followup of andy ho's quality reporting

I was reading this article on students agents by Melissa Sim in the Sunday Times. Despite the fact that she had been told that her numbers were wrong, she still put it into print, claiming that students agents earned a hefty commission of between $2000 to $8000! And she was told that she must know what constitutes that $8000. The number is nonsensical if it is just commission for bringing a student here and help him enrolled into a school. No student would pay that kind of money just for that. The more likely figure is between $800 to $2000, depending on the complexity of the case. But $8000 is not uncommon for foreign agents in China, Korea or Vietnam to charge their clients as there are many domestic regulations and systems to get by, including paying off certain people. The impression given by Melissa Sim is that it is a 'low startup costs and about $100 million up for grabs...' What her article implies is that these are sheeps with plenty of money to be milked by the agents. But when you read her comments further, her evidence did not point to anyone paying that kind of money to their agents. Even a student who paid $2000 were unhappy about it. Where would anyone pay $8000? Other than the unscrupulous who would take the commission and run, many agents have to sweat it out and play parents to the students, especially the younger ones for 4 to 6 years when they are here, running and fetching them around to do domestic chores and worrying for their safety. It is hell of a responsibility to take a child into their care when their parents are thousands of kilometers away and have laid full trust that the agent will look after their children, responsibly. And she mentioned about the Association of Consultants for International Students(Singapore) or ACISS which was set up specifically by the agents and related industry players to self regulate and ensure professionalism and reliability of the service providers. The responsibilities are huge and the service providers knew that they have to provide a service that commensurates with the commissions they are getting, and to make sure that their care are safe and sound. It is no joke should an accident happen or the child is hurt in anyway. For $2000 and a responsibility that can stretch for several years, only the uninformed will think that it is good money. Perhaps in the eyes of this reporter, once the commission is in the pocket, it is time to disappear. I post this to show the quality of reporting and the amount of homework done by a mainstream journalist as claimed by Andy Ho. Factual and accurate reporting!

corporate watchdog!

Many of us are privy to many wrongdoings in the corporate world. Some were first hand information and some from hear says that were mostly truth. It is not uncommon to see hotshot and prominent honchos and CEOs indulging in sleazy deals, unethical and immoral practices at the expense of organisations and employees. I have heard of employees being held at ransom, treated like chattels, exploited and abused by the management they trusted. Some were used for horse tradings, some threatened and prevented from leaving the organisation, or if they leave, obstacles were placed along their path. All these wrongdoings have not been exposed for many reasons. And many at the lower end of the pecking order do not have the resources, money or intellect to take on the bigshot culprits who could drag them to court. And these people would lose by default as they would not be able to engage a legal counsel to bring the culprit to justice. They just cannot afford the legal fee. The internet forum will be a good place to expose such wrong doings to give warnings to those wrongdoers that their wrongdoings did not go unnoticed. Just to mention them here without identifying them or the organisations will suffice to put notice that their game is up. I hope forumers can contribute to this thread with their own encounters. And if this thread proves popular, I will stick it up as a permanent feature here.

crying wolf once too many

Putin has slammed the Americans for trying to flame the North Korean issue by claiming that the North Koreans are planning for an underground nuclear test. Even the South Koreans are dismissing the claim as untruth. The more the Americans keep dishing out their 'intelligence' reports of threats from terrorism or the nuclear ambitions of Iran and North Korea, the less would the world believe in them. They have cried wolf too many times and too often. The Americans are losing credibility in the eyes of the world after Iraq's WMD. The latest terrorist threat claim at Heathrow has also raised many eyebrows as to its reliability. It is very likely another hoax originated from the White House but executed through White Hall. The wayang of Bush and Blair is now well known since the WMD debacle in Iraq. How much more would the world believe in the two of them? How much more would they keep on undermining the intelligence of their intelligence communities? The credibility of both services have plunged to the lowest level ever since their reports and assessments had led to the invasion of Iraq. Today we are hearing the Australians raising alerts to Batam and Bali islands. Are these also part of their scheme to raise the alarm on terrorism and indulging in more hoaxes to frighten the world and make them look right? Wolf, wolf, wolf!!!

the world can easily be turned topsy turvy

The world, especially in the air travel business, can be held at ransom, crippled, just by a phone call. Look at the panic stricken cities of the west. There is no need for WMD, no need for human bombs, no need for any complicated and expensive technology to disrupt the daily activities of any country. All that the terrorists needs to do now is to make a call to any airline or airports claiming that there is a threat or a bomb hidden somewhere and waiting to be exploded. Everything will come to a halt. All the security personnel will run around like bull arse flies trying to establish if the threat is true. And no want would risk taking any threat as a hoax. Fear and threats of sabotage will now be the most effective weapons of the terrorists. At their own time, and place of their own choosing, they could turn the world upside down. All life and economic activities will be disrupted at the mercy of the terrorists.

the mah chiam spat

Malaysia has the Mahathir Badawi Spat. Now we have our version of the Mah Chiam Spat. It all started with the light saga in Potong Pasir. Whatever Chiam said and did seemed to be wrong and will be commented upon as not doing his job or not serving his residents. Under such accusations, Chiam had no choice but to respond and rebut to level the ground. As the comments about Chiam came out in the media, Chiam responded through the media. From lighting a street path it goes on to the opening of the mrt station. (Where is Sitoh?) The latest reply from Mah is that he would not respond in the media but would want to answer Chiam in Parliament. Debating in the media would see both talking to the press and getting printed. In the Parliament, Chiam would have to speak to 83 MPs with one on his side and 82 on the other side, plus 10 neutral elected MPs. I think the laughters of 82 Mps will easily drown whatever Chiam has to say.

China told USA to 'shut up and keep quiet.'

China told USA to 'shut up and keep quiet.' China has finally stood up and tell the number one bully to shut up. After being humiliated and bullied for several centuries by the west and the last 50 plus years by the US, China is finally ready to take on the US in verbal battle in the world stage. China's ambassador to the UN in Geneva, Sha Zukang warned the US in no uncertain terms that the US should mind its own business and should not be the devil behind the Taiwan declaration of independence move. The US fingerprints are all over in the Taiwanese plan to break away from China and China has made it very clear that it will take the US head on if Taiwan declares independence with US support. And the US has been trying to brand the Chinese as an expansionist power for expanding its defence expenditure which is US$35 billion as against US$419 billion of the Americans. Such distortion of truth by the Americans is no longer tolerable and the Chinese are not going to take that lying down any more. The Chinese are going to call a spade a spade and that the Americans are the number one trouble maker in the world will be pasted and glued onto the American face. It looks like the Chinese are going to retaliate at every political polemics that the Americans are throwing at them. The world will now hear a different truth. The most dangerous and most hated country in the world is going to be the USA. They cannot run and cannot hide. They are everywhere, from Latin America, Europe, Africa, Middle East, South Asia and East Asia, trying to establish its hegemony over the world.

enough people to occupy these flats?

This is the threatening question about the overbuilding of HDB flats and how a good housing programme went wrong. And the rest is history. I will like to modify this statement to read, 'Enough people to buy these stocks?' The problem facing a glut of HDB flats and private properties in the market is the same as that facing the stockbroking industry. It is another case of oversupply and lack of participants. The stock indices are going up, other stock markets are going to the roof, but you can hardly hear a phone ring in the trading rooms of all the broking houses. A very similar situation as the housing market. Many flats were built. But where are the takers. In the stock market, there are many stocks and many derivatives, but where are the investors? There are many rich people in Singapore, but are they buying HDB flats or even private flats? Yes a few may buy the exclusive upmarket condo or landed properties, but the general market is silent. The same in the stock market. A few hedge funds and house players are in the market. And that is all. The whole market is deserted. The property market will suffer a fate of a slow death when the value just melt away. And so will the value of stocks when there are no buyers but plenty of stocks and other instruments available. The slow death has started. The holding cost for all the unsold flats is just too high. The overheads for running a broking house is equally high if there are no investors. And the funds will also have holding cost if what they bought cannot be sold, except from left hand to right hand and back.

bringing down cost of essential services

The Worker's Party has made it their key objective to fight for the lowering of public transport fare. And their reasons are very valid except that the ruling party could not see it that way. Public transportation is a vital industry and affects the economy of the country as well as the wellbeing of the people. It should be treated like education or defence, and made as effective, efficient and at the lowest cost possible without the profit motive. Choking up the transport system or parallysing it by continuously raising fare will affect the quality of life of the people and all other economic and social activities. Opposition parties should be very clear in their objectives and defend the interests of the poorer people by bringing down cost of essential items and services. Transportation is only one of the many essential services.

canned demonstration

In less than a month the World Band and IMF will be in town. And it is time for Singapore to present to the world our canned public demonstration within four walls. The demonstrators, all imported, Singaporeans unlikely to be allowed in, will be given all the freedom to shout, scream and scratch, all indoors. Probably the whole demonstration room will be wired with all the cameras and speakers, to be beamed across the world. Singapore will score another first, teaching the world how demonstration can be allowed, in a canned fashion. And if this is experiment is successful, maybe we can allow Singaporeans to demonstrate in the same way on certain issues. Then there is no need to explain so painfully why 4 is an illegal assembly.

crooked bridge may save Badawi's govt

According to Mahathir, the Badawi govt is not corrupt and will have his blessing if they go ahead with the crooked bridge. But if there is no crooked bridge, then the Badawi govt is corrupt and he will continue to expose them. The balance of whether the Malaysian govt is corrupt or otherwise hangs in the balance of the crooked bridge.

taxis - high operating cost and poor service

Night life in Hong Kong is so very alive. One reason may be that there is no midnight surcharge. Hong Kongers, tourists and business visitors know that they can have a taxi ride home at an affordable rate, however late in the evening or early morning. I also question the $100 daily taxi rental fee imposed, seeing that car rentals to the public range from $40 to $50 a day. And with second-hand car dealers coming into the business, there is talk of even $30 a day. Perhaps the over-size call-booking machinery can be made smaller to cut this $100 rental fee. I suggest that taxi drivers be given the leeway to be their own bosses in their trade with a condition that their vehicles are taken for roadworthiness tests at regular intervals. Perhaps service will improve with this flexibility. Yik Ching Fong (Ms) The above extract is from Straits Times Interactive. It is very obvious why the cost of taxis is so expensive while the taxi drivers are not getting the income they deserved, thus affecting the quality of service. All the booking fees and surcharges should be removed. Better still, taxi drivers should be allowed to rent their taxis from whoever and not be held ransom by taxi companies. When one can get a car for $30-$50 a day, why should taxi drivers be compelled to rent from taxi companies at $100 a day? Allow more competition in the industry, allow private operators to enter the business and provide cheaper taxis and remove all the ridiculous cost. Taxi drivers will benefit from lower cost, more passengers and higher net take home income. Taxi companies that are uncompetitive shall be allowed to wind up. All these monopolies are bad.

myth 52

'The Govt does not have the monopoly of ideas' This is the greatest change in perception after 41 years of PAP rule. The present govt has often acknowledged, fairly recently, that they do not have a monopoly of ideas. This implies that they know that there are better ideas out there and there are people who are just as able outside the govt that can provide equally good ideas. Compare this attitude to that of LKY's govt, it is a big step towards a changing of mindset at the highest level. I quote Seah Chiang Nee in his article posted in Littlespeck.com 'Whereas Kuan Yew relied on superior logic and tough punishment to rule, his son cannot do that. Hsien Loong still needs logic, but he can't use the cane to gain support. Persuasion, yes, but not force.' Seah Chiang Nee suggested that the superior logic approach is no longer workable in a new Singapore of well educated population. And the acknowledgement that the govt does not have the monopoly of ideas also appears to make this reasoning sound plausible. In practice, the way the govt deals with the people and the implementation of solutions to the country's problems, there seem to be little change. It is still the superior logic approach, that the govt knows best.

I find it very puzzling

The Israelis rained their artillery and bombs into Beirut and all corners of Lebanon. Their tanks rolled in with 30,000 soldiers. And there was no signs of the Lebanese army. Where have all the Lebanese soldiers gone? One possibility is that they knew that they were no match to the Israeli army. Without air cover, they will be sitting ducks to air strikes and could be destroyed in no time. So the army and other armed forces were withdrawn and avoided contact with the Israelis. Some may just joined the Hezbollah in civilians. Does a country need an army that cannot fight when enemy soldiers invaded its territory? Any country that allows this to happen deserves to be invaded. For they have made themselves weak, seductive and inviting. If only that the Lebanese soldiers were strong enough to fight back, the Israelis will not be so eager to march into their land. This is the major weakness of all Arab and surprisingly, Muslim countries. All very weak militarily. They were allowed to develop their armies but a very weak air force. In modern warfare, without air superiority especially in desert land, the army will be as good as crippled soldiers. They just cannot fight. Singapore must always make sure that its armed forces are strong enough to prevent a Lebanon or an Iraq.

arm twisting singaporeans to part with their money

singaporeans are forced and harassed to cough out thousands of dollars to pay for things they did not want. stripped of their clothings, lying naked in a spa, they were made to part with their money to buy holiday plans or health products etc. it is so easy to make singaporeans part with their money. amazing, and above the law. report to the police after signing the documents? fat hope. it is a contractual agreement that is binding in a court of law. at best the victim can take out a civil suit against the offending party. what about signing under duress? then try to proof in court, and spend more money and time to do it. singaporeans are well protected by the rules of law in the country, and the legal system. there is no need to complain. just go through the due process of the law. singaporeans are so bless.

things are too cheap here!

CPF is charging $18 as admin fee to transfer your medisave money to pay for medical expenses! Is this reasonable? It all depends on how much is the cost of labour and other overheads. If rentals and overheads and salaries are high, then in order to operate at a profit, it has to charge accordingingly. Is it an issue of fairness? It again depends on how to compute the cost of admin fee. Nothing is for free. People must accept this mantra. Even keeping money in the bank, if too little, the bank will charge $2 a month to maintain your account. And this is cheap, in fact too cheap, to think of the high cost of operating a bank, expensive rentals, computers and well trained and highly educated staff. Actually the bank should charge something like $30 or $100 as admin fee as their overheads are very high. And out taxi fares are still very cheap compare to other major cities. We should comfortably double or triple the taxi fares to make it more befitting to other first world cities. And there will be more people, including professionals and graduates, rushing to become taxi drivers. Then we need not have to employ foreigners or will there be a shortage of taxi drivers.

how to make a fool of the world?

I just feel that the world is being conned everyday by the crooks in political offices. And with the hyped on terrorism, any office involved could simply jigged a covert terrorist plan or message and circulate it around as the real stuff and it would send everyone scurrying for safety. And what is safe? Look at the items that are being banned from air travel and the explanation given to them. Practically anything in one's possession can be used to smuggle in a part of an explosive device. So what else is new or cannot be a part of such concealed weapons? Today passenger can still board a plane when deprived of any belongings except his passport and a few dollars. Tommorrow, some jokers are going to reveal that explosive devices or mechanism can be hidden in the anus or in the mouth or in some parts of the human body. Then all passengers will have to be subject to some body digging before they are declared safe for travel. The world is getting safer with such checks and preventive measures.

foreigners driving our taxis

Is this a good idea? Singaporeans have this 'everything and everywhere and everyone is safe and friendly' attitude wherever they go. We have taken safety for granted especially in Singapore. I am just wondering whether it is really a good idea to have foreigners driving our taxis. The taxi, in the wrong hands, is like a little prison or contraption. Once inside, the passenger is at the mercy of the driver. I shiver at the thought of our young children and females, males included, hopping into a taxi and thinking that they will be in safe hands, to be driven home. What about being driven into some secluded spots to be robbed or raped?

Chok Tong's comment on the Lebanon crisis

It is good and timely that Chok Tong came out with a fair and balanced statement on the realities of the Middle East problem and not taking sides. For the moment, as long as both sides refuse to accept the present position and the existence of the other party, it will be an endless war. The only possibility for any solution is for them to change their present position. Is it possible? The alternative is not very desirable as it will mean the killings of each other every now and then. Any absolute solution? Possible, only if one party is able to destroy the other completely, or if Israel is relocated. Otherwise, what choice could they have? Let's hope both parties understand that we cannot do much to aid the conflict and not to exert pressure on us to make a stand for any side.

Captain Tay should be court martialled!

Just think of it, the money spent on the extravagant NDP show was meant for the public, but here was this individual abusing it for his private use! Imagine what would happen if someone put up a picture of Chee Soon Juan or Jeyaratnam - then all hell will surely break loose! And, talking of money, they should have used the money burnt up in fireworks and use it to postpone the price increases for taxis, bus and trains. The above and the heading was posted in soc.cul.spore by HelenaHong. This is why people said Singaporeans are too serious and cannot let their hair down. Why take this so seriously? A little spontaineity, a little waywardness, a little fun will make life less rigid and routine. Otherwise wanting to have fun or wanting to be hip must be ordered or be directed from top down. Let's don't mess up this young man's life by suggesting court martial. Let there be some free spirit among us. Let there be life and be more carefree. I think his proposal is very novel and a good touch to a happy occasion.

myth 51

'Police not doing anything to Law and Order problems' There are so many postings these few days complaining about the inaction or misclassification of cases involving people being beaten up on our streets and law and order problems. So far the police have been doing a fabulous job maintaining law and order and ensuring that our streets are crime free. And they are very busy, their hands are full investigating all kinds of complains from white elephants to unlawfully assembly. They also check on young children who are seen loitering the streets after 11 pm when they should be at home. What more can one ask from our men in blue? It is unfair to complain that our police are not treating public beating seriously. Just try beating someone up over a little traffic accident and see whether the police will act on it.

choose where to be beaten

when the lady complained about her doctor brother being beaten in a hawker centre, i thought it would not attract that much attention. but it seems that people are angry by the classification of the case. from past precedents, one should be street wised when threatened. quickly get into a car and create the impression that the beating is the result of a road rage. then the assailant could be jailed and cane. to be beaten anywhere else, for example in a hawker centre, well, it is a private matter and one will have to take up a civil suit. and that costs money. living in singapore it is important to know the intricacies of the law. in the doctor case, should complain that it was a case of unlawfull assembly or public demonstration. then it will be treated more seriously. and if you want to beat up somebody, make it one to one or not more than 3 to 1. and if the poor bugger cannot afford to sue you in court, then he just got a free beating from you.

myth 50

'Together, we must give every person a chance to reach his or her dream. We must ensure the opportunity is real, that the dream is neither deferred nor denied, that hope is not a privilege of the few - and that our global city carries voices of home and glimpses of heart.' by Clarence Ti Boon Wee, an EDB scholar. Is this a myth or an aspiration? I hope the 3 grand children of Mdm Tan Chin Neo will be given a chance to reach their dreams. I hope the children of the retired bus driver with a stroke and his Filipina wife will not have their dreams deferred nor denied, and that hope is not a privilege of the few.

the social slums amidst our affluence

Today we celebrate 41 years of success and great leap forwards. On the media, on air or on prints, it is very comforting to see all the smiling faces of people who are well fed, well schooled, well clothed, secured and living a life of plenty, and all happy and confident of the future. Last night at 9pm, there was a short docu drama of an obscure woman with a simple title, Life Story: Mdm Tan Chin Neo. I was just back and flipped on the tv button to catch the last glimpses when the story ended. An elder woman in Mdm Tan and three little grandchildren sharing some biscuits from a plastic bottle. The biscuits looked like Jacob's but definitely not. The last comment from Mdm Tan was a resigned. 'We just live from day to day.' They have lived without light in their lives. There is no electricity in their little flat. We are a nation with tremendous wealth. We build beautiful houses and infrastructure and landscapes to complement and match the grandeur of huge detached houses and fine architecture around the island. It just does not look good to have the ugly slums amidst all the beautiful homes. If there are, we will look no different from some less developed third world cities. A picture of contrast with little oasis of wealth and unkept, disorganised and broken down slums standing side by side. We have taken great care to present a wholesome picture of the physical structures around the island. Clean, organised, well kept and well planned and well maintained, green and full of flora. An admirable and envious garden city. We spent great amount of resources in developing our physical infrastructure but somehow neglected the social map of our society. Mdm Tan and people like her, are the slums among us. The slums that were kept away from view under a veil. Almost, if Mediacorp does not think it relevant on the eve of our National Day to show the other side of the 4 million smiles. Why would the govt spent so much on beautifying the island and clear away all the slums? Shouldn't the slums be left where they are, no upgrading? As a nation progress, it looks better that the whole package moves in tandem. It will be an awful sight dressed to the nines to dine in a surrounding of slums and broken down huts, and foul smelling air. If we can do that to the physical, I am wondering why we can do away the social slums at the same time. Or is it better to showcase them for a tug of the heartstring to raise funds? The govt has many roles and responsibilities to the people and nation. It is not their responsibility to make sure that everyone is taken care off with public fund. It would be better that they provide the environment and opportunity for everyone able to take care and prosper by their own effort. That they are doing quite well. But yes, the govt or the people(voluntarily) should take care of the stragglers who have been left behind. This is what a civil society is all about. Those who needed help should be helped when funds are available. It is different from a govt spending all its resources and funds to help and the people all be content to stretch out their hands to just to take. This responsibility of the govt is towards a small group of people that constitutes the slums in our affluent social map. We have eradicated our physical slums. And it is time that the social slums be dealt with and be removed from among us. Is it unbelieveable to know that $500 million given to Comcare, plus the millions from all the charities, are unable to work out a comprehensive strategy to reach out to all those who need help. It is evident that all the efforts were badly coordinated and many were done piecemeal and not a complete solution to the individual problems. It is a case of too many hands, too many funds and a big mess.

a compassionate society

ELECTRIC NEWS Woes of family of four Pack of instant noodles lasted them a day Dad is 68, disabled after a stroke & is now jobless Mum is 33, a cleaner earning $400 a month. They have 2 kids age 2 & 7 By Genevieve Jiang August 06, 2006 THEY are 35 years between this married couple. Retired bus driver Low Joo Siang, 68, is disabled and has little savings. Yet, his 33-year-old Filipino wife, Madam Gina Dulay, has stood by, cared for and supported him since he suffered a stroke six years ago. Her responsibilities are heavy. She is the family's sole breadwinner. She is also the sole caregiver to her husband and their two children, aged 7 and 2. Madam Dulay currently takes home about $400 a month as a part-time cleaner at Alexandra Hospital (AH). 'Mr Low suffered a stroke in Manila but came back for treatment so that he could use his medisave.' my summary to shorten the story. His $10,000 bill was paid through Medisave. Mr Low's savings were running dry. They survived on his monthly CPF payout of about $290 a month. Dayan, a Primary 1 student at Gan Eng Seng Primary has to pay a subsidised fee of $50 for a schoolcare programme. Childcare for Diana also costs a subsidised rate of $50 a month. The family's budget is tight, but volunteers from the Lions Befrienders visit the family every week to lend an ear and provide monthly food rations worth $75. Mr Low is among the 1,800 needy seniors served by the Befrienders islandwide. However, Mr Low doesn't qualify for financial help. A spokesman from the Central Community Development Council says it's because Mr Low's monthly CPF payout disqualifies him from any public assistance (PA). He gets $290 a month from the CPF. Also his wife is working and getting about $400 pm. The above is posted at YPAP by leoman, and I have shortened it and only provided the gist of the story. I believe the family needs serious help. But some may disagree. Some may say that it is not the govt's responsibility to help the people. Everyone must help themselves. I can empathise with them. God bless.

smart city needs smart cars

Singaporeans need to drive a specially designed smart car to get around. The car should ideally be fitted with a computer to tell the active time of ERPs, their locations and the fees charged. Driving around Singapore is getting more and more complicated with the introduction of so many ERPs and fuzzy logic that will activated the ERPs when there is congestion and charge variable fees depending on the seriousness and usage of the road. Smart city needs smart cars. And the computer must also have satellite technology and positioning system, with maps to show alternative roads to take to avoid jams and costly ERP fees. Navigating through Singapore road system is never the same again. Is it stressful trying to remember where are all the ERP gantries and how to avoid them?

we will have our warren buffetts. just wait.

The Today paper has an article talking about the lack of Warren Buffett charitable spirit in Singapore. It was reported that many still have not made enough and so are still busy making more monies. And when they are ready, they will become our own Warren Buffetts. We have to be realistic and compassionate when we compare these 'poor' people to Warren Buffett. That guy got something like a hundred billion US$ and adding on to it daily. It is unfair to expect our nouve riche to part with their hard earned money. It is so difficult to make them and it is only right that they hold on to them or for their families. But I am very sure they too will part with their billions, like Warren Buffett, when they found their hundred billions. Singaporeans are generally very generous. Look at the amount of people donating to NKF and other charitable organisations. Many heartlanders have very big hearts. And they will empty their pockets when they find people in need. But for Warren Buffetts, we will still have to wait. Maybe if they have accumulated about 10 ten million bucks bungalows and a couple of billions in their bank accounts, then they might start thinking about it. Just wait patiently. Singaporeans will give when they have. The more they have, the more they give. Or is it the other way?

cyberspace hitman

I read a posting in the YPAP forum that there are forumers and bloggers out there whose main interest in posting is character assasination. Many bloggers and forumers have fallen victims to such vile characters. I too have one who even impersonate me, using my nick to post in my blog. Fortunately he was discovered immediately and exposed. What is more disgusting is that these people could be on a payroll. They are the latest hitmen in cyberspace. They go around harassing, provoking and tearing other bloggers and forumers to pieces when they could. Or maybe it is just my imagination that organisations would actually pay such hitmen to disrupt a blog or forum. In the days of poverty striken China, banditry, pickpockets, cheats, swindlers, joining triads were good enough professions as they feed the hungry stomachs at home. Today, with affluence, when there are hardly any hungry stomach to feed, would people stoop to such unethical professions to make a living? You be the judge.

a sunday observation at a foodcourt

A Sunday observation at a foodcourt. Mr Rich was sitting alone in a table filled with food and food and food. And he was stuffing everything into his mouth in double quick time, oblivious to the fact that everyone was watching at his greed. His face was bulging with all the food, some dripping from the corners of his mouth. And his stomach was a swell 60 inch. Probably he weighed as least 150 kg. Around the table there were many hungry faces staring at the way he stretched out his two strong arms to grab at anything in sight. The lean and hungry faces were quite a pathetic sight. Wanted to ask for a little helping but afraid to do so. And they would not dare to just walk over and help themselves. Probably Mr Rich would be telling himself that these people deserved not to have the food on their tables as they were either lazy or not very smart. They should be like him, just grab at anything that he could reach without shame. And probably he would tell these useless people to tighten their belt and drink lesser water if they could not afford it. The foodcourt was doing great business and many people appear to be eating and oblivious to what was around them. Superficially everyone was having his fill, except that some have more of the share than others.

myth 49

'Complaining is bad' I was reading Kan Seng's speech on foreign talents and the need for them and the complaints that appeared everywhere. I don't think people disagree with the concept of having more foreign talents here. The complaints are more on certain specifics that people see as either overdone or overkilled or simply putting Singaporeans at a disadvantage. And in the same speech Kan Seng added, 'Worse, we should not become dissengaged armchair critics and simply complain when we do not like something.' Now compare this with people who are paid to complain, the professional critics who are not even affected nor dislike anything, but just their job to complain. Complain has a very important role in life and living. Our body complains when we are not feeling well. Our stomach complains when hungry. This is a natural mechanism that helps us to rectify any wrongs or problems. Just imagine we can't feel pain, hunger, thirst, we can be dead the next minute. Complaining has a vital role in society especially about things that affect the people and country. We as a first world country, should grow up from third world mentality and accept complain in the true spirit. I posted earlier about learning a thing from the World Bank/IMF inviting people to demonstrate against them. They want to hear the other side, an opposing view. This is maturity, a higher level of thinking. They know that they are not god and will not have the best solution for everything. Complains when taken positively, helps to smoothen the corners and rough edges of policies and decisions. In the absence of complains, we don't even know that we are suffocating the people. Another word for complain is feedback. Maybe we should use the word feedback instead of complain. What's the dif? Or maybe we should all shut up and believe that we are living in utopia, govern by gods and all things are fine.

telling half truths?

Now, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong wants Singaporeans to show their best side to the international financial community.

In June, he launched a `Four Million Smiles' campaign, urging Singaporeans to smile more during the IMF-World Bank meeting - though only a month later, a Friends of the Earth survey showed that Singaporeans ranked as the unhappiest people in Asia.

Since the start of the year, more than 10,000 taxi drivers have attended a three-hour training course on how to provide better service for passengers during the meetings.

An accompanying handbook instructs taxi drivers to keep their hair neat, avoid fidgeting, ensure they don't have body odour, and not clutter their taxi with too many accessories.

"They also told us not to talk about sensitive issues like criticising the government and racial issues," taxi driver Choy Kok Wai, 49, told Reuters.

The above is a report from AFP/REUTERS posted in littlespeck.com

Now, presenting a picture of 4 million smiles when we were found to be one of the unhappiest people in the world, show our best side, which means now showing our ugly side, taxi drivers used to criticise the govt but told not to, would my double here condemn these as telling half truths?

singapore 'appalled' by iranian leader's remarks

This is on the front page of the Straits Times today in response to his remark that Israel should be eliminated and removed from the Middle East. The Singapore statement added, 'Such irresponsible and provocative statements are obviously intended only to further inflame the conflict and not address either the immediate humanitarian needs or the longer term goal of a durable solution that will address the security concerns of all parties.' Israel has been our friend for a long time. We are grateful to the Israelis for helping us in times of need. But I am equally appalled by our statement which has the same effect as Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's comment, only sound and fury but not helpful to resolving the conflict and the humanitarian aid that is in need. Helping a friend, to be on the side of a friend is one thing, but our comments need to be measured and not be carried away. We are not the USA or the UK. We cannot afford to court trouble to ourselves unnessarily when other bigger allies of the Israelis are keeping quiet. And I do believe the Israelis will not demand that Singapore make such a statement and compromise ourself. That will be very irresponsible of the Israelis to ask for. We shall help our friend and reciprocate their assistance but we shall not get too drunk and get hit by a equally drunk and reckless driver.

myth 48

'Western democracy is good' Who says western democracy is good? Look at what is happening after the last GE? Sitoh is moving out and withdrawing his services to the people. The lamp posts that he put up for the benefit of the people are vandalised and no one is going to repair them. Chiam said it was not put up by him so not his business. Now if these lamp posts go into further disrepair and become an eye sore or public hazard, who is to be responsible? We cannot have this kind of democratic practices. We need a strong govt to 'just do it' and get it repair. To allow democratic processes to work will only lead to this kind of problem. Are Singaporeans mature enough to live under a democratic system where the people take responsibility and ownership of their environment?

unfinished business

If Chiam and Sitoh both abandon the lamp posts in Potong Pasir, they could quickly become a tourist attraction. STB should cordon them off and market them as our latest attraction on democracy Singapore style. The Malaysians also have something similar just across the causeway. The Unfinished Crooked Bridge. That was the first chunk of unfinished concrete mess, with rusty reinforced steel bars jutting into the sky that greeted me when I crossed over. They should quickly clear up the surrounding around the mess concrete chunk, put up some nice props around it and market it as, yes, The Unfinished Crooked Bridge! No fish prawn also good. No Crooked Bridge, unfinished Crooked Bridge also can. A new attraction, cheaper and more meaningful than any expensive DisneyLand that is at best a copy or an imitation. This is original and very fascinating. One of a kind in the world.

disqualification of justice woo bih li

There are many speculations as to the why's of Woo Bih Li disqualifying himself from the Chee siblings and Lee father and son case. We should not read too much into it. This is no more than a case of wanting justice to be done and to be seen to be done. He should make a good candidate for the next Chief Justice. A just, honorable and impartial man.

we will never have our own bill gates or warren buffett

Singtel still searching for CEO to replace Hsien Yang. Hsien Yang is a brilliant scholar, and a very able soldier. With these credentials, he went on to be the CEO of Singtel without any previous experience in the private sector or in the telecommunications industry. Singtel is now looking for a replacement with his resignation. There are two very experience and able CEOs in Chua Sock Koon and Allen Lew. Both have been in the industry and Singtel for many years. And both have proven their worth and risen to their present position. Though they are being considered for Hsien Yang's vacated position, the nuances are that they are not good enough. And Singtel is seriously looking for a foreign talent. Why are these two CEOs who have ample experience in Singtel and the industry not good enough? We will never have our own heroes and world beaters if we keep looking down on our own talents. World beaters need a chance. If we don't give our people the chance, we are doing injustice to our talents.

learning a little thing from the world bank

The World Bank wants the right to be criticised. What silliness! What an oddity of circumstance, for a powerful, respectable institution to lobby for permission to be granted to civil society organisations to have 'more opportunity to express their views', in a manner that will most certainly be non-complimentary to the World Bank. I copied the above from littlespeck.com. article was from blogger i-speak. When I heard that the World Bank was requesting the Singapore govt for permission to allow international demonstrators to demonstrate during the IMF meeting here next month, I found it rather strange. Why would the World Bank want to do that? It would only make life more difficult for them. Or is it a wayang that the World Bank is choreographing? It seems that the World Bank is serious in wanting to hear dissenting voices and views. The philosophy is simple. Criticisms and alternative views are healthy and provide another perspective which the World Bank can consider and may even help it to improve on what it is doing. It does not adopt the high and mighty 'I know it all attitude' and no one else is smarter than them and all dissenting views are unworthy or will undermine what they are doing. This is enlightenment of a very high level. And not only that the World Bank believes in it but also want to put it into practice. Other wise they will become a model of hypocrisy. Can Singapore learn a trick or two from the World Bank? Or we know it best. Nothing do learn anymore. We are the best.

is this the best formula?

There are many formulae to tax and pay for the runnng of a country. The current formula that is preferred is this. 1. Collect taxes 2. Use taxes to provide services 3. Sell services to taxpayers ie privatisation 4. Profits from privatisation for what? Benefit who? 5. Services continue to make profits from taxpayers (again profit to benefit who?) 6. Taxpayers continue to pay taxes 7. Huge surpluses 8. Lower income squeeze by profit motive of services 9. Help lower income with some handouts An alternative model 1. Collect taxes 2. Use taxes to provide services 3. Operate services to benefit taxpayers at minimum profit 4. Taxpayers continue to pay taxes 5. Lower surpluses 6. Lower income not squeeze by profit making services 7. No need to give handouts to lower income(in reality this is relative) Which is a better model? Is running at a profit more important than the general welfare and well being of the people?

my double in my blog!

yes, i have a double here, using my nick redbean and writing in the same style as me, even not using capital letters. i am very flattered by the imitation. he has done his homework well and his posts can easily be mistaken as mine. the only thing he could not do is to change the colour of his name into blue. also he does not have the underline beneath his nick. so it is quite easy to tell the difference until one day when he figures out a way to do it. then it will be difficult. i too can't tell the difference in the way he posts from mine. nice job redbean from the real redbean. you learn well.

huha over transport fare hike

Fare hikes of public transport The recent announcement of fare hikes is causing a lot of comments and dissentment among the commuters. But if one is to look at the rationale, ie the rise in oil prices, the 2c increase is nothing alarming. All the complaints and arguments against the fare price adjustment model and the way the transport operators are allowed to monopolise the system for profit have been thrown out over and over again. Nothing new and all very simple to understand why the system is not favouring the commuters but the operators. Then today Leong Sze Hian came out with the ridiculous suggestion that fare price should be pegged with quality of service, and fines and punishment to the operators for failing. All these are way off the target. In the first place the operators are expected and must ensure an acceptable standard and quality of service. Otherwise they have no right to exist. It is not just a commercial enterprise but an essential public service. Secondly, making them pay fines and raising their cost will only see these cost be passed to the commuters. That is for sure. This suggestion is a no brainer. The whole fault of the system is privatisation and running it as a profit centre. Its reason to exist and operate becomes one of profit and not a service to the people and nation. And giving them a monopoly status to run for profit is even more ridiculous. It is better that essential services should be returned to the govt and operate as a stats board. The argument that stats boards are inefficient is bull. If the stats board cannot run any organisation or operation efficiently, then the whole bunch should be fired. Hey, we pay them big money, remember? And operating essential services under a stats board does not mean that they cannot make profit. But profit should not be the main reason for its existence. Neither should the silly argument that under stats boards it will be run at a loss. Why are these stupid reasons be shafted to the people to believe in them?

what did andy ho said about bloggers and journalists?

Andy Ho's article in the Straits Times, 'Blogging's more than idle chatter' was not meant to be. According to Andy, Journalists tend to be professional and accurate and also analyse issues of public concern. Bloggers' main obligation is to be interesting. I may agree that Journalists tend to be accurate on selective news that they chose to print or not to print. Bloggers may or may not be accurate but also selectively chose to print or not to print. Hard to tell the difference actually. As for the second part on analysing issues, I think this has since been compromised as Journalists are now expected to be circumscribed on the issues they are championing. But as Andy went on, his views of Bloggers started to veer away. This is what he said. 'As a result, much of what bloggers offer is either misinformed, self indulgent opinion or thoughtful but unargued ones.' I think journalists too are often misinformed or intentionally misinformed, and definitely self indulgent and self opinionated. And as for being thoughtful and publishing a well argued case against an unargued one by the bloggers, I do not see how a case is well argued when it is a monologue whereby the journalist argued against himself with his own selective questions and answers. Other than simple factual reportings, I would submit that many professional pieces published by Journalists are also biased, opinionated pieces. And worst, many are so distorted that truth has taken on a different meaning.

time to spend your medisave!

Good time is here, no need for medical safety net! It was reported in the media with such jubilation that more people are opting for B1 and A class wards and private hospitals because they can use more of their medisave fund. So there is more money to spend on medicare. And with the economy growing, it is time for celebration, it is time to squander the medisave away. Throw prudence to the wind. The money in the medisave should be spent away merrily. It is time to encourage more consumption of the good life.

myth 47

'Singaporeans did not have enough savings for retirements' I can't believe that this is true. And it is true given the concern expressed by MPs. Look at this. [b]Helping Singaporeans save for retirement a concern for MPsBy May Wong, Channel NewsAsia Posted: 31 July 2006 1958 hrs SINGAPORE : Singaporeans' lack of savings for retirement is a key concern of some MPs; this is especially worrying as Singapore is facing an ageing population. By 2030, one in five Singaporeans will be aged 65 years and above, and being financially independent may be a problem if Singaporeans do not start saving for their old age now. [/b] How could Singaporeans be short of retirement fund when we were the second highest savers in Asia after Japan? How could that be when the Govt has stashed up $200 billion in reserves? How can that be when the Medisave Account requirement is $30k and will go on higher? How can this be when the minimum sum is $80k and will be more over the years? Where have all the money saved the Singaporeans gone to? I can think of two big holes. The depreciating assets in the homes they paid for and the money lost in the stock market. How much were lost? My ballpark figures are in the billions. Maybe more than $10 billions. But with $30k in medisave and $80k minimum in CPF savings, would not that make retired Singaporeans filthy rich? Why is $110k minimum of strong S$ be considered not enough? Not enough according to who? Many around the world would be thinking a a happy retirement with this kind of money in their savings. What is wrong with these numbers? What happens when all the money is not enough? Cost of living, the cost to keep one alive in Singapore is getting ridiculously high. A retired Singaporean must have at least $110k in their retirement fund and still considered short when all he needs is a roof over his head and his 3 meals. What are the basis of computation? Still want to travel around the world, live in 5 stars hospital, swinging with dance partners, enjoying fine dining? I would think many would be lying on their backs staring at the ceiling and with no appetite to eat. Can't see much or hear much. Should keeping an ageing person alive cost so much?

job enough but money still not enough

Today we hear another impressive figure on job creation. 81,500 jobs created. And the unemployment rate of 3.8 per cent is nothing to worry about. We are near full employment. But why are the lower segment of the population still feeling so dissatisfied and unhappy? Obviously employment is not the only thing to look at. It is the overall impoverishment of the people. Asset value dwindling, some still holding onto negative assets, and the depreciating value of the money vis a vis what it can buy, domestically. We are poorer for the same income when everything is going up. And that is a fact for those with household income of less than $3,000. $2,000 is a drudgery, bearly enough. There is a need to contain the runaway inflation and cost of living to make life easier for the lower income group. To them it is still money not enough. Not that they have no money.

what an amazing discovery!!!

I have not been to the YPAP forum for quite a while when things there got too dull and full of spamming. Just a while ago I tried to drop in to see if there is any improvement. And I was greeted with a Critical Information window. And yes, it states that I have been banned from YPAP forum. Amazing. I thought I was the most decent forumer there, talking sensibly though at times a bit cynical. And I got banned. I must say that YPAP must have pretty high quality of postings there. I better stay in my own blog/forum and post my own stuff.

Emperor Mahathir speaks

The Emperor speaks. Dr Mahathir Mohamad has met Malacca Chief Minister Khalil Yaakob, who is playing the role of a mediator following his strained relationship with the present leadership of the country. Confirming this, Dr Mahathir said: "When Khalil met me before I left for my holidays recently, I told him what needed to be done. "I told him the solution is very simple, just don't bow to Singapore's demands, don't undermine Proton and don't sell Agusta."... Meanwhile, Malaysia Today, an online magazine reported that that the key issues in Dr. Mahathir's speech in Kota Baru yesterday included the following: · Kalimullah Hassan, PM Abdullah's aide and former editor of the New Straits Times, is "a Singapore agent" without clarification. · Khairy Jamaluddin, the PM's influential son-in-law, became a millionaire in three years. "If want government contract, go see Khairy." The above were extracted from littlespeck.com. After handpicking his successor and bypassing his first choice in Najib, Mahathir now declared that he no longer supports Abdullah Badawi, implying that this is his edict and Badawi must go. He has decided. Then he went on to tell the people that he would not make a comeback as if he will be returned to power if he wanted to. He is the Emperor afterall and he is the one to decide whether he wants to be the Emperor again.

let the butchering continues, the american way

After watching the news and seeing all the pictures of devastation and the number of people displaced, wounded or killed, I find hope. There is hope for an everlasting peace in the Middle East. The Israelis must keep on pounding Lebanon until no one and no building is standing. That is the only way the Israeli know how to solve their problem. And they are very good and efficient in the way they carry it out. Give it another six months and there will be no Lebanon. And if the problem goes over to Syria, do it the same way, methodically. And the civilised world should come together and fight with the Israelis. Then the problem will be solved even faster. The final solution, the mother of all solution, is to wipe out all the Arabs in the Middle East. Then we will have eternal peace. God bless the chosen people.

a trip in contrast. continue

A trip in contrast. continue We hit the North South Highway in double quick time as the traffic was easy and flowing. Gone were the mad rush to the golf courses. Life seemed to have returned to the normal leisure pace. We did not encounter any traffic police road blocks to check our passports or motorists being caught for speeding. Maybe the number of Singaporeans coming over now did not justify the deployment of a police unit of cars, equipment and precious police manpower. No speed trap along the highway too. After exiting Ayer Hitam we headed west to Batu Pahat. We intended to go for Bukit Benang Golf Course but changed our mind and went to the old Batu Pahat Golf Course instead to enjoy the warmth of local hospitality. The road had widened into a 4 lane highway and made driving so easy. We were greeted with a sign board saying Cross Creek outside the club house. Hmmm, very American. A little sign of change. Other than that, the Club was as beautiful as it was, very well maintained, despite a cowgrass course. Plenty of flowers and colours. We had our tussles and arguments and all the digs at each other during the 18 holes. And in between the monkeys were screaming away. Then the 3 wild boars that dashed across the fairway while we were teeing off. Quite a refreshing experience for city folks. We drove out for lunch after 9 holes. The kopitiam was a 2 min drive. We had two big plates of loh may or mixed cuts, chicken, roast ducks, roast pork. Actually we double the order after the first one. Then laksa, wanton noodle, drinks plus 4 large bottles of Calsberg etc. $50 ringgits for the whole works for 4. A big plate of wanton noodle and a big bowl of wanton soup at $2.50 rm each. Dinner was more sumptuous. We went for the famous chicken rice by the sea, otah, chicken wings, carrot cake, clams, big prawns, vegetable, carlsberg, fruits, etc. This was followed by a round of Batu Pahat durians. RM$5 a kg of quality durians with rambutans thrown in by the seller for free as dessert. The whole trip, including caddie fees and tips, cost $110 ringgits. Now how much is that, less than S$50 for a day of golfing and pigging out. How far can S$200 stretch for 4 adults at home? The biggest surprise awaited us on the home leg. We took the side entrance for goods vehicles and were met with an eiree silence. Where were the thousands of Singapore cars and the long queues? We were the third car at the immigration. And only two counters were open. And on the Singapore side, we were the first car! And this was peak hour, 8pm on a saturday night. The best experience of the whole trip was of course the casual and friendly people we met around Batu Pahat and Cross Creek. It was so pleasant that made us want to return again. A little trip to memory lane.

A trip in contrast

A not too contrasting lifestyle but a widening cost of living. I have not been to Malaysia for quite a number of years. For old time sake one of my kakis decided that we should walk down memory lane again. We used to do that when golfing craze was at its height, when golfing in Singapore would cost a hand or a leg, when making money was also easy and spending money in our neighbouring country seemed so fun. We arrived at the causeway at 7.30am. Again we were slammed by the jams on our side of the causeway. When jams occurred on our side, they were the result of more intensive and thorough checks, nothing to do with being slakay or go slow attitude. Definitely not being understaffed or trying to make life easy to the motorists. So we grudgingly nailcrawled all the way to the immigration. Phew, by the time we got through, 45 min were gone. What a waste! The same number of vehicles were also expected to hit the Malaysian side and we should face a worst jam knowing their slakay tiadak apa attitude, go slow to irritate Singaporeans, and scolding Singaporeans for trying to rush through or appearing impatient. Well, where was the jam? We were in a queue of about 10 cars and were through in less 10 minutes. Now what is wrong? So we consoled ourselves that they simply let everyone through without checking. That made us feel better. But actually, there was no difference and all the procedures were followed. Across the causeway the first thing that greeted us was Mahathir. He was standing right across the road once we left the immigration. Huge masses of unfinished concrete with reinforced steel bars jutting into midair. And all the makeshift dividers, were all in a mess. The signs of the crooked bridge halted and abandoned halfway. Now I know why Mahathir was angry.( to be cont)

Prudence - the freedom to spend and to save

“The ordinary people must be able to enjoy and afford these six items at a reasonable price and only then will there be a meaning to us striving to achieve developed nation status,” Lee Hsien Loong said in launching the National Consumer Day celebrations at Bukit Batok here yesterday. “Such a status is not only meant for those who have the means. A developed nation must be for all.” The Prime Minister in emphasising his assurances made these comments on the six item: FOOD and clothes: “There should be adequate supply of food and clothes which are reasonably priced.” Homes: “House prices cannot be too expensive as everyone should be given the opportunity to own affordable homes or rent them at affordable cost.” Cars: “Consumers should also be able to buy cars at reasonably low prices because it had become a necessity for most people today. “Otherwise, public transportation services should be of high quality and the cost should remain low.” Education: “It should be affordable so that it will not prevent the poor from improving their lot.” Medical treatment: “There must be cheap and quality drugs and not expired ones. The cost of treatment must also be affordable.” Communication services (including Internet connection): “Every Sinkaporean must be able to enjoy such modern services,” he said. However, the Prime Minister reminded the people that they have to be smart consumers and be prudent with their spending. He said, as consumers, they should look out for good bargains when sourcing these six essential items. “We, on our part, will constantly monitor the inflation situation, but consumers should know their role as consumers to help ensure it is under control,” he said. The above was quoted from Sammyboy. I only take issues with two points, prudent and affordable. How can people be prudent and spent only on the amount they want to spend when they are expected to spend according to their income level in medical care and buying HDB flats? The other issue is affordability. Affordable according to who or what standard? A person earning $5k or $10k will find many things affordable as compare to one who is earning $2k. And one who earns a million a year will find everything is affordable. Shall HDB do away with income ceiling and let the people choose whichever flat they are comfortable with and not be coerced, by their income, to purchase bigger flats? After all the subsidy is market subsidy and not a subsidy on the cost of building the flats. In reality the subsidy is to reduce the profit that HDB could have made. The people must have the freedom of choice to spend only the amount they want to spend.

Middle East - The tide is changing!

I am just observing the wars in the Middle East, a contest of the West versus the Arabs/Muslims. It has been a case of modernity kicking the arses of medieval tribes for a few centuries. One side advancing and conquering the world with science and technology and another side allowing science and technology to pass them by. And in warfare, it is always one side beating the other. One side seems so formidable, and superior, and another so backward, primitive in a sense and helpless, poorly armed. And the weaker side is always on the losing end, being beaten by superior force and technology. Then came the American invasion of Iraq. It was so easy and the Iraqis scattered and ran. But that proved to be only for a moment. They have regrouped and starting to give hell to the invaders. The Americans are bogged down in a war they cannot win, like in Vietnam. That frightens the shit out of the the planners and decision makers in the White House and Pentagon. Superior force and superior men are losing grounds to the most fearful military strategy that have seen them lost in Vietnam. Guerilla warfare, asymetrical warfare, where superior arms and forces were helpless in a battlefield that is not defined and no enemies on the cross hairs. The Iraqis have stood the ground and are no cowards at they were thought to be. They are hitting back and American casualties are mounting. Yesterday, 9 Israeli soldiers were killed and 27 wounded in battle against the Hezbollahs. What, Israeli soldiers killed in battle! Never have such things or such numbers been counted on the Israeli side. How could the mighty and efficient and well trained Israeli soldiers got killed by the poorly equipped Hezbollahs? This success of the Hezbollahs, and their ability to launch rockets and missiles into Israeli territories are going to change the perception of the Arabs on the invincibility of the Israelis. The Israelis can be beaten. The young Israeli soldiers are just as green and lost as the young Americans sent into Vietnam. And they can be taken down just the same. This kind of thoughts is going to give the Arab resistance fighters a lot more confidence in themselves. Given more organisation and better weapons and the will to fight, they are taking out the Israelis. The myth that Israeli soldiers are too superior to the Arabs is crumbling down. There will be more Israeli casualties and more Israeli mothers will be crying. The tide is starting the change. The beaten are beating back.

time to build bridges - parameswaran

"Singapore should consider a gesture to move relations with Malaysia forward. After all, we are its most immediate neighbour. .. "Similarly, now would be a good time to turn to Malaysia and offer a gesture of goodwill," he told a meeting of the Rotary Club of Johor Baru on Tuesday. The above were spoken by the Malaysian High Commisioner to Singapore, Parameswaran and reported in the New Straits Times. Agree that both sides should build more bridges as we are going to be neighbours for a long long time. Better to be friends than enemies. But with a big battle looming in Malaysia now, it is better for Singapore to stay clear and wait for the storm to pass or we might get very wet when we are engulfed by it. Wait for clear skies when things are clearer before treading in the water.

UN and Middle East

Below are two posts I lifted from redbeanforum on middle east. Posted: Thu Jul 27, 2006 9:00 pm Post subject: If you agree, then the UN is a farce? It costs billions of dollars to run, it is corrupt, it is ineffective, it is biased, What is it for but to give a platform for people to practice the oratory skills? Won't the money spent on running the UN be more effective in providing medical care to the poor, raise their standard of living a fraction, and let the Big boys brain one another senseless, because that is what they are going to do anyway? The UN is one huge White Elephant! Post by elle in redbeanforum. Posted: Fri Jul 28, 2006 8:18 am Post subject: Hahaha elle, Nice thought. That's why they should put Chok Tong there as the next UN Sec Gen. He would clean up the place and introduce Singapore's work culture, ethics and incorruptibility in the UN. Not only that, the UN will also become a profit centre and making money from all its operations and aid programme. Nothing is for free. It is biased alright. Everyone is looking after their own interests. The US just blocked a motion for an immediate ceasefire in Lebanon and Israel has pledged that it would intensify its pounding of Lebanon. What Israel and the US should do is to get a coalition of 20 or 30 countries and wipe out whatever they want to wipe out in Lebanon and put in half a million troops there, just like Iraq. There then will be some kind of security there and Israel will no longer come under attacks from Hezbollah. And the Al Qaeda can activate all their cells around the world and start to hit at Israeli and American targets. That would be interesting. And since both sides are so keen to outdo each other, let them have a free hand to go all out to achieve their objectives. It will come to an end faster than if there are so many restraints facing them now.

2 room flats - when reality sets in

"This is part and parcel of what we've been doing, to expand the range of options for Singaporeans from all walks of life to enjoy the privileges and pleasures of living in a HDB environment, to own their homes and have a stake in Singapore." Mah Bow Tan Singaporeans from all walks of life, from the very rich to the very poor, will now have the opportunity to enjoy the privileges and pleasures of living in a HDB environment. So I would presume that there is no family income to exclude those with higher incomes to buy 2 room flats. Otherwise how could the rich Singaporeans qualify to buy 2 room HDB flats? And I didn't know that it is so pleasurable to living in a HDB environment. And it is also a privilege! Singaporeans are so lucky. They better quickly sell off their private and landed properties to enjoy such pleasures which they have missed. And these 2 room flats are made affordable for Singaporean, meaning that many cannot afford them if there is no subsidies. What is the reality of all these? Are the bottoms falling off and Singaporeans no longer able to afford 3 rooms or bigger HDB flats? OK let me qualify this statement before it becomes brown soup. When talking about HDB flats, I am referring to the heartlanders/hardlanders. Not the successful and super rich in their private and landed properties. So are the heartlanders now becoming hardlanders? Are their lives improving, are they better off today than yesterday? Is downgrading into 2 room flats a lifestyle choice, a privilege for people to enjoy the pleasures of HDB living. What is real? When the stake of a Singaporean is a 2 room flat, is there really anything worth defending or fighting for?

use a bully to fight a bully

Irfan Husain, a columnist for Dawn, an English language newspaper in Pakistan, has an article published in the Today paper titled, 'Insecurities of the Local Bully.' The gist of his article is about a big bully, Israel, bullying its weak and helpless Arab neighbours. It is such an irony that this big bully was once weak and helpless under the Nazis in Europe. They were meekly marched into concentration camps and gas to death without much resistance. The Arabs actually show more resistance to this bully than when the bully was bullied by the Nazis. It is all a game of power. In the face of a stronger bully, the weak will surrender meekly. The nemesis of the Israelis must be the Nazis. Maybe the Arabs should work closely with the Nazis, get their help, to fight the Israelis. The Nazis sure know how to frighten and intimidate the Jews. And when come face to face with the Nazis, the Jews will have no answer. You need a bully to handle a bully.

time to learn from malaysia

Who says Malaysia has nothing to teach us? Slowly but surely we are starting to copy the good ideas coming from across the causeway. The first hint of such a mental shift is to build the underground road network in the city and allow the developers to collect tolls. Collecting tolls is the masterpiece of Malaysian infrastructure development. It is their trademark. Now we are going to fly our national flags in taxis, buses and private cars. The Malaysians have been doing this for donkey years. Now Singapore is catching up with the idea. What else that we can learn from our neighbours? Would we be considering building a half bridge too? Good for toll business. Or are we going for more Guinness Book of Records? The Malaysians have beaten us to that in the number of records they have created, the largest national flag, the largest ketupat, the biggest kettle, the largest drum orchestra, etc. We can have the longest queue in Orchard Road, the longest popiah, the longest sarong....the most artificially created icons, the merlions...

myth 46

'Know who is more important than know how' In a society that prides itself as prim and proper, without any cronyism, and the best man wins based on his own merit, it is quite surprising to here such a myth being spread in the kopitiams. Often you can hear people whispering that the guy who is rising rapidly in the corporate ladder has very little know how but plenty of know who. Isn't this familiar? Of course this is a myth. Everyone attains their position of authority and power definitely not just because of know who. Knowing who is important, but not that important. Being the who's who is the thing. When one is the who's who, there is no need for knowing who. But this is not something that is peculiar to any country. It is common to all countries and all cultures. Being a son in law is good enough to aspire to be the youngest CEO or the next Prime Minister. Being the son, like Richard Li, will be given billions of dollars to play monopoly. Real stuff! So, what's so great about know who? The next time when someone whispers about knowing who, point to the who's who.

MPS - meet and punch session!

This taxi driver is just too much. How could he turn a Meet the People Session into a Meet and Punch Session. No matter what, should charge him for assaulting a public servant. It is not joke being a MP and be beaten up by a resident. I hope the MP is covered by some insurance for such occupational risks.

74 and still desperate to work!

Why would a 74 year old grand dad got so desperate as to punch a member of parliament all for a taxi licence? Shouldn't he be happily retired, living in retirement resorts or marking time in HDB void decks? Didn't he have enough CPF savings to keep him going? The CPF minimum sum scheme should have been introduced earlier and Singaporeans need not be so desperate when they are old. A normal Singaporean should expect to work for about 30 years to earn enough to feed him for another 30 years. And in the mean time he has to pay for his flat and to bring up a family. Simply put, he has 4 things to work and budget for. Flat, family, his own upkeep for 30 + 30 years. Plus one more, inflation. Singaporeans are rich.

myth 44

''If we fail to do so, leadership renewal will falter, the PAP will inevitably decline and Singapore will suffer.' by Lee Hsien Loong I can agree with Hsien Loong, in fact fully agree with him, that if there is no leadership renewal, PAP will and must decline. That is a truism. As for the second part that Singapore will suffer, that is very subjective and is based on the assumption that Singapore's well being is linked to PAP. Without the PAP, even in the future, Singapore will suffer. This is as good as a belief. Without the PAP in the future, why can't there be a better and more professional and dedicated group of people coming forward to serve? And why is it that only the PAP can attract good people and other parties can't? What will happen tomorrow is anybody's guess. Who knows, Singapore might need to be saved by a new party if PAP falls into the wrong hands. Linking Singapore's well being with the PAP is thus a very subjective claim.

myth 45

'There is no press freedom' After the recent brown commotion, more people are saying 'See, See, didn't I tell you! Where got press freedom?' Everyone seems to have found the same conclusion. And maybe that could be the reason why so many bloggers and forumers also quit cyberspace. But I choose to defer. How could there by no press freedom? Remember how freely the local press wrote about the general elections and praising all the candidates? Remember they had a field day writing voluminous reports about the general election practically everyday? Wasn't that press freedom? A better proof is that all our professional journalists have not complained about no press freedom here. So what more proof does one need to say that there is press freedom and our journalists are all very content with the state of affair. What Bhavani's edict actually forbid are very reasonable. No partisan politics, no undermining national policies and no championing of issues. Anything else ok. See, what more can one ask for? There are a lot of press freedom as long as one does not violate Bhavani's edict. And cyberspace and blogs, completely free to write whatever you want. Complaining that there is no press freedom is thus a myth.

singtel may be looking for foreign ceos

In the paper's headline today, Singtel may seek foreign CEO. This is probably the wisest and most sensible thing to do since there is no local talents left after Hsien Yang vacated his seat. He was there for 12 years and was too busy expanding the business that no one was groomed to succeed him. Don't they have any good local talents left? I did asked earlier about Ngiam Tong Dow's criticism of getting foreign CEOs to run local companies. I think he was joking. We truly, really, don't have that kind of talents that can earn US$200 mil a year. See, talent is measured by how much one can command. We have seen so much praise to a local talent who earned peanuts. The second notch international talent should be asking for US$50 to 60 million. Third notch maybe US$30 mil, and 4th to 5th notch maybe asking fot US$10 mil. These are still far more talented than all our local CEOs who are talented only up to US$3-5 mil. So maybe we get a 6th to 7th notch foreign CEOs should do the trick. It is actually quite disappointing that after so many years we still don't have top notch CEOs. Not even in the top 5 levels. It is high time we employed someone who is really top notch and pay him US$200 million. Then we can showcase to the world that we have world best top notch CEOs. For the time being we shall be content with our 10th notch local CEOs and quickly replaced them when some foreign 6th or 7th notch CEOs are available. But better check which universities they graduated from, if they did graduated as claimed.

is it embarrassing to be a local journalist?

Mr Wang Bakes Good Karma spoke about the declining and limited role of local journalists in the main stream media. What he said actually made a lot of sense. Not only has the credibility of the local journalists is being badly bruised, they should be now quite clear what they can write about and what they cannot. And the good thing is that the bloggers and internet forums are given a freer hand, which means that people who wants an alternative view must get them from the internet. The mainstream media is just there to present a specific news angle. Would this lead to more interests in internet news and internet be seen as a threat to the official views in the mainstream media? And, would the local journalists speak out to redefine their role or are they going to swallow everything and surrender their sacred role and duty as journalists? How would our journalists face up to their international counterparts when confronted with questions regarding their professional duties as journalists? Maybe all these are good for a young country like ours. We don't need the flair and inquisitiveness of journalists running around and telling different things to the people. We cannot afford to have different viewpoints that may undermine the efforts in nation building.

myth 43

'Renewal of leadership will save the party and country' There is no doubt that renewal of party leaders is important to keep the party fresh and highly motivated and not be stuck with a stagnant system of ideas and people. But this is only a small piece of a whole tapestry. Sorry many are just tapestry weavers. There are many other aspects which have to be addressed other than just head counts. The goals, the direction and priorities to reorganise and restructure society and people as a nation are equally important. We have done very well as a nation for many years. But strains and cracks are appearing but either ignored or viewed as not important or irrelevant, or even as a part and parcel of progress. A little reflection on what life was before and now, how a single income family could live life quite comfortably, how a university degree was a passport to a comfortable lifestyle, how four figure monthly income was considered quite wealthy. The time when a decent semi D cost an equivalent of 3 or 4 years annual income, a car could be had at the price of half a years income of a fresh graduate. What is happening to our wealthy society when more people are feeling stressed and unhappy, got lost in the rat race, and a two income family can only just get by, a single income family is never enough? Are the masses of today really better off than the masses of yesteryears?

after singel, what's next?

This must be the most frequent asked question among Singaporeans since the announcement on Friday. After Singtel, where else? It has to be something better and bigger. Are there are not many companies that are bigger and better than Singtel? SIA, DBS? Not many to choose from actually. Or what about Temasek? Does Temasek's recent performance demands for a change of leadership? Or maybe Hsien Yang has a different call, maybe he has seen enough of the corporate world and wanted to live life and see the world in peace and quite, or to serve God. Not a possibility to rule out. The third option is politics. The reluctant brother who is thrown into the arena when saying no is not an option. We have seen how Rajiv Ghandhi was made to accept his political assignment when Sanjay was cut down. Would Hsien Yang be made to step into his brother's shoe because he has no other choice? Would we be hit by a second and bigger surprise of Hsien Loong calling it a day from politics? You never know would you?

the people is not your enemy

Tan Soo Khoon is in the best position to offer a balanced advice to his new and old comrades. Be humble, respect people who disagree and not to question their motives and live a normal life. Being out of the system, no longer entrenched in it and with the vested interest of preserving and protecting the system and policies, it is easier for Soo Khoon to look at the whole picture as a bystander. It is always clearer from that angle. Be humble may be asking too much when one is already told that he/she is the best, the cream of society. It is ok to have that wow feeling, just don't get too swell headed. It is difficult to be surrounded by power and wealth and to live like an ordinary man who has nothing. Good, live it up, but stay rooted to the ground. Accepting different views and knowing that there will always be people who disagree with you is a sign of wisdom and humility. Unless one still believes in being god, supreme wisdom, and unquestionable. As for motives, there are those who have real bad motives. There is no doubt about that. But not everyone harbours evil thought. If that be the case, all those gossipers in the kopitiams should be put away. And there are thousands of them, and the taxi drivers or officer workers. Everyone has something to say, good or bad. Only when it arrives at your ear or not. Or is it preferable to pretend that there is no disagreement by shutting one's ears or cutting off people who say something unacceptable? Living a normal life, continue to drink coffee in the kopitiam may have to go. Not realistic because of time pressure, the activies and the bulging pocket. But there will be opportunities to sit in the kopitiam with the grassroots. Plenty of opportunities to do so. But do not pretend that the kopitiam is still the natural habitat. What is most important is not to see the people as your enemy. The communists like to swim as fishes among the sea of people. The people is there to provide the props and support to raise a leader higher. Cutting off the people with the slightest annoyance will eventually destroy the connection between people and leaders. A few more cases of brown soup will definitely draw a clear line between the ruler and the ruled and the widening of the divide.

If Chok Tong is UN Sec Gen...

If Chok Tong is to be the UN chief, he will carry the trademark of incorruptibility with him for sure. And he will make the whole UN incorruptible too when he introduces the same high pay policy there. This is such a wonderful dream, when a Singaporean takes over the UN and transforms it into an exciting model of good corporate governance. I can also see a lot of our supertalents joining him to rebuild the world organisation. We hve experts in every fields. First on the list will be building Singapore style HDB flats for the world. World class hospitals, schools, and better still if he can get the UN to relocate to Singapore. The whole UN building can be sold en bloc and make a huge profit as the property cost here is definitely cheaper than New York. Wow, straightaway the UN is flushed with cash, probably can stash away as a 20 year reserve. Now, would that not be a great achievement for Singapore? And he can tap on the resources of LKY still. I am so excited over such a possibility. And Chok Tong can carve up a vision for the UN, Staying Together, Moving Forward. For this motto, just pay a small royalty will do. No need to engage a PR agency and pay a few millions for it.

Who is at war with the Arabs or attacking Lebanon?

US in no hurry to seek Mid East ceasefire. This is the heading of Jonathan Eyal's article in the Straits Times. Isn't the Israelis' who are fighting the Lebanon? The Israeli soldiers are attacking, and are preparing to move into Lebanon. But in reality, it is a proxy war of the US. Despite many calls from world leaders, including Kofi Annan, there was a stony silence and America just stand aside as if it is none of its business. But this is what Jonathan wrote,... "The reality, as every diplomat in New York knows, is that the US is quite content to allow Israel another week or so to crush Hizbollah. The Americans' ultimate aim is to humiliate Syria and Iran, the countries it regards as Hizbollah's paymasters.... But the US is keen to avoid any spillover into a direct confrontation with Syria. The Syrians are merely to be kept in check and, if possible, lured away from their alliance with Iran." There is no doubt as to who is the master of this show of force. And if the US continues to stamp its authority over the Arabs, the backlash will come. And it is gathering momentum across the world. Do not be surprised when US embassies will be hit and Americans become targets of attacks by the pro Arab groups.

the news that's worth 4 million smiles

The Australian Support grows for Goh in UN race David Nason, New York correspondent July 20, 2006 MOVES to have former Singaporean prime minister Goh Chok Tong succeed Kofi Annan as UN secretary-general are gathering momentum in New York as the Security Council prepares to hold an informal "straw poll" for the candidates later this week. This is a great piece of news for everyone and a very strategic move that even Chok Tong will be smiling. And if he does get the job to replace Kofi Annan, there will be the 4 million smiles all round. Technically he is the most qualified and suitable candidate and will have the support of most of the big powers like the US, UK, China and Russia. Once his name is up, it is impossible to beat him. And all the diplomats in the UN would have to look up to Chok Tong, and thus Singapore. Another first for Singapore. We are indeed a very blessed country.

Anglo Saxon worldview is not forever

Wong Hoong Hooi wrote in the Today paper, "There is little point pleading for what is fair in a world order that is all about preserving the hegemony of the Anglo Saxon bloc....The 'free world' is free only for the Anglo Saxon bloc to decide what other people may or may not do. If we are to change this world order, we must refuse acceptance of its premanence to which the Westernised are all too happy to subscribe." For the moment the world has got used to the Anglo Saxon dominance that, short of an alternative, it is better to live with a known devil. And the Muslim world is not going to be a pleasant alternative given the extremism in the way life is being ordered under a strict religious and medieval order. Communism has failed to deliver and a dead option. But does it mean that there is no better option and the world would have to live forever under this arrangement? If that's all there is, I too will accept the present order. On the other hand there must be a new and better balance of power that is not dominated by the Anglo Saxon race and values. And it need not be a complete change from the existing order but a gradual shift in the power equation to weaken the Anglo Saxon hegemony. And given the gross inequalities and discrimination against other racial or religious groups, the present order will only destroy itself to give way to a fairer order. The Anglo Saxon dominance of the world will not last forever.

lets teach people how to be happy

Happiness seems to be the new topic of discussion. Anyway it is a safer topic than politics per se. You just won't know when Bak Kwa will become more Kwa than Bak and starts to exert itself as the Kwa. A letter from a Jolene Tan in the Today paper said, 'As a general rule, govts that do not randomly detain, execute or oppress their people are likely to be governing happier citizens.' Well, in all counts, detain, execute or oppress, our govt is free from them. Unless you disagree and insist that this is a statement of myth. So, why are our people unhappy? Jolene added, 'Perhaps if we had less meddling in private affairs and more space for people to live as they see fit, rather than trying to find a neat formula for every person, we would have more of that elusive happiness.' Are we meddling with the people's life? Too much meddling? Is the jacking up of basic cost of living meddling with the people's life? How to explain that with such a strong Singapore currency, earning S$2000 a month is not enough and need to beg for assistance? If with this level of income it is difficult to live, to make ends meet, all those in this category or earning less are already in the unhappiness group. But there are those who can live happily by pretending that life is not all about money. So when they eat potatoes, they will call it fish. And when they eat sweet potatoes, they will imagine that it is beef. So they can live a life of plenty with fish and beef in their menu everyday, and be very happy. It thus takes a little creativity to be happy. Tell yourself that people earning a million bucks are very unhappy. And a simple life and living on fresh air and water is a healthier life, with little of the rich man's sickness. I think we should have a campaign teaching people who are earning less than $2000 how to be happy and telling them how bless they are.

uniquely singapore not enough

What happens when Uniquely Singapore does not work? I am only presuming. Maybe it does worked. Maybe it works but not enough. Maybe it has passed its time and a new catch phrase is needed. Now Singapore is Beyond Words. I am not sure how much it cost Uniquely Singapore and whether it gets what it was worth. And I am not sure how much it costs to develop Beyond Words. I hope it will be effective and productive and the cost is not beyond words. When Uniquely Singapore goes Beyond Words. What's next? Speechless

i am bak kwa!

Bak Chor Mee may try to be humourous. Bak Kut Teh may think he is so popular that he does not need the business of Donald Tsang. But didn't they know that Bak Kwa is looking and is getting annoyed by their antics. Bak Kwa always win. Now what did Bak Kwa said to Bak Chor Mee? You may have your CCTV, but I can edit and erase and censor it whenever I like. And I can snip you to oblivion. And to Bak Kut Teh, Bak Kwa said he is sending him for more training. Or else no licence renewal. And if he refuses to go for training, more inspection, to check for cockroaches and rats. Both Bak Chor Mee and Bak Kut Teh may be popular, celebrities! But remember, my name is Bak Kwa.

A dose of reality.

Two articles in the Today paper today on the Israel bombarbment of Lebanon, and both vindicates the right of might. Military power is the rule of the game. The first report spoke about Lebanon pleading for mercy and the world leaders refused to step in to stop the carnage, and 'the New York Times revealed yesterday that this inaction was part of a deliberate strategy that the US and Israel have adopted. The two have concluded that the Lebanese authorities and army are powerless to control Hezbollah...' It was actually a collusion between the US and Israel against Lebanon and the Arab world, and the world cannot do anything about it. Power talks. The other article by an Arabic scholar, Ahmad Samih Khalidi, further revealed how pathetic the Arabs were, attempting to reason with the world and hoping that the world will see the views of the Arabs. It smacks of the infamous Ah Q mentality. It tried to explain that Israel felt the pain when it lost a couple of soldiers or a tank and fear that the Hezbollah and the Hamas are catching up. Which of course is bull. The Israeli and American strategy is simply to destroy whatever the Arab resistance are building every few years, to cripple them whenever they are starting to organise and take form. They will not allow any of these resistance group to be able to pose a threat. And this attack will be repeated every now and then, in Lebanon, Syria or other Arab states. Unless the selfish and helpless Arabs can get their acts together, form a united front backup by real military might, they can go on appealing and crying for help. And the rest of the muslim countries the world over can go to the streets of their home cities and throw stones at the embassies. So what, it will do no good to the plight of the Arabs in the Middle east. No one can help the Arabs unless they are prepared to stand up and help themselves. Too much of Allah is a waste of time. The gun is more powerful than Allah. The gun is real. Get real Arabs.

bak chor mee versus bak kut teh episode

First we have Bak Chor Mee stirring up a little crisis and turning into bad tasting brown soup. Now we have Bak Kut Teh being arrogant to a foreign dignitary. Looks like too much of either can make the head go spinning. Can't think clearly and bringing misfortune to oneself. How would this Bak Kut Teh episode affect his business and the reputation of Singapore as a food paradise? This Bak Kut Teh guy needs to get some training on marketing and certification as a Bak Kut Teh chef. It is not only whipping up a good bowl of Bak Kut Teh that counts. He must know the quality of the meat, the temperature, ingredients, how to wash bowls and also how to make his customers happy and keep coming back. What he has done is to chase away his most important customer who could have given him another boost as the most famous Bak Kut Teh in Singapore. Now his Bak Kut Teh shop is the most infamous. And the negative feedback may chase away all his foreign dignitaries for good. More training in marketing is needed. Send him for upgrading course.

is ngiam tong dow joking?

Ngaim Tong Dow commented that it is not right for Singapore and Singaporean companies to hire foreign talents to be CEOs. Any position but CEOs. CFOs. COOs, or whatever is ok. But CEO means hiring someone to drive our car and tell us where to go. It implies that we are lost, we do not know where to go. And we hire foreign talents to drive us around. He felt that this is running down on Singaporean talents and their pride. That they are second best to foreigners. Before he commented on this, I was harbouring the thought of having a foreign talent as our Prime Minister and run our country. All things being equal, I think they will be cheaper, value for money. Now, after so many years and so many FT jokers as CEOs, have we just woke up? Or is Ngaim joking? Or is Ngaim saying that our locals are better than FTs? A good example of this is the father and son team who have outdone all the FTs. Guess which father and son team? Wrong, I know what is in your mind. I am referring to the Wee Wee team and yes, the Li Li team as well. Oh, sorry, the latter team is from Hongkong.

myth 42

'Paying high salaries, but with a cap, is good' How can I call this a myth? The justification for such a policy of paying high salaries to public office holders is to prevent corruption at high places. Then why is this no good? Yes it is no good, but not because it does not prevent the ills of corruption. There is no corruption at high places. It is no good because it puts a cap on the real income of super talented individuals. It is very unfair to restrain what a supertalent can earn by articificially limiting it with a cap, by pegging it against some subjective numbers. And then we tell these talents that they are doing national service, and that they must sacrifice for the country. Now you see how unfair this policy is. And all the supertalents would have to apologise to their wives and kids that they could not afford the additional resort bungalows in Europe, US or Australia because there is a cap on what they could make in the private sector. Hopefully they don't fill too bad about being shortchanged. Or else they would not be doing their very best. Put it the other way, men of integrity and honesty will not be corrupted even if they are paid less. And if we pay them their true worth, their market value, they will be so motivated that they could move mountains. And it is only fair that they received their due rewards. Then when they have made their billions, one day they might woke up and said, what the shit do I need $50 billions for when $1 billlion they could not even finish using. And they might donate $30 billions to a trust to help the unfortunate. And we can have a few Warren Buffetts and Bill Gates among us! See, artificially capping the income of supertalents is bad. It is artificial and restrictive and unfair to the incumbent. It does not reward talents fully. It shortchanged the talents. It is against the philosophy of paying people their worth, their market value.

all quiet in cyber ghost town

after the brown incident, an eerie silence has fallen onto cyberspace. most of the forumers have disappeared together from all the forums. the postings were pathetically low. even my www.redbeanforum.com regulars have mostly disappeared. could you fellas help by contributing some posts over there. you only need to copy and paste your posts from here. i still can't figure out why you fellas find it more comfortable to post in a blog. i have to search high and low to retrieve your posts when it is further down and lost among the older threads. try posting at redbeanforum and find out how convenient it is. all the new posts are automatically thrown up at the beginning of page. cheers

myth 41

'131th saddest nation' How can that be, we the 131th saddest country in the world? We are so rich, so smart, so first class, number one this and that, and so happy. Who did that survey? We are going to prove the survery wrong. Come Sept, all 4 million Singaporeans will be smiling. We are going to show to the world that we are a happy country with 4 million happy smiles. I think that should do the trick to dispel the myth that we are a sad country.

remove taxi surcharge?

There is a call for the removal of taxi surcharge. At a time like this, it is quite timely to lower taxi fares to encourage more commuters to use cabs as a means of transport. But would this not remove the benefits of fare hike introduced just a few days earlier to defray the cost of higher petrol prices? Then everything is back to square one with the taxi driver absorbing all the increases in petrol cost. Why the need to remove surcharge at this time when commuters are already getting use to the higher taxi fare? Many commuters obviously are very comfortable with what they are paying and will continue to use cabs. And, oh I remember, our taxi fare is among the cheapest compare to all the great cities. We can afford to charge a bit more. It is still very affordable. In fact the surcharge and kilometre rate should be increase to reflect the value of the taxi service and bring us closer to first world taxi fares. It is a luxury that people who want it should pay for it. Then taxi driving will be an attractive vocation and more quality drivers will join the profession. And with higher income, they would be encouraged to drive more and maintain their taxi in tip top condition. If taxi fare keeps coming down, then the drivers would not find it attractive as a vocation and the quality of service will drop as well. Taking into consideration all the factors, a decent income for the drivers, affordability, quality of service, employment, etc, it is better to keep raising taxi fares to make this a preferred choice of employment. And taxi drivers can also upgrade their skills to provide in cab entertainment and double as tourist guides. Pay for quality services.