE CONSUMPTION TO SUSTAIN THE ECONOMY.
THE LEADERS PLAY THE VICE INDUSTRY CARD WITH CASINOS, ENTERTAINMENT, LEISURE AND OTHER SIN SERVICES.
Unfortunately, Sin is no match in Vice Industry with other countries as well. Fun and joy are much cheaper everywhere outside Sin. Sinkies themselves go Johor, Batam, Bintan, Genting, Vietnam and many other places for their fun and enjoyment.

How long can Sinkies stand?

patriot