AI talents - China versus China

  9 min on the number of Chinese top AI talents in America. The top chip making companies are also owned by Chinese ie Nvidia, AMD, TSMC, SMIC, Huawei and many others.  The Americans are still dreaming.

How a govt policy can change the lives of millions of Singaporeans

 Can Singaporeans understand how the Beverage Container Return Scheme can affect their lives, their behaviour, their movement, their life style and the amount of time they have to spend on the scheme?

The BCRS is a great scheme to save Gaia, environmentally friendly and helps to inculcate in Singaporeans a sense of responsibility towards saving mother earth, to cut down on the usage and wastage of plastics and aluminums, save the energy to make them and a caring habit in what we do and consume. 

The scheme involved the compulsory payment for the plastic bottles or metal cans by the consumers. The govt, by law, tangkap your money first to pay for the bottles and metal cans. No buts, Singapore's version of democracy, the govt volunteers for you to pay first. The amount is about 10c or 20c per bottle or metal can. For example, a 6 pack beer would require an advanced payment of $1. The cans then be redeemed at the BCRS vending machines when one returns them. Not sure if one will get back the full $1. For those who are rich enough, lazy enough, did not bother about claiming back the $1, would this be called a tax, a donation, or an additional cost to the price of the beer? Most Singaporeans are rich enough, no need to be millionaires, to forgo the additional cost/tax on their drinks. So it is plain extra money being taken from the local consumers.

Many obedient and law abiding Singaporeans, Singaporeans are very cooperative, when govt says do, they just do as told. Many are now forming queues at the vending machines to return the bottles and cans. And many are very happy for various reasons. Millions of plastic bottles and metal containers have been returned by millions of Singaporeans and be rewarded or refunded for the bottles and cans. Just hope they wash the bottles and cans or else ants, cockroaches or pests may make the machines their homes. The people are supposed to wash and clean the bottles and containers before returning.

Can one appreciate the number of trips needed to return these bottles and containers by say 50% of the Singaporeans, ie 3m heads, once a week or 52 times a year, over 10 years, 50 years etc etc? Some have children or the whole family tagging along. How would this scheme affect or change the pattern of lives of Singaporeans? 

I just saw a foreign worker with a big sack, not paper bag, of plastic bottles and cans. Quite a rewarding trip. And as reported, many seniors are very happy and enjoying collecting plastic bottles and metal cans to return them at the vending machines. This could become a big social event or daily happening to their lives.

My wife just asked me if I am going to be a karung guni operator, collecting empty beer cans instead of throwing them away? She said I am inviting many drunk visitors to our home. I wondered what was she saying. She pointed to a cockroach wobbly around, and a lizard lying upside down on the floor, still snoozing, fallen from the ceiling, all drunk after sipping the leftover beer in the cans. Oops, I must make it a point to wash the cans clean and store them neatly in a corner to prevent these from happening.  And remember to make a trip to the vending machine when enough clean and sparkling beer cans accumulated.

The vending machines are going to be a must visit place for many Singaporeans, more important than a place of worship or the kopitiams. It will become a part of the life of Singaporeans, locals, residents. It could be turned into gossip corners with some chairs provided, like citizens corners.

Other than those seniors that may find it profitable as a past time, to collect cans and bottles, the lives of many ordinary Singaporeans will revolve around cleaning and managing empty bottles and cans, storing them and returning them, like visiting their parents, part and parcel of life in this richest city state in the world. A new industry may spring up from it, selling beautiful brushes, storage boxes or plastic bags for the bottles and cans, redesigning the home with a special place for storing them. More enterprising seniors or foreign workers may go around housing estates to collect bottles and cans, a more rewarding hobby, or a revival of the karung guni trade. The new karung guni operators will be the Ah mahs and Ah kongs, and not leaving the foreign workers out.

Someone just suggested a more profitable and meaningful idea, collecting cardboards and returning them in a similar scheme. Just leave it to the ingenuity of Singaporeans with their get rich schemes. No need to be top STEM graduates to invent apps, AIs and high end chips, robotics or EVs. Just think about how to save a few cents here and there, in aggregate can become very big sums. The BCRS is the second best scheme after the scheme for paying 5c for plastic bags in supermarkets that used to come free. The next big scheme will be paying for cardboards and then redeem them from vending machines. Problem, where to put these large machines unless they can install grinding machines in them.

How much more would these two schemes cost to the Singaporeans that have to pay more without going for refund? Be frightened, be very frightened when someone wants to help. Oops, oops.

American economy is a Wall Street economy, up and down is controlled by Trump

I am a novice on economic issues, but when I read about Wall Street reaching all-time highs now and then, that mind-boggling but little understanding came crashing down after reading about USA consumer confidence hitting almost a 12-year low. Main Street has always been the first to know the economic problems arising, long before the Government will admit, and it applies to almost every country.

It looks like Wall Street and Main Street are moving in diametrically opposite direction in the USA while the Government is gloating about Wall Street all-time highs and the AI and data center euphoria. Now, who is telling the truth about the economy, and who is just spouting hot air and make belief?

USA AI will never be able to monopolize global usage. That is a given. While USA AI innovators are looking at making lots of money skinning users of its AI models that are so expensively priced, it cannot compete against Chinese open AI usage that are dirt cheap anywhere else. Even some USA consumers are using the cheaper but not much inferior Chinese AI apps, and the Government wants to clamp down on such usage, undoubtedly lobbied by the tech giants to do so. The USA AI innovators poured in hundreds of billions into AI development and cannot survive trotting out cheap open AI models for users. It will collapse in no time. On the other hand, Chinese AI innovators are able to offload open AI models for users due to its cheap electricity, low investment cost and the whole Global South to support it.

Not everyone needs top of the line AI benchmark big models for simple tasks. It is the same logic as thinking that the world needs only top-end cutting-edge chips when most consumer products only need legacy chips for controlling their functions.

China is now the top legacy chip producer, holding a 40% global market share and expanding. There is not much news about China selling such legacy chips even to the USA, as all the news is about who are making those top-end chips for specific usage like mobile phones and cutting-edge military weapons. Even the USA military is still using legacy chips from China for its warships, fighter jets, submarines and missiles, besides rare earth elements. China has many cards to play in the event of a war against the USA, and the USA knows it well enough.

Now Trump is backtracking sanctions against Russia, allowing Russian diesel exports, unnerving Zelenskyy to no end. Such a move means removing sanctions to give Russia more revenue to fund its war. I am sure NATO Europe will be having sleepless nights, asking what is next. After 4 years of sanctions on Russia, it did not collapse nor suffer defeat at the hands of 32 NATO countries supporting Ukraine. NATO Europe is still trying to flog a dying Ukraine horse and the latest action by USA will further fragment the bloc.

Trump's action is basically to bring down diesel prices before November, a sinister move at the right time before the mid-term when diesel prices are high. Whether that is going to be successful is left to be seen. Will Putin lend a hand to help Trump in November is questionable. Agreeing to sell is one thing. Doing it is another with political issues to be considered when November is over. Trump may go back on his word after November. Understand the picture dealing with a juvenile kid.


Anonymous

Invading and kidnapping Maduro and wife - When state terrorism is 'legalised' by the American terrorists

NEW YORK: The United States on Thursday (Oct 8) filed new torture charges against ousted Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, bolstering a mounting criminal case against the pair held in US custody.

Maduro and Flores already face drug trafficking and firearms charges in the United States after they were snatched from their Caracas compound in an extraordinary US military raid in January.

A new court filing shows both are now further charged with conspiracy to commit torture against victims, including US citizens, in Venezuelan detention - with prosecutors detailing alleged waterboardings, rapes and beatings. CNA

The invasion of Venezuela by American terrorist forces and the kidnapping of President Maduro and his wife were the worst violation of international laws. The American terrorists deemed it fit to conduct such aggression against a neighbouring state and now putting up a show to put Maduro and wife on trial for fabricated drug trafficking and conspiracy to commit torture of victims. Such outrageous crimes against a neighbouring independent country and its leaders are intolerable crimes in international laws. However, no country deems it fit to condemn such grave crimes. And the American terrorists proudly continue to put on a farcical trial with no regards to international laws and world opinion.

 

Is there any country that would support such criminal acts by the USA? What principles have been violated and why no country would dare to open their big mouths against the rogues in the Washington regime? Fearing they will also be invaded and kidnapped by the American terrorists? The same crime was also committed against the former President Duterte of the Philippines, kidnapping of an ex President from its sovereign territory. And the criminal ICC judges also shameless going ahead to hold a trial against Duterte when the crime was kidnapping of Duterte committed by the IC.

The best part, Marco Rubio has just announced wide sanctions against the ICC, calling it a fake court and working to disband the ICC. The American kangaroo courts are just as fake as the ICC and should also be denounced and scrapped. Both are run by criminals, committing crimes against international laws, justice and human decency.

What happens to the basic human values of right and wrong? The American terrorists are lawless international criminals. The world is now ruled by might is right, by the international gangsters and state terrorists. Forget about the UN and all its silly organisations when basic human rights are violated with impunity. Rules of Law my foot. No world leader is fit to stand and speak in the UN. The UN has been hijacked by criminals and gangsters and strutting around threatening to annihilate the people of another country in an affront against the useless leaders of the world in the UN. 

This world has gone to the dogs. Americans are the worst terrorists, the savages that are bullying the whole world, and with silly allies and cronies still kissing their asses. Where is justice, where is the law, where is human decency? The American terrorists are above the law, they are the law!

Shame to the Americans. Shame to all the world leaders that are afraid to speak out against such extreme injustice and state terrorism.

India flogging a dead horse, IMEC

The India Middle East Economic Corridor (IMEC) joke died when Biden went out of the White House. Trump is not going to revive that project for sure, knowing he does not see India in good light. So, India can just live with the realization that the IMEC is a dead horse, stillborn project. Moreover, Trump is all for his 'USA first' doctrine, although action speaks 'softer' than words, meaning making others great again instead.

India lost out big on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) connectivity, which other countries in Central and South Asia are now benefiting. Now, India has no IMEC to crow about nor BRI to connect to Europe. Only the Red Sea corridor remains, which is beyond reprieve with the Middle East war ongoing.

Even Indian airlines cannot fly over Pakistan after the recent conflict and have to go a longer route, something unpalatable for airlines with fuel prices soaring. Which is why Air India is facing serious trouble ahead. Sorry for touching someone's nerve.

After all the years of gloating about India being the next superpower, as if Russia and China are not going to be around and the USA collapsing, India is still having a wet dream despite all the shortcomings. Without fast development, infrastructure building and job creation, India's hopes can be said to be based on fantasy.

But as long as the fanatic Hindus believe in holy man Modi, what does Modi care even if their dream falls apart.


Anonymous