10/17/2012

Slash and burn for a better tomorrow




The haze seems to have subsided. Is it because there were less slash and burn activities or because of wind and rain? Slash and burn is a very cheap way of clearing away unwanted stuff. No need much planning, no need heavy capital expenditure. Just look at the weather, wind direction, and light a match, and a whole jungle can go in no time. And new crops or towns can be built over them, looking modern instead of wasteful vegetation.

I was listening to Boon Wan in Parliament last night. He was talking about the future new towns, all nicer and modern, to be built over the old towns. Old towns will give way to new towns, and better Punggols will take their places. This is like a different variation of the slash and burn method of farming.

The way we scrap a half a million dollar Mercedes after 10 years and replace it with another $1 million brand new Mercedes is also another form of slash and burn. Get rid of the old and pay for a better new. Only one condition must be satisfied for this modern Sinkie slash and burn economy, money. The people and govt must have all the money to get rid of good working condition cars and houses and pay for new ones every 10 years for cars and maybe 40 years for housing. For a super rich and affluent country where money just flows in naturally, this is never an issue. The people need not even have to work as long as they have the money to churn properties.

Some told me that this slash and burn policy is also applicable to population. The old that are no longer contributing to the economy should make way for the new, from overseas. Every inch of land in this little island is worth its weight in gold and you cannot have unproductive people sitting on them. Too wasteful. This utilitarian approach to all things has served the island well and has turned it into the richest country in the world on a per capita income basis. Just ignore the existence of the oldies.

Old and oldies have no value to a strictly utilitarian state that sees progress in terms of monetary value. It is time that they bulldoze away that piece of real estate called Chinatown and build a new city for another million people.

11 comments:

  1. Hehe Redbean,

    For all You know, the whole tiny red dot
    will be burnt by itself in no time just like one committing suicide.

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  2. Yes, redbean, we will all be fertilizer soon....

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  3. Dunno lucky or not, they have canned their ambition to nuclear this island. Knowing the hazard zone that could be 100km radius, no nuclear facility should be built nearer to this distance from any major city, or any country smaller than this size should not be allowed to build nuclear plants.

    And neighbouring countries should not be allowed to build nuclear plants less than 100km from another country's border.

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  4. I don't mind Singapore going nuclear if the proposal is to use thorium instead of uranium.

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  5. Tomorrow's DoomedOctober 17, 2012 10:09 am

    "Slash" was done to several MPs/Cabinets Ministers but unfortunately Not "Burn". These "slashed" cheng hu nan still enjoying "pensions", "super remuneration","benefits", "bonuses"....
    That's why Singapore's tomorrow is doomed!

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  6. I don't mind nuclear if the decision is to place the nuclear reactor near the Istana.

    Thorium technology right?
    The nuclear reactor is so tiny, we can even place it right underneath your bed.

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  7. Twenty odd miles from North to South and Forty odd miles from East to West, a leak like Fukushima and its Santa Maria for all, rich or poor, million dollar homes or not.

    How could those jokers ever think about going nuclear is beyond imagination. Those morons are just plain crazy and getting crazier by the day.

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  8. Hehe,

    If the rich and powerful are not afraid, why are You, the cheaporeans making so much noise about nuclear mishap?

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  9. Ahhh, the diffence is that the rich can run or have holiday homes elsewhere, so why should they be afraid. They have, over the years already 'stashed' ther pile and are not worried about burning.

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  10. properties are being en bloc-ed and canned in far shorter than 40 yrs, redbean. no one is interested in upkeep and maintenance. and so estates are being allowed to run down becos so many are hoping to en bloc.

    this even though it is not a good proposition like before. well, you certainly cant get something similar or better nearby and have money in your pocket, with what u'll be paid for your property now. in fact, you'll have to downgrade. but pple still stupidly see it as having made a profit.

    because of this mindset, gardens are being wiped out, and terrace houses are becoming rare as we try and utilise every bit of space.

    and because everything is built almost on top of the neighbouring bldg, windflow is poor, u need aircon of cos. and still we boast of being green and sustainable. it's a bad joke!!

    meanwhile, how many new flats actually have a view these days?! let's not even talk of space. we've become rats living in fancy rat holes and we're so proud of this. so happy with this downgrade in our lives.

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