12/01/2014

Smart City or Smart Nation and the Silver Brigade

Singapore is going to transform itself into a Smart Nation. Note the difference between a Smart City and a Smart Nation. Got it? Ok, we are drumming to build Smart Cities in India but promoting a Smart Nation for ourselves. You need to be a bit smart to notice the difference. Simply put, Smart Cities are simply Smart Cities, all wired with gadgets and fibres. Smart Nation involves making the people smart. The only problem is whether this is so easily said than done. My proposal is to input a smart computer chip into every Silver Hair to interface with all the smart computer devices in the same way C3PO and R2D2 related to each other. This will make the Silver Hair ‘computer smart’ at a jab.

There was an article in the ST on 29 Nov by a Calvin Soh on the topic of Smart Nation and the Silver Brigade. The concept of a Smart Nation as proposed by Hsien Loong is all inclusive. The seniors, many illiterate or computer illiterate, will be trained or educated to benefit from a Smart City. The lonely old folks would be the first beneficiary as computer and electronic devices would be installed in their homes to monitor their movements to protect them. This is only a small step in the whole process.

Training and education and high tech devices would be the natural follow ups in this Smart Nation process. The people, Silver Brigade included, would be made smart to use all the smart equipment. And I believe, though no one is saying it, there will be a compulsory scheme to make sure that no one is left out of this smart programme.

Where to find the money, it is not free you know. Who is going to pay for it? The users, including the Silver Hair for sure, will have to pay for it. Nothing is for free mah. There is no free lunch.

In the future, instead of buttoning my own shirt or making my own cup of coffee, a computer gadget would to that for me while I lie down in bed. Now all these must cost money right? Not to worry, did anyone suggest another compulsory scheme to set aside some money from the CPF for this Smart Nation Scheme? Don’t ask me, I can’t afford it no matter how affordable they are going to drum about it.

I think I am smart enough not to be duped into paying for things I do not need. The sad part is when they make it compulsory. But there is a way out of these compulsions.


Kopi Level - Yellow

21 comments:

  1. RB, your last sentence should add a "no" right?

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  2. "Where to find the money, it is not free you know. Who is going to pay for it?"
    RB

    That's why Sinkies need to be smart. Under PAP rule, when they are smart, they can make lots of money. Hence they can find the money to pay for it and have a good life in a smart city.

    And smart Sinkies realise this is far easier and better than to join the opposition to fight and replace PAP as govt.

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  3. Billions had been spend since the 90s, any improvement?

    Where these money used, how, overspend????

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  4. Rb..which is more important..transport system operating efficiently or information systems that tells u buses are delayed..again...cpf system that helps you save save save till your last breath or looking at your computerized cpf statement of account that says you are fucking rich but can't afford a good holiday..government's ever increasing tax revenues or minimum s&c defaulters of at least 5% of hdb households ...will the new wired system tell me the accumulated surpluses of government agencies..perhaps we are the only country in the world to have coordinating ministries ..perhaps we should be thankful that our top talent ministers and mps are dedicated to reinventing the wheel,picking up sanitary pads and adjudicating whether it's a pad or nea problem...

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  5. One thing could be certain. You will be reminded regularly how much you owed to all the govt agencies and be reminded to pay on time. And the highly sophisticated and efficient system will be paid by you.

    Oh, the system will not make you richer for sure.

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  6. We don't need all these gadgets in order to look smart and been up to date. I'm still using a dumb phone though it is now iPhone 6, because I personally don't need all these 'new stuff' - so far, what I see is people just watching movies, browsing stuff, playing games - which really are not my 'cup of tea'. I prefer simple life, keeping things simple that even idiots can understand!

    As ordinary people, I think the most important thing is to be real smart and not to be fooled by anybody. As an ordinary citizen, looking at the way the country goes, I don't really feel smart at all.

    We have too much blind faith in our politicians; we totally believe in almost everything they said, we treat their words as gospels, we think they're our saviours and supermen and that they will rescue us when we need them.

    Tell you what, my mum who is approaching 80, feel ashamed to admit she is from Singapore, when she travels overseas. She just keeps quiet or pretend she doesn't hear anything when people ask her where is she from.

    Yeh, call us traitors , if you like ! We prefer to be smart in our own ways, not in the way as dictated by the top.

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  7. There are many many things and gadgets we don't need. But someone is making all the money pushing these modern day snake oil and shafting down the throats of people and forcing them to pay for it.

    Yes, to many, the phone is to make calls, sms, and maybe a few fads once awhile that are really unnecessary. Why pay for all the things that you don't need?

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  8. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  9. I think they should forcibly round up these areas for "upgrading". Otherwise these old Viagra-swallowers will drag the smart nation down. They can use some of the older SAF camps as re-education centres.

    The funding : deduct from CPF account. Thus stingy fucks like Redbean don't have to worry about being taxed for something they don't want.

    Since cpf is a TAX, it is only just the Silver Apeks pay for it--which they have already. Upgrade silver to gold.

    See, I'm full of good ideas. PM Lee, please consider my proposal. With the money you save, you can give our hard working MPs a raise :))

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  10. How can Singapore ever be a smart nation when we have such stupid (daft) voters?

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  11. Question for redbean
    ----------------------
    Price of oil is falling.
    Who owns the power plants in Singapore that are generating our electricity?
    Is it still owned by Singapore?
    Or have we sold it to a private company?

    Will Singaporeans enjoy any cost savings from the falling oil price?

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  12. Mati, finally you have some good ideas. Just stay away from drugs and you will think clearly. Good for you, no bluff.

    As for oil price and our electricity bill, you know they are applying for price hike for MRT and buses? The reason, they have stockpile the oil to last another 10 years, my guess only, so they have committed to high price oil. How to cut price when they did not benefit from the low price today?

    Petrol station also like that. And Case cannot do anything about it.

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  13. @ drug free fun free 120:

    Please lah, I need drugs for my cancers. If I don't take my drugs, I'll die and you fuckers will miss me.

    So remember, like jesus, I'm sacrificing for all of you ;-)

    Btw jesus: no smoke, no drink, no drugs, no fuck.... dead at 33. Damn cock, lah.

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  14. KNN, Matilah, you are dying and have to lead a decadent lifestyle as there is no tomorrow and you want everyone here to be like you?

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  15. @ 120

    Re: bogus cheap oil. The world's most awesome cartel islam-O-PEC, has deliberately increased production to drop the oil price to fuck up the USA "energy Renaissance", a strong USD is also contributing as a downward price driver. Now at a lower price, and going lower, expensive US shale oil projects are looking fucked up.

    You're crazy if you're expecting state-controlled utility companies to pass on savings to customers.

    Why should they? They have MONOPOLY STATUS lah. With windfall profits, all the directors get fat bonuses, not to mention the nice increase in value of their stock options.

    Crony capitalism lah! That's the game.

    Got game face?

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  16. @ scared die Redbean :

    Uncle, we are all dying lah. So the most logical thing is to live LARGE, for one day we all shed our mortal coils.

    I'm an hardcore atheist and anti-theist - - ie. I find the idea of God not only a wicked lie, but absolutely abhorrent. It's man's worst and most shameful invention.

    Thus I absolutely reject the idea of an afterlife. IMO, there's no such thing. The present is where it all happens, and as an autonomous individual one must take ACTION to live well. No action, no point.

    And no, not only don't I expect "others" to be like me, but it's also impossible for most people : they're just too afraid. ;-)

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  17. There are two competiting theories to life. The Christians, I describe as a straight line. Big bang, creation. Then a day will come when all will come to an end. A Christian is born and die. As simple as that, no before life, no after life. You can be a Christian.

    The other theory is a circle or cycle. You cannot trace the beginning or the end of existence of the universe. So is your life, there is no beginning and no ending. It goes on and on. Oh, you need not be Matilah v2.01 or v3.03. There is a connection but no connection. It goes on and on, in a circle or cycle.

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  18. They are so 'smart' in transferring public monies into private hands of youknowlah that even the other party had to admit that they are indeed very 'competent'. Will not be surprised that they will build more over-the-top infrastructure and charge 10x more for them out from direct and indirect taxpayers funds.

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  19. For someone whose child is dying and knowing that he/she is going to somewhere beautiful that God created is important. Otherwise, this person may go insane and start killling/bombing up whatever.

    Although race and religion are tools for the rulers to cover their asses, knowing that God is there for the dying innocent ones is not a religion, it is a therapy.

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  20. @ redbean 307:

    Please don't discuss science redbean. You're terrible at it. Bloody awful mate.

    @b 431:

    Sure some people might be like that. And they're best avoided. After you've been alive for some time, chances are you will experience the terrible emotional torment of losing loved ones. One day they're here and alive, in time they are gone. It's painful, but we all experience it.

    IMO believing in an afterlife makes matters WORSE...lies have that effect ie.: you know they're dead and GONE, but you con yourself that they're ”living somewhere else”, but deep down you know they're gone...but you fool yourself that they're still alive...and so on and on. Prolonged mental anguish, which after awhile gets buried deep.

    Not good lah.

    Nature is like that: everything which is "alive", will die or be killed. Children die, babies die, pets die, parents, siblings, friends and relatives...all die.

    Our deaths is THE ONLY certainty we absolutely know is going to happen. Which is why it is "good policy" to live as much as you can, even if it means you have to live in ILLUSIONS.

    Just my 2¢s. Peace out!

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