Time to bash Kim Jong Il and the North Koreans

He is a dictator, a tyrant, a ruthless leader! He oppressed his people, he showered himself with good wine and good food. He is mad, insane, unpredictable. He always wanted to go to war with his neighbours, a very dangerous man.

Now he is dead, the situation in the Korean Peninsula and the world is getting more dangerous. The crazy North Koreans are going to attack South Korea and the countries of the free world. They are so poor, poverty everywhere, people are very hungry. They need help from the rich countries of the free world. Quick send more food and aid, but be careful, they may eat you alive.

Wow, now I feel damn shiok. I have just joined the free world gang of bangsters, to bang the North Koreans. Wait, wait, I need to let out a little secret. Where is North Korea? Who is this Kim Jong Il? Dunno leh. Then why have I got so many bad things to spew at him and the North Koreans? Dunno leh, I read all these stuff in the media. They all hated him and the North Koreans and wrote all the bad things about them. So must be true lah.

Dunno if the North Koreans know where is Singapore or is there a place called Singapore. But the media said he may attack Singapore. So frightening one. Better to join the bangsters and attack them first. The bangsters are the good guys and they must be telling the truths.
Okay, I feel good oredy. We are the good guys.

But why are the North Koreans crying and wailing over his death? No lah, all propaganda, just wayang. How could they be so stupid to wail for a tyrant, a dictator, a ruthless leader who padded himself with the money of the people and enjoy wine and song? Dictators like this must end up like Saddam and Gaddafi. The North Koreans are faking it. Don’t believe them and their media. This guy is bad, damn bad, and so are the North Koreans, also damn bad. Oh ya, a member of the Axis of Evil. Wow, where did I get such a wonderful phrase to describe this evil country?

Robbery, robbery!

This was what I heard as I stepped into the office. This guy was so agitated and they have to calm him down. I took a close look at him to see if there was any blood on him. Normally robbery victim would be beaten up and there would be blood. But I could not see any blood, no blood. As the colleagues were comforting him he continued, they are going to rob you next month of $4,500. Now this is strange. How did he know that the robber is going to rob people next month and the amount as well. He said he read it in the paper. What? What kind of robber is this. This is damn classy man. Want to rob people and still advertised in the newspaper. This calls for respect.

As he continued everyone realized that he was talking about the raise in minimum sum for Medisave next month, from $27,500 to $32,000. Shit, he gave everyone a fright. This is not robbery lah. It is a kind and proactive govt planning the money of the people, and how to protect it before they are lost in gambling and investing. It is exactly this, with such caring and forward thinking govt that the Sinkies are having such a good life, progress, economic growth and so much money in their CPF. Without such good govt, they will have no money left in the kitty, probably losing everything in gambling or in the stock market.

This guy is too much. He is so negative in his thoughts. He could not see the positive side of things. The minimum sum is to help him to pay for his medical bills when he is old. Sure must pay and pay one. Putting aside more Medisave is just being prudent mah. And the big medical bill will definitely become affordable.

And there is Boon Wan in charge, sure got no problem one. He is one of the few good men left and he would want to do more good deeds for the people and for himself. This Medisave thing is going to save 2m people $9 billion. The amount of good karma created is immeasurable. Having the people save their hard earned blood and sweat money and preventing them from squandering it away. And by 2016, the amount could be $40k, lagi more good karma.

One point I am not clear. Is the CPF Board authorized to make this $9b decision? Does it have the authority to do so? Shouldn’t this be tabled in Parliament for discussion and approve by Parliament? My colleagues all agree that there is no need to go to Parliament. When your money is my money and my money is my money, what is there for Parliament to approve? I think I have to agree with this reasoning.

So we all got together to explain to this unhappy guy that he should be very happy about this Medisave thing. It is not robbery, definitely. And come 2016 he may have $40k in his Medisave. Shiok right? And if he suay suay need a by pass that cost $40k, he can tell the world that he got a by pass for free, all paid by his Medisave. No need even to come out $8.

We can see that our logic is getting through and he started to smile, and probably feeling very good about it. Well we have done a good deed.

US to station combat ships in Singapore

After scaling down its invaison of Iraq, the US is going to put some of these forces in Singapore. While we don’t have a Saddam Hussein in the region, there is piracy and freedom of passage for all ships to think about. Freedom of passage has never been a problem. As for piracy, is it an American problem that they feel responsible enough to spend so much money, resources and personnel to tackle the problem? Who is inviting the Americans here to deal with the piracy problem? Or are the Americans inviting themselves here because the Asean countries could not solve the problems? Why suddenly piracy in the region becomes a problem and not before?

Many countries are viewing the American presence with suspicion. Why would a neutral Singapore want to host the combat forces of a foreign govt here? Money lah. Can charge them for rental and use of facilities what.

I think it will be nice if Singapore can also host the combat personnel and equipment of countries like China, India, Russia and Japan to combat piracy as well. When the Americans are living across the horizon think it is important to them, piracy must also be important to these countries as well.

I can see more money from rentals and services if all these countries park their combat vessels here. And it is good to have more parties here to balance the ill intent of any one party. Don’t forget who is the biggest pirate. These other countries need to be here to keep the biggest pirate in check before it does mischief in the region.

The rationale for more navies to be here is reasonable, logical and an air of fairness, non alignment, neutrality, and plenty of money to be made. And the Americans cannot object to such a good argument.

SGX well run and going places

This is about what summed up Goh Eng Yeow’s article about SGX today in ST. Everything is so excellently managed, good governance, good system, advanced hardware, actually it is near perfection, including profits, it could be the number One stock exchange in the world.

I just hope he knows what he is talking about. My observation is that in the next 6 to 12 months it may implode. Just wait and watch. I hope I am wrong. I pray Goh Eng Yeow is right.

Morale of Sinkie professionals

The displaced or retrenched PMETs are pretty sore that all their talents are wasted and many have to end up providing super butler taxi services to the maids and foreign workers. It will make their day if the foreign workers or maid screw them up for taking the wrong route to their destinations. It is so pathetic that some of them are graduates, from foreign universities, and spending thousands of their own money or their parents’ money to acquire their qualifications and working so hard for it. No words can described this shitty state of affair when so many so called FTs with suspicious or mediocre qualifications are gainfully employed and being served by these fallen local talents.

There is another pool of top local talents that are often by passed for the top jobs as there are always found lacking when compared to the FTs. Many of the plum jobs have gone to foreign talents who are not much better than them in qualifications except that they were foreigners or have worked in a foreign environment. Some have even lesser working experience than the locals they are going to boss around with.

This discrimination or insult against local top talents is being practised across all sectors. It is quite shameful really, that whenever a top position is available, they immediately look overseas for a candidate. The look inward is more cursory and a wishy washy formality. Just watch, they will be hunting for the next SMRT CEO from overseas again.

Maybe it is the right thing to do. The local talents know that they are not good enough and better that the new CEO is found quickly as some of these local jokers would have to act in that position knowing damn well that there are unfit or would never be good enough for it. So why waste their time acting and warming up the seat for a foreign talent to arrive?

Many would probably find it more useful to plan on how to angkat or curry the favour of the incoming CEOs and be content if treated well and not being screwed everyday. And this has been the norm and every of these top local talents seemed quite comfortable with the game. I am sure there is no morale problem about this group of top local talents who are destined to be just second best.

And some of these problems also faced Singaporean talents overseas because of the glass ceiling, that most respectable countries would want to put their locals in charge no matter how good the foreign talents are. Many countries discriminate positively in favour of their own talent.

Maybe this is the success formula for Singapore, where there is a conscious effort to look outside for talents. And it is not discrimination either but the right growth formula. Our ex coolie genes are degenerating and need to be bastardised with new and superior foreign genes for that extra oomph.

Making sense out of the information available

So it is all about collector shoe problem. The power failure and damage to the rail tracks were caused by the collector shoes. And the trains have been running for 24 years without major breakdowns or this kind of frequency until these few days.

Logical deduction, simplified, is that the collector shoes have reached their operating lives and need to be replaced as they were working fine for 24 years, only starting to fail.

Another deduction, the shoes have recently been changed. If that be the case, either the new shoes were installed wrongly or the new shoes were faulty.

And better beef up on the standby power system and test them on a fully packed train and see how effective is the ventilation and how long it will last. This is critical as it can be deadly.

Pushing Singaporeans to a corner, in the name of progress

Has this thought ever cross the minds of Singaporeans while they are bathing in the economic success of the island with everyone feeling so rich, with properties exchanging hands with price tags like $20m, $30m and more? The same properties used to cost $1m or $2m twenty years ago. And I heard someone just bought a piece of property not to live in but to park his collection of fanciful sports cars.

The wealth and quality of life of many Singaporeans have improved tremendously over the last few decades. Can the Singaporeans continue to enjoy such phenomenal growth of wealth and lifestyle as we move ahead from here? Sure, many will even get richer and own flats of their own with several generations and extended families living in their own private flats, and their own car parks. This could be the new style of abode for many rich Singaporeans. Owning a landed property is not enough. They are looking at owning multi level private properties with each member living in different level for privacy, and their own covered car parking lots.

Contrast this development with the daily barrage of small is good where the attempt is to prepare Singaporeans psychologically to live in micky mouse size flats. The private flats I mentioned above are not HDB flats but each level a big luxurious apartment. The better off one that we know lives in a multi level private apartment, actually a small condo, with just one family of less than 5 members plenty of car park space for his collection of cars.

The average Singaporeans must live in smaller flats into the future and that is a certainty. Not that they need to sacrifice whatever land space in the island for the rich who want 20,000 sq ft for two and enough space for 20 cars. The growing population that is needed for growth and to sustain the growth needs more space as well.

And space is a big problem. With the limited space, not many more roads can be built except mass rapid transport. Owning a car is not going to be the norm into the future. Taking public transports and taxis are going to be the way of life. And don’t worry, there will be big publicity campaign to convince Singaporeans that the quality of their lifestyle will not be compromised. Travelling in class and style in trains or taxis will be much more fun and convenient that owning private cars. I know, I know, after the fiascos of the last few days, no one is going to agree with me that taking public transport is great romance and paying higher taxi fare is gracious living. And sharing the BO of unwashed workers who would be most happy to rub off their sweaty clothes onto Burberry and Zegna of stylish commuters is something to experience, daily. Sharing the same air in a train cabin with hundreds of people will definitely enchance the DNA quality of the ageing strains in the veins of ex migrant stocks. The new migrant’s DNA is like a breath of fresh air and will do everyone more good than harm.

Singaporeans could enjoy more spacious parks and watch TVs in public areas as well if they find their cubicles too small for such activities. Watching TVs in public areas means being entertained with fresh airs around and opportunity to make new friends. It is good for social integration and building good neighbourliness, and good for nation building as well. It will replace the anti social habit of glueing their eyes onto the Ipod or Ipad.

Singaporeans that live within their means will find this island really a paradise. Those who are able and can afford it, owning 20 or 30 expensive cars will be fun, and private car parks or COEs are great to have. For those who cannot afford such luxuries, there are smaller flats and world class transports and spacious parks for their amusments, and first world living that they have worked so hard for.

Having enjoyed such gracious and spacious living, with the convenience of public transport, Singaporeans would not want to go back to the days of landed properties and driving their own cars. The new lifestyle is progress for sure. But if the country could live within its means, live within its constraints and not wanting all the progress and convenience of a first world standard, if only it knows its limitation of land and not to use all up for more people, maybe, Singaporean standard of living could be back to the past, lower quality of life, having to upkeep and clean bigger flats which is a big chore, and having to drive their own cars without the convenience of MRTs and reliable butler styled taxis.

We have progressed and the quality of life can only get better. Or are Singaporeans pushed into a corner? What is the alternative for poor public transportation when ownership of cars is no longer an option? Is living in mickey mouse flats a no choice option?

It was not a crisis, or need not be

The North South Line breakdown was not meant to be a crisis. Some have called it the worst incident to have happened. Yes it was a major breakdown, but the worst is yet to come. How about two trains collided, trained jumps rail and smashes into the tunnel wall causing the wall to collapse, commuters injured and trapped, water flooding the tunnel with packed trains?

With the extensive network of trains running above and under the ground, breakdown is going to happen every now and then. It is unacceptable, but machines will have its wear and tear, there will be human errors in small little things like connecting a wrong wire or improper wiring, or power failure or something else.

What failed badly and turning a power failure into a fiasco is the poor execution of an emergency evacuation plan. Presumably there is a plan to evacuate the commuters in a situation like this, then the failure is leadership. Who is to decide that it is a crisis and the emergency plan be activated? Apparently everyone was trying to do something but evacuating the commuters was not in their minds.

And to make matter worst, the backup power supply did not come in or was found grossly inadequate. A 45 min UPS unit is really much less than that as events would have to unfold and by the time management decides that it is serious, at least half an hour would have elapsed. The 45 min window must be a critical factor for the emergency team to work on in a situation when the train is packed with people and life could be at stake.

And I think they discovered that the emergency ventilation was also grossly under provided given the complaints of difficulties in breaking. If normal people have difficulties, the sick, the young and old would be in deeper trouble. The ventilation must be good enough to keep a fully packed train at peak hours for at least a couple of hours safe before rescue arrived. If management consciously provided a 45 min backup system, the emergency plan must take that into account to start evacuating people much earlier before the backup system dies.

I am not going to suggest that train drivers be renamed train captains like pilots and be trained and proficient to handle an emergency like this. But they must be trained and tasked to take control of such situation to manage the commuters and take immediate safety precautions. Apparently they were sitting in their cabins waiting for instructions and leaving the frightened and worried passengers on their own.

When the lighting was out, when the passengers were having difficulties breathing, the most stupid thing was to tell the commuters that there was ventilation as the ventilation was either not working or inadequate and people were suffocating. People would not die just because the train is not moving. People will die if they cannot breath even inside the safety of a train.

The whole mess could be avoided if someone had decided to activate the evacuation procedure early and get the commuters out safely. The delay to act was the main factor that contributed to the crisis and endangered the safety and lives of the commuters. The power failure was just a power failure.

The event could be just an exciting experience like an emergency drill if handled correctly, efficiently and timely. And the commuters would just have a great story to tell, without fear of anything worst, except some inconvenience.

When emergency press button

Do you know what to do during an emergency in a train? All the sinkies reply yes. Last night when the trains broke down, all the sinkies were furiously pressing the buttons for help.

4,500 American and more than 100,000 Iraqi lives

These are the official number of dead people in the Iraq War. Not counting the hundreds of thousands of casualties, the destruction of the Iraq economy, the trillions of dollars spent and the murder of Saddam Hussein.
This is the price paid, by the Americans and the Iraqis for a hoax. Yes a hoax in which an American President and a British Prime Minister told the world and their people to believe.

And the Americans are happy that mission is accomplished. No one is mentioning the hoax and no war criminal charges against the two culprits who ordered and sanctioned the death of their own soldiers and the death of Iraqis, combatants and civilians.

And the Americans boys and girls are going home as heroes and heroines in a victorious war. How silly can things be?

Where is the white man’s conscience? Convening a war crime against the two perpetrators of this senseless killings and loss of lives is a must. But no, the white men will pretend it never happened. The silly Afro Asians and Arabs just did not know what to do or what to say. Yes, it happened. So what?

This is crime against humanity in the 21st Century!

Please do not punish the commuters

Train breakdowns are getting more frequent and fines are thrown at the operator quite often too. But please, take it easy, don’t fine them too much, in fact, please do not fine them. And please, do not call for heavy fines.

All fines will end up being reflected at the bottom line. And when the profit goes down, it will be good justification for more fare hike. Indirectly, the commuters will be the one paying the fines for the breakdown.

Please LTA, please do not fine the operator to fine the commuters. Psst, I heard someone giggling in the corner.

MDA reviewing book due to title error

I quote the mypaper, ‘The Media Development Authority said it is reviewing a series of satirical short stories, poems and essays about life in Singapore because of a discrepancy in titles and not because of its contents.’

This is uniquely Singapore. It reminds of the guy who told everyone to stay 100m away from a hut that had a bomb inside but people inside the hut is okay because inside the hut is not violating the order to stay 100m away.

SMRT had a stroke

When people aged, the possibility of getting a stroke will get higher each day. Similarly when the body is overfed, cholesterol is likely to choke up the arteries and may also lead to a stroke. Getting a stroke is going to be more common and normal among the elderly. Likewise, the train system is going to experience more breakdowns under normal wear and tear and the increasing load and operating hours.

What happened last night to the north south train, well, it happened. Commuters would have to get use to the new normal. Forming committees, seeking expert advices, looking for foreign experts to look into the problem, well, well, that’s what organization does when a problem occurs. Form more committees, do more investigation, board of inquiry, hire more experts and consultants, spend more money. These are the normal and necessary things to do. No need special talents for such follow up actions.

What I thought was unexpected and unacceptable last night was a total power failure and without any backup power supplies. People could die, many people could die in such a situation. And provision of backup power supply is basic and essential. With so many commuters jam packed at peak hours, and without fresh air, without light, things could have been worst. While the committees can spend another 6 months or 3 years to investigate the causes of such breakdowns, immediate actions must be taken to ensure that backup power supplies are provided and must work in every breakdown.

Thank the lucky star that no one dies last night. We don’t need to wait for someone to die to form committees, board of inquiries and hiring foreign experts to do such a basic equipment like backup power units, a mandatory safety requirement in all trains and all systems.

Changes in CDP operations

The big change, by SGX, is that client’s shares will be kept or be accessible by broking houses. Whether this is going to make the market better for the clients and the industry is a moot point. It could be all for nothing. What I don’t feel comfortable is the reason given in support of this change, because developed markets worldwide are doing it.

The important point to note is that the developed markets worldwide are sick. And we have adopted many of the practices of developed market and the big question is, is the market getting better or getting sicker?

When there is change, change must be for a good reason, for improvement. Change must not be introduced for the sake of change or because other people are doing it, and worst because developed markets are doing it. The developed markets created the toxic notes and sold many snake oils to the less developed markets too. What the developed markets are doing is not necessarily good for less developed markets, and may even be bad.

Is our market getting better or going to get better? I may be insane, but I am seeing many systemic flaws in the market. Maybe I am dull and cannot see the good and brilliant things that are happening in the system.

Surrendering one’s right – part 3

Singaporeans must not easily surrender their rights away, or they will always be the servant to be owned by the masters. Another right that Singaporeans must not surrender and think that there is no other way out is their money in CPF.

The masters have been designing all kinds of clever schemes to retain the Singaporeans hard earned money in the CPF. Many Singaporeans have resigned to this fate that their money is now untouchable, only to feel good and smile at the monthly statements to tell them how rich they are on paper.

This is their money(minimum sum and Medisave) and must be returned. No one has the right to keep passing legislations to compulsorily take the money from its rightful owner. Get the opposition parties to fight for the return of this money. Keep hammering for it. This is your money, this is your money, and it is right that you have your money back.

Are you the master or the servant? Why should people decide to keep your money away from you and the people accept it as normal? And as long as the people LL and not say anything, the amount to be taken away will get bigger and bigger. This must be stopped.

A little reflection on RAR

When something that is reasonable becomes ridiculous, or when something that is reasonable becomes so reckless. I chanced upon an old CNA report interviewing Chok Tong on the unhappiness over foreigners buying properties and driving up the prices. The quote is below.
‘Another radical suggestion put forward was to bar foreigners from buying private property but SM Goh noted developers would just build more high-rise private apartments to counter it.

"At the moment, our policy will be, condominium, private sector. They want to buy, let them buy because they actually bring in money for Singapore. They may not actually stay there but they bring in money.

"They buy from locals, locals are happy to get the money but it's not actually adding to space. In fact, that's actually ideal. They buy here, they don't drive cars, they don't live here, we just get their money! They're buying air!" laughed SM Goh.’


Actually Chok Tong got a point. If the foreigners are willing to bring in good money to buy air, why not? Our developers will be very happy and Singaporeans too will be very happy if they can sell their HDB flats to them as well. Now what is the cause of this happy problem?

The cause is so stupid and the solution so simple. Just build more and make sure citizens can buy their flats and at a really affordable price. And if citizens can then sell to foreigners, and buy again from HDB, citizens happy, foreigners happy, govt also happy. Every transaction will bring extra revenue to the govt in terms of stamp duties. The lawyers will be happy with the conveyancing fee, the designers and renovator will also be happy with more works. The buying and selling will find its own equilibrium when demand and supply balances out. Then buying and selling will slow down under the same economic and market forces.

See, it only needs a joker to stop building and want to earn as much from the citizens as possible and the happy formula failed. Make from foreigners not enough, still want to squeeze every penny from the citizens and refuse to build to exaggerate the supply and demand tension to justify higher prices to charge the citizens.

Why don’t the govt just liberalise the sale of all properties to foreigners(with higher stamp duties and some conditions, esp landed) and they only need to ensure that all citizens will get their public flats at citizen prices. A new status quo will be reached when the supply is there for the citizens(with limits on how many they can buy) and the demand by foreigners will also be limited by this supply. But make sure don’t anyhow give citizenship to every foreigner to buy public flats from HDB at citizen price. Let them be PRs and pay PR price and non citizen price.

The whole shit boils down to citizens not being able to buy affordably priced flats. If this is catered for, who cares if non citizens want to buy what and how high private property prices can go? Give the people a roof and the kpkb will end. But some sectors would want to protect the prices of their private properties and this could be why lesser public flats were being built. If only they care and make sure public flats are easily available to citizens, they could have the cake and eat it too, as long as the inflow of foreigners did not go crazy.

Another sign of the declining US influence

For more than 50 years, the Americans supported the Israelis in keeping the PLO out of the United Nation. The stupid Arab world meekly accepted that the Americans were their overlord and could not do anything about it. So, while Israel was assisted by the Americans and the western world to become a full nation, the plight of the Palestinians was nothing better than homeless beggars. Their fate laid in the hands of the deceitful champion of human rights, the Americans. And the Americans made sure that the PLO would stay that way forever other than some lip service to defend their rights of existence without a country.

Yesterday the PLO’s flag finally was raised at the UNESCO, a significant moment to recognize them as a nation of people by the UN. Of course the Americans and the Israelis were furious. It is understandable why the Israelis behaved that way. Now the Evil Empire revealed its true colour and removed all its disguises about supporting the cause of the Palestinians. They were angry that the PLO is now recognized as a state by the UN. They were angry that despite their string pulling and coercion against their crony states, the latter voted against the American’s dictate to keep the PLO out of the UN.

The countries of the rest of the world are standing up against the hypocrisies of the Americans. They are not going to be pushed around anymore by the Americans. They are going to support what is right, and in this case the PLO, to give it recognition as a member nation.

It is victory to the free world against the evil Empire. The Empire will find that it is no longer the trusted power. The deceit and deception have gone on for too long. Wither Pax Americana?

Article from Musings from the Lion City

'Wednesday, December 14, 2011Stranger Than Fiction
So America flew a spy drone over Iran. So Iran bought the spy drone down. Now America…asked the Iranians to return the spy drone that was used to spy on them?

I thought this was a joke when I first read it but evidentially it’s true. President Obama himself said that the United States had asked Iran to give the downed American reconnaissance plane back.

Fact is truly stranger than fiction. The Iranians has rejected the request with its state media poking fun at the American’s expense. I agree with them.

What is God’s name made the American believed for a second the Iranians (and the rest of the world) won’t laugh their guts out upon hearing the request? Hell, I am.'

I actually wanted to write something but Musings from the Lion City has beat me to it. The American arrogance is funnily silly. But to the Americans and the west, it is not. They have the right to send spy planes inside people's country and the right to demand that it be returned if taken down. If not, this will be a justifiable excuse to attack Iran, not just imposed sanctions.

So is this anti American? : )

The Emperor had measles

During the dying years of the Qing Dynasty, Dowager Qi Xi usurped the throne and was the de facto emperor. She placed little children as emperors and did not allow them to run the country the way they wanted. The emperors were allowed to happily spend their time in the brothels and surrounded by pretty women while the Dowager ran the Empire to protect her position.

One of the emperors had syphilis but the Imperial physicians would not dare say so and diagnosed it as measles, and treated it as measles. Of course the disease would take the emperor away in the course of time. The Empire continued for several more decades, appearing good but rotting and dying through neglect and mismanagement and the illusion that everything was just fine.

We used to have a healthy and vibrant stock market. Many people made money, some became billionaire and millionaires. The industry provided many jobs, good jobs with good incomes. Many still believe that the industry is healthy and looking pretty good.

My understanding is that the industry is suffering from financial syphilis. The open sores are there but no one wants to see them. So everyday is still a party. But the ugly truths cannot be hidden for long. Some broking houses have started to take remedial actions to cut operating costs. They need real incomes to support the operation, rental and payroll, operating costs etc etc must be paid in real money. With dwindling commission, the operation cannot go on like before.

The first sign of trouble would come when backroom staff is cut. Retrenchment is the best proof that the industry is blowing in the wind. Just wait for it to happen. Next to go with be the remisiers. If the remisiers cannot generate enough business to cover their operating cost, they too will walk out voluntarily. And this is not going to be the end. As the revenue from commission keeps evaporating into thin air, don’t believe in the fictitious volumes chalked up by the machines, the slide down will gather speed. Broking houses will do M&A for different reasons, down sizing and selling off whatever is left to other houses that still think they can continue to operate and make profits in a dying industry.

Every action will be taken to treat the sores. But no one would want to know anything about the syphilis and how to get rid of it, how to cut the gangrenous foot that is rotting away, how to put the patient through a regime of chemotherapy to kill the cancerous cells. As long as no one bothers, there is no problem really. Where got syphilis? Everything is just doing fine.

How many white rabbits can a magician pull from his little hat?

More job opportunities for Singaporeans

Singaporeans that are losing their jobs to foreign talents need fear not. Singaporeans graduates having difficulties finding jobs, need fear not. I read today’s papers and am very encouraged by the news that jobs are plentiful for Singaporeans, in China. China needs a lot of foreign workers to feed its 9.1% rate of growth economy.

The Europeans are forming queues on the road to China. Employment agencies are getting requests by rich and wealthy Chinese for butlers and English butler associations are training more butlers for the Chinese markets.

Young graduates from Europe and America are also heading to China. China also needs a lot of school bus and taxi drivers. And the top job that is in great demand is English Language tutor. I am thinking of applying for it.

The problems faced by the European job applicants are tremendous, culture shock and language skills and unfamiliar with the Chinese way of life and customs. Singaporeans, particularly the Singaporean Chinese or Chinese Singaporeans, would have special advantage against the Europeans. They can easily blend in, smoothly, no need programmes to integrate like we do to our foreign workers.

Singaporean foreign workers going to China can integrate instantly, smoothly, to the Chinese society. Those employment agencies should quickly seize this opportunity to set up shops in China to provide them with true blue Singaporean foreign workers. Heard of reverse engineering? Now we are reversing the trend of employment. China’s foreign talent can come here to replace our local talents. Our displaced local talents can go to China to be foreign workers.

Fair exchange as their talents are more talented than ours. Our talents would be equivalent or good enough to be their foreign workers.

Another decree from master

A forum letter to ST today by a Lee Kok Lin is another perfect example of a master servant relationship. Lee Kok Lin was flabbergasted by the notice put up at Singapore Pools outlets informing the punters that Singapore Pool will pay winnings to anyone who produces a winning ticket even if there is the name of another person with IC numbers on the back of the ticket.

What it simply means is that a winner cannot protect his winning by writing his name and IC on the ticket. Singapore Pool does not care if another person came with the ticket to claim the prize.

Is this acceptable or not? Or is this a responsible thing to do for a big organization like Singapore Pools? Who thinks this is reasonable?

Anti American Law Professor a Singaporean in US

Professor Tai Heng Cheng, ex police officer and a Law Professor in New York Law School, also author of an anti American book, ‘Shaping an Obama Doctrine of Preemptive Force’, is defending four Singaporeans accused by the Americans of cheating American company Digi International and sold radio parts to be made into IED. I got this info from John Harding’s blog.

While the Americans are applying for the four to be extradited to the US and they are under hand and leg cuffs like fearsome terrorists, Professor Tai or is it Professor Cheng, (He testified that the charge of conspiracy to defraud the US is not an extraditable offense under a treaty between the two countries.)

My God, could there be such a clause in the treaty that only a Law Professor from New York Law School, and a Singaporean some more, knew about and no one else? The Americans too appeared to be ignorant of this provision and wanted the four ‘terrorists’ to be extradited. It is very funny if what Professor Tai testified is true.

Makes me damn proud of him. And being anti American is not criminal in America. That is what true democracy is all about. They can even fxxx George Bush or Obama in their faces and it is freedom of expression.

Oh, a note of caution. When exporting hamburgers to Afghanistan or Iraq, make sure that the latest IEDs are not embedded inside a hamburger. Otherwise the Americans could brand you as terrorists and apply for your extradition for selling hamburgers to these countries. And you could end up handcuffed and legcuffed, looking very dangerous.

Surrendering one’s right – part 2

My first part dealt with the right to live decently and respectfully in a home with sufficient breathing space, not in a dog’s kennel. Just because someone thinks that the average Singaporeans deserve only a space as big a dog’s kennel doesn’t mean that Singaporeans have to accept it. Vote in a govt that will give Singaporeans bigger and cheaper homes and cheaper car ownership. The servants must decide who they want to be their masters.

The related issue is that Singaporeans must not allowed a govt to dictate to them that it would build flats for them and only be ready in 3 to 4 years time. The govt must anticipate the demand and build ahead of demands with flats available at short notice, better over the counter, like selling luxury cars. If they can’t do a simple thing like this why pay them so much?

Please keep the crap excuse that the govt must not over build and landed with 10,000 or 20,000 units hanging in the air. That is stupidity. Decide how much supply is needed, and how many flats to be held as reasonable stock with a bit of give and take. It is a policy decision after weighing the opportunity cost. Million dollar super talents should be able to think and plan ahead and not be floored by a small problem like making housing available at short notice.

The arrogant policy of building only when there is sufficient firm demand is bull. F the bugger. Pure arrogance of the highest order. Only in a master servant relationship or a king subject relationship would such thinking be tolerated. 3 or 4 years wait is just too long. Unacceptable!

Secondly, every Singaporean must be entitled, yes entitled, to buy a public flat. If the govt refuses to let them buy, then what is the purpose of National Service, to defend what when one does not even have the right to buy a public flat and does not have a place to stay? Don’t give the crap that there is always the resale market or the private market.

As citizens, all must be treated equally in issues like basic housing. No citizen must be left out in an inclusive society. Maybe inclusive means something else. All citizens are one, and citizens of the country. The PRs are not citizens. If PRs can buy public flats (a citizen and a PR can form a family unit), why are citizens that pledged to defend this country deprived of this right? Ridiculous or not?

Foreigners can buy HDB shops

I just found this from the HDB website.

Q: 01 Are foreigners allowed to purchase HDB shops?
[ Commercial Tenants & Lessees > Managing Your Sold Shop ]

A: HDB has no objection to the purchase of the shops by foreigners who are above 21 years of age and are not an undischarged bankrupt.

Foreigners who want to speculate on Singapore properties can go and buy HDB shops. No need to buy residential flats.

Dunno got find prints and any other conditions? Or this is it?

Justice – redbean hates America

I am just using this comment from blogger justice to start a discussion. Lately I have posted several articles that pointed out the faults and flaws of American involvements in Asian and African affairs. Some will find my views rather unconventional as they are completely against the norm, against what was reported in the main media and the western media. These media only have good things to say about the Americans and nothing else. Everything the Americans said and did must be right and good, and ethical, morally righteous.

Now what I am saying or writing are contrary to this belief or version of the truth. Unfortunately what I have written are factual and no one can dispute the facts as untruths or distorted truths. So the only position that they can take me out is that I am anti Americans. Is that so? It is like some doggies who would come here and failing to argue against my points, would attempt to attack me personally. They could not disagree with me as the doggie’s heads are empty of ideas, or they are here simply tasked to discredit me.

The comment by justice is slightly different. The adaptation of the nick justice is an indication that justice is important to him, right and wrong matters. But be careful, what is right to A is not necessarily right to B. I welcome all bloggers to disagree with my views and my facts, tell me my facts are wrong, that what I said did not happen. I will be proud of them. Put up strong and sensible arguments against my position, and this will make the discussion more interesting and enlightening, and educational.

Why are my views so difficult to accept to the WOGs? When one is fed with eggs and bacon every morning and hamburgers every meal, eating porridge and chicken rice is strange and difficult to accept. Probably they may think eating porridge is for poor peasants or eating chicken rice is just not the right thing to do.

For two centuries, the western media have ruled the world and fed the readers, western and eastern readers, with their sets of world views and western oriented ideas of righteousness. The world is seen from Europe and America, and what is good for Europe and America is good and vice versa. Their dominance over the rest of the world cannot be challenged and must stay that way. They even have the audacity to want to manage the rise of China or any country outside Europe and America. It is fair that the westerners accept that kind of world view and positioning.

Why should Afro Asians accept that kind of views? Are Afro Asians supposed to be ruled and led by the westerners, to be fed views and on how to think, to be made to think like westerners and in the interests of westerners? What is education all about? Would Asians and Africans start to think and see the world differently from the west and in their own interests? Would they dare to think differently from the west, from the western media, disagree with the distorted and one sided truths that are fed to them? Would they look at the west, what the Americans are doing and ask, are they doing the right thing, the good thing or the bad thing?

Would there be a revival of Afro Asian civilization, a renaissance of sort, when the Afro Asians could take positions in their own interest, or in the interest of justice and moral high grounds? Would they dare to challenge atrocious views that are obviously biased or distortion of truth? Or would they continue to be dominated by the west, even in their thinking, that everything west is good and right? It is not a matter of being anti west or anti Americans. It is a matter of being yourself, being confident of yourself and your world view. I used to tell some of the bloggers, when one is a student, one often quotes so and so say this and that. Those are learning phases, a time when our ideas are young and we need to learn from more mature and intellectual minds. As we grow older, and hopefully worldly wise, after seeing a life time of controversies and contradictions, it is time to form our own opinions about things and about what is right and wrong, what is good for us, what is not, and what is justice and what is treachery or high falutins.

My articles and views are not necessary right or agreeable to all. But one thing for sure, they are provocative and force one to think and disagree. That is what my blog is all about.

Singaporeans should welcome the taxi fare hike

The result speaks for itself. The taxi fare hike has achieved the results that commuters wanted. All the complaints about no taxis, long queue and long wait for taxis is now over. Commuters need only pay a little more to get a taxi faster. Isn’t this what taxis are all about compare to taking buses and MRTs? The taxis provide a different level of service, more privacy, more comfort, faster and convenience. It is only right that commuters have to pay more.

And taxi drivers need to have their incomes raised given the high cost of operation and high cost of living. Let’s be fair to them. And now they need not have to work so hard, and longer to get the same or a bit more income.

Some drivers may complain of lower income yesterday. This will be pass as commuters get use to the higher fare. It is all psychology, nothing to worry about. To those who have to depend on taxis, it is an essential service and they have no choice, no matter how high is the fare, they will have to take taxis. There is a captive market for the taxi operators. And if the buses and MRT slacken and the services deteriorated, or if they put less trains/buses out or curtail their operating hours, the taxi drivers will find more commuters going back to them.

I still find it too cheap and not good enough. When I can snap a finger and a taxi will quickly coast in front of me, smiling and so courteous to pick me up, don’t mind paying higher fare, then I will start to take taxis. You pay the price for the quality of service. Higher price, better service mah. Now stop complaining, just pay.

How much can Premium Outlet take from Orchard Road

The JB Premium Outlet selling branded goods has started with a big bang. Singaporeans as usual are visiting there to check the competition. When there is good bargain you can count on the Singaporeans to be there. I am quite pleasantly disposed to the competition given the cut throat business here. When everything is being charged a premium as if Singaporeans have no other alternatives, Premium Outlet is JB is most welcomed.

How much would it be able to snatch from Singapore, particularly from Orchard Road? The crème ala crème tai tais and the super rich would not be tempted by the inconvenience. But there is a section of the converts that are price sensitive and would not mind the hassle. The lesser the hassle, the greater will be this group. If Premium Outlet can take on 30% it will be good. This will force the rentals to go down or the shops to close down. And if they could take on 50%, then Orchard Road would not be the same again.

Why am I feeling good about this? But of course, the Malaysians have a lot of work cut out for them and they could easily unwind everything and all the goodwill and it will be back to square one.

Myanmar, Asean’s success story

When the evil Empire persisted on tagging the evil badge on Myanmar and pressurizing Asean to boycott the Myanmese govt, Asean stood firm and insisted to do it its own way. Asean would engage Myanmar and seek changes through dialogue and diplomacy, not sanctions and threats of regime change. Myanmar was accepted into Asean whose economies and political systems were a far cry from the military dictatorship. In the process, Myanmar is creeping slowly towards the Asean way of doing business.

The visit of Hilary Clinton to Myanmar is the sign of success of the Asean way. Through its association with Asean, Myanmar is changing slowly but positively to engage the rest of the world. Without the optimism and willingness to accommodate Myanmar, and if Asean were to be coerced by the US and join the band of international gangsters, Myanmar could have remained isolated and going it alone. There would not be any visit of Hilary to talk about.

The way forward, the Asean way, is through patience and dialogue, not sabre rattling and threats or coercion that the evil Empire is used to. But this small achievement by Asean could quickly be forgotten if the Association blindly allows the US to assume the leadership of Asean and the region, and go on the war path through military alliances and threats of war.

Could the Asean leaders see their success, that the Asean way is the Way and not succumb to US pressure to take on a confrontational and belligerent path in inter state diplomacy in the region? Would the US go the Asean way or Asean go the Empire’s way?

The End of Progress

While we I was kpkb about the illusion of progress, economist Professor Graeme Maxton wrote a book titled ‘The End of Progress’. His main theme is rather familiar. The obsession for the word progress by modern economists is going to run down this earth. Progress as interpreted by the modern economists, is laced with greed and irresponsibility, is violating the basic principles expounded by the great Adam Smith.
Govts today wave the word progress as if it’s the end all prize for any modern being. You want progress or not? Progress is even used as a threat to frighten the lay people, invokes fear in them that their life style will suffer without progress. So every donkey will shout, yea, yea, we want progress.
Today’s progress, in the macro level, is going to eat up all the resources this world is able to provide, from minerals, energy, vegetation and livestocks. Progress will lead the world’s population to a point of exhaustion, running out of everything, even land to farm and to live. Imagine every country only thinks of increasing its population in order to progress? Quite silly isn’t it?
At the micro level, progress often is an illusion when everything is eaten up by inflation. When money is inflated to give the illusion of wealth while in real terms, nothing change. In many cases, the money value is even smaller than before.
Is it progress to live in smaller and smaller flats? Is it progress when one is deprived of the convenience of car ownership? But we have limitations of land and owning bigger living space and cars are not possible. Oh, I see, we have limited land! How so, how is it that we don’t know? Why is this not taken into consideration when the little space is flooded with people and more people? We need to progress, of course. The bigger population will lead to more progress.
I can’t beat this kind of argument. We shall have more progress then, and progress to living in dog’s kennels and take public transport.
Thank you Prof Maxton, to tell the nitwits what it really is, I mean progress. Still want progress, still want to be threaten with no progress? If the cost of living is lower, the same unit of money will have greater purchasing power and is progress in better quality of life. It is foolish to think progress when every cent earn is eaten away by inflation. It is fiction.
Now, for a start, don’t believe in anyone that says smaller space is good, is progress. And not owning a car is a natural thing and also a price to pay for progress.

How to trade in a market controlled by big funds

I am not going to reinvent trading methodologies to make money in the stock market. Many will still advise clients to buy low sell high, to follow charts, to follow all kinds of formula to make big profits in the stock market. People who still believe in these methodologies are still living in the dark ages.

The stock markets today are no longer the stock markets of yester years. Stock markets today are infested by big funds with super computers to monitor every trade, to play against every investor, and take the best computed positions against them, to come out the winner. Someone says it is like playing against Robocop. How many can beat the Robocop? Why are they allowed to do it is a different story, a story of ethics and morality.

Many are still following faithfully and religiously on their sure win methodology and game plan and still losing. When they think it is time to enter the market, when they think the price is low, they were wrong. Confirm, double confirm. The price would go lower. Sometimes they may make a bid or two and think their methodology is right. They did not know that at those moments, the computer was biting on other bigger gains and they happened to be on the side of the computer.

They are still some syndicate plays that are making good money. These are the real winners with the right methodology, which they would not disclose to anyone. Trade secrets or whatever, there are small pockets of winners in this new game. Other than them and Robocops, the rest are condemned to be losers.

Anyone still day dreaming of beating the Robocop and his super computers with his grand plans and grand strategies? Please, remove your blinkers. The only method to be on the winning side is to know what the computers are doing and be on the side of the computers.

An equivalent example of the game so far is the 4D run by the Tote Board. By sheer odds, the operator is likely to make a certain profit. What if the operator uses the data available in his computer on who bets on what and how much will be the payout of each number? And with the super computer, the operator decides which number to open for maximum profit instead of the current method of pure chance. The Tote Board even go to the extent of ensuring that there is no cheating, that pure chance is truly pure chance, no one allowed to use his computer to his advantage.

See the difference?

Asia without America – Angmoh version

If the Americans withdraw from Asia, the region will be dominated by China and Japan and this is worrying. Why should it be? Ok Japan has a history of aggression and invading neighbouring countries, including Korea, China and Southeast Asia. Has China done that? The problem that China is facing today is to reclaim its lost territories which pesky little countries are trying to make claims to. And yes, China has to be assertive to protect its own territorial sovereignty. Other than this, China has not encroached on anyone’s territory, while many of its territories are still occupied by its neighbours. These neighbours are definitely jittery as it is a matter of time before China demands for their return. So ganging up with the Americans is for their own protection, to protect the loot they looted from China.

The angmoh’s presumed fear is that China is a rogue country, expansionist and out to control its neighbouring countries. The facts of current history proved otherwise. China has not been instigating wars among its neighbours, not provoking any country, not drumming up wars or sanctions against any country because they have a different political system, and not threatening regime change. May be the angmoh superpower is doing all these fear mongering conveniently, or insidiously planting these fears in the Asian countries for their own interests.

Now, what is so worrying of a China or Japan without the Americans when at most the Chinese and Japanese would be doing what the Americans are doing? And this may not be the case. On the other hand, to have the Americans here guarantees that the Americans will be doing all these, meddling, provoking, and threatening the weaker nations. To the angmoh mindset, this is their normal and Asians must accept their modus operandi.

The other angmoh viewpoint is that they are here to manage China’s rise as a super power. Is that their responsibility? What’s that got to do with them? What has the rise of any country got to do with them that it is their job to manage other countries’ rise as a super power? Are they the chosen race, God’s messenger and army to guard the human race?

But many Asians also have this cock mindset, thinking exactly in this way. It is a given that the Americans are the master, the empire, to control, to lead, to manage every country’s affair, to provoke, instigate, subverge, sanction and conduct regime changes according to their whims and fancies. This is the right thing, the order of things for Asians. Asians must accept the American over lord as the Emperor of this earth.

A mother’s crumbled dream

A little bit of nostalgia of forgotten dreams, or old dreams versus new dreams of mothers. My mother’s big dream was for her children to finish the senior Cambridge Examination, the O level equivalent of today, a Grade 3 would be good enough, and become a ‘tua chye hoo’, literary to become a chief clerk. In those days, every govt department or company had a tua chye hoo, the ‘pau kar leow’ administrator for all paper works. Job opportunities for professionals were rare.

An entrepot did not need those talents. The colonial masters were contented that they had their cheap supplies of coolies and clerks to help them run their administration, and the private sectors to run their trading businesses. It did not take the Chinese community long to realise that the colonial masters were only interested in their own glorification and self interests. The immigrants were there to provide the brawns and shuffle a few papers for their convenience. Every female wanted to be a typist or stenographer or a secretary.

They had big charity drives for donations to build secondary schools and the only university in Southeast Asia for their children. They had bigger dreams. They did not have the privilege of raising funds to help the poor, the sick or the aged. The demands were more urgent and more important. They wanted to produce professionals, engineers, doctors, scientists in all professions.

When we became independent, the opportunities opened up for the locals in every sector and needed professionally trained locals to fill those positions. The mother’s dream changed. They wanted their children to get into university. Their vision went beyond tua chye hoo when they knew what were possible with tertiary education. Forget about tua chye hoo. A graduate meant more than just pride of achievement. It meant a better quality of life, with more material comfort through higher income and more secure jobs.

This mother’s dream continues today. Every mother still wants to see their children get into university and become a graduate. The ancient mothers were ignorant when their ambitious dream was a tua chye hoo. Today’s mothers are in a way ignorant of their dreams. A graduate is not going to make their life that much better. Some may end up as taxi drivers, worst than their parents or grand parents who were non graduates and were tua chye hoo, with a much better lifestyle than the graduates of today, with much better incomes.

Many parents still scrimped and emptied their life savings, downgraded their homes, to send their children overseas when they could not find a place in the local universities. Many regretted when their children refused to return. They forgot that on returning, their children would not be good enough to be a tua chye hoo and may end up you know what. Their talents will never be appreciated unless they happened to be foreign talents. The foreign talents, many are not any better, many worst off than our local talents have taken over their jobs. Some say no, these lousy foreign talents are here to help create jobs. I agree, so that locals can rent out their rooms and service them in hawker stalls and foodcourts, and drive them around in their taxis.

The overseas children of our mothers are doing pretty well overseas. Many could find better jobs and enjoying better quality of living that they could not find if they returned. Why should they return to compete with half baked foreign talents and may end up jobless? The ignorant mothers of today must change their thinking and cast their dreams further ashore. There is no place for their graduate children at home. They need to wonder afar to find their pots of gold. It is better that they remain overseas and stay there.

The familiar dreams of having a graduate and all is fine is no longer true in many cases. It is a crumbled dream.

American drone fell off the sky in Iran

An American drone fell off the sky deep inside Iran. This is a pilotless spy plane, RQ 170 Sentinel, which the Americans launched into countries where it collects intelligence photos of military installations. The Americans have been bully the weaker nations by this kind of espionage knowing that those countries cannot bring it down.

The drone only has a ceiling of 50,000 ft and flying at subsonic speed of 500 to 600 knots and should not be too difficult to hit and bring down. The Americans have since stopped such flights over China after several U2s and other makes were brought down in China. Dealing with the Americans, the only language they understand is force.

The Iranians can only stop these spying missions if they can bring the drones down or by blinding its cameras. Firing missiles at the drones may be expensive. Some laser technology to damage the sensors of the camera should be effective and economical.

Oh, the Americans have all the rights to spy on any country by whatever means. They are not infringing or violating the air space or territorial integrity of the countries they spied on. How about Iran, China or Russia doing the same to the Americans, by sending drones over North America?

The Americans are hopping mad with the Chinese now that their aircraft carriers cannot sail freely in the East China Sea. The Chinese can sink them by air or by sea. It is no longer a ‘I can hit you and you cannot hit me’ scenario. Soon the Americans will only deploy their carriers in the waters of Hawaii or nearer their homeland for safety reasons.

China don’t be a pain in the arse. Please tell the Americans that you can hit the carriers and how it can be done, with deadly precision. Please be transparent. Unofficial sources said that the drone in Iran was brought down with the assistance of Chinese technicians who could break the communication quote of the drone and took over control to bring it down.

This is the most fearsome technology that the Americans are still trying to fathom how advanced the Chinese are. Once the Chinese have the computer knowhow, the super computers, which they all have, they could literally take over all the satellites or ICBMs in flight and turn them around to hit targets of their choice. Such a technology is cheaper and more powerful when American weapons can be seized to hit American targets. This is what the Americans are screaming for transparency, to want to know what the Chinese are capable of. Fat hope that the Chinese will be stupid enough to tell them. It’s military secret of the highest order.

Don’t come back

The recent measures to curb property prices may offer some relief to Singaporeans that are still homeless because of the screwed up policies of recent years. It may be helpful to some but many are still left in the lurch, particularly the young professionals who were booted out of public housing by silly regulations that decreed they are rich enough to be skinned by the private property developers.

There are many such young professionals, highly qualified and living abroad and may want to return home. My advice to them is don’t come back. The opportunity cost is too high and so is the ransom to start life in their home country.

For a start, being highly skilled professionals, they would not be allowed to buy a public flat which would still cost them at least half a million bucks. They are expected to cough out at least a million to get a shitty little mickey mouse flat from the private developers. By the time they ended paying up in 30 years, it would have cost them $2m, just for a miserable little space to live in.

And the cost of a car, a cheap one, would be a hundred k. Being professionals, don’t expect them to live a life of the average Singaporeans and travel in MRT or buses. They are high earners and wanted a better life. Otherwise what is the point of their training, skills and qualifications?

The options for not returning, with three or four hundred k, they could get a very decent landed homes in any of the developed countries, like US, UK or Australia. A big car will not even cost half the COE they have to pay here, and can use for as long as they want. Funny, the cost of living in these countries are now cheaper than this paradise they would want to call home. And they could even command a higher or better income than returning to compete with foreigners with better comparative advantages.

They have all the advantages to remain PRs or even take up foreign citizenship and live a better life elsewhere, with lower cost of living than paying a huge ransom for a poorer quality of life here. It just does not make sense anymore for highly qualified young professionals to come home.

Don’t come back unless you don’t mind being robbed of all your savings and incomes.

A small increase every now and then

The Govt’s policy of having small increases every now and then is working quite well so far. It is easier to boil a frog that way without creating any alarm.

What about small cuts every now and then instead of a big and painful cut at one go? No, no, I am not talking about salary cut. That one cannot cut under whatever circumstances. The consequences are much more serious and severe.

I did write about minus one zero from our dollar notes. Indonesia has decided to minus 3 zeros from the rupiah notes. It is high time that we start to cut one zero from our dollar notes. We must not wait too long and have to cut 3 zeros at one go.

Small cuts are less painful and more palatable. The only thing is that people no longer can call themselves millionaires by owning a HDB flat. The Indonesians must be tired of being billionaires for too long. Our millionaires could turn nasty soon when they have to make ends meet as their HDB flats and savings in the CPF are untouchable and really not worth that much.

We are a country with the most millionaires but with many living from hands to mouth while smiling at their CPF statements. Come to think of it, better not to cut the one zero. It is good to believe one is a millionaire.

Yesterday's millionaires drove big Mercedes and stayed in big landed properties and live a different lifestyle.

When is George Yeo going to be appointed Chairman?

The affable George Yeo, the intellectual of the PAP, is quitting politics for good with his stepping down as advisor to the Aljunid GRC. Though he is still very comfortable financially, and has a life long million dollar pension, it will be a waste of his talent if he is not appointed to some of the big jobs when talent is so short here.

Many yodas have been recycled year after year and holding many chairmanship positions. Some even being recalled regularly when the lack of talent younger generation CEOs were found hopeless in crisis management. George’s experience should come in very handy especially when he is still a young man.

When is George Yeo going to be appointed as Chairman of some GLC or Temasek companies?

We also contribute to your economy….

Might as well say we are here to help you Singaporeans. Without us foreign talents, Singapore will go down to the third world. Then I will say, good, then you will wait for us at your door, in your third world, to welcome us.

We have heard some foreigners are unhappy with the property curbs. And they are claiming credit to help our economy and demanding that they should be treated favourably. Now where did these foreigners got this silly idea from, that they are here to help us and we owe them a living?

Did they not forget that it is here that they have the best opportunity to earn a decent living, some even making it rich, and being very well treated? They should be kneeling down on both knees and say thank you to the Sin govt. The average Singaporeans are not too keen for their presence and would want to get rid of them soonest possible. If they can find a better place elsewhere, or can do better elsewhere, would they be here?

Time to dispel this silly myth that the foreigners are here to help us and Sinkies have to go down on their knees to serve them, yes masters! Our apologies that you are disappointed with us. Please go somewhere that you don't have to be disappointed. Maybe can go home first, where you won't be disappointed.

A right policy will be well accepted

Has the govt came out with any policy recently that is tough but willingly accepted by all parties, including those that were targeted by the policy? The latest curb on property speculation is one of those rare policies that can be classified as tough and good. The affected parties, particularly the foreign speculators knew that the game is up. They have no rights to complain, neither do they have the right to speculate properties at the expense of the citizens. That is another story of a flawed policy.

The developers quietly resigned to the fact that it has to come. Anyway they have built in all the profit margin and the only thing that would affect them is lesser profit. They are not going to lose money or any sleep. They had a good time over the last 10 years with very good profit. So it is time for a break and a deserving holiday.

Local speculators may grumble a little but they would find other places to speculate and make money with their money. Some interest and money may go back to shore up a dying stock market.

For Singaporeans who are genuine buyers of a home, the relief is welcomed though a bit late. Better late than never. But more needs to be done to protect them from paying a ransom for a home that they need simply to live.

As for the rest of the Singaporeans, the only thing that may matter is that the paper gain from their properties will slide down a little, but of no significance. And some may change tack and instead of property prices are affordable, they may claim that property prices are cheap. Both positions are simply silly as the base has changed.

Property prices are still far too high for living and still not affordable to many. It is only cheap for the speculators. The illusion of wealth of living in a $1m flat is just an illusion. When the flat costs $30k, $300k or $1m, if it is the only asset to live in, it is better to be cheaper than more expensive. And don’t have to worry about paying higher property tax that is based on rental income that is irrelevant to the ordinary citizens.

There is a need for more pro people policies and policies that would not draw curses at the policy makers. This is one such policy that no one will curse at Boon Wan other than a few late speculators.

Getting to be more like Malaysia

Several years back there was a property boom in Johore. The developers built and built, huge estates of landed properties for sale at a fraction of the price in Singapore. See also salivate. Many Singaporeans went in to buy and buy. Then the citizens complained. Singaporeans buying up everything and pushing up the cost of living.

Suddenly new regulations came out on ownership and stamp duties. The property boom collapsed as Singaporeans could not buy anymore. Property developers also went kaput.

Familiar story that is being repeated here. Why let the situation gets so bad before doing something drastic?

China must prepare for war

When the mad man is broke, and agitating for war, China has to be more alert and prepare for war. After starting wars and fighting wars for the last 5 decades, and impoverished a great nation, the richest nation the world has ever seen, America is now under a mountain of debt. And the debt keeps piling up daily with more expenses for war. And war is the only business that America is hoping to keep its economy running.

Imagine if America had not embarked on this unending adventurism and destruction and killing of other nationals, America would still be the richest and most powerful nation on earth. It is still the most powerful nation on earth, but no longer the richest, maybe looking to be the poorest. But they are optimistic, and leaders of their allied countries are saying kind words to them. So are the Americans themselves, that they will come back stronger and richer.

The stark reality is saying otherwise. For instead of rebuilding its economy, it is still relentlessly pursuing wars everywhere. The next target, China, is going to be very costly. It is still hammering at China’s door. It is asking China to tell them all its military secrets. Is America willing to tell China all its military secrets?

It continues to pressure its crony allies to provoke China, in the East China Sea, in the South China Sea. Chinese fishermen are fair game to be arrested by the Navies of Japan, South Korea and the Philippines.

Hu Jin Tao has responded with unflinching words, that China must prepare for war. Its naval forces must armed and equipped itself for imminent war with the Empire. The Empire may continue to send its cronies to provoke China. There must be a time when the limit is crossed and China needs to kick asses. As a major power, it cannot be provoked or harassed continuously by pesky little countries. China must carry the big stick and use it when the pests come too close.

And it is a matter of time before China tells the US to get lost and stand up to fight for its rights. It is very important that before it does so, that its military is strong enough to take on the Empire. It has to, and it is only a matter of when.

Leave it to the Malaysians

As I was pondering over how Iskandar Economic Zone could rival Singapore and turn Johore into a blooming state with all the vibrancy that this island wants, the Malaysian govt just threw a spanner into the works. Instead of facilitating travel between the two states a breeze, they are going to raise toll fees into and out of Johore. And it is reported that the increase is 6 times the current rate. There you have it.

So, will more Singaporeans go over? Or will the cost of doing business going to be cheaper? Actually still cheaper because of the exchange rate. But it won’t be long when more and more cost are added into it.

Are we chasing the high net worth foreigners away?

The best indicator of whether more foreigners are coming is the MRT. Just take the train regularly and you can feel and sense whether there are more or less foreigners in the country. These few weeks I have noticed an exceptionally higher presence of foreigners in the train. They are all over you, front, back, left and right. And the whole train smells.

I only wish the ladies will wear a little more fragrance to make the air more pleasant. Maybe they have given up hope as the smell is so over powering that their expensive fragrance may lose out to the competition.

And yes, there are more foreigners, the foreigner workers, not the foreign PMETs. They used to be a lot of time. But lately the trend is changing.
And with the surprise this morning, yes, surprise, hike in stamp fees for property speculations, the high end foreigners may also move out. No more money to make from the Sinkies. Yes, whenever some speculators, local or foreigners make money from speculating properties, someone loses. Who is that someone? No prize for getting the right answer.

The net losers in the property speculation game are the Singaporeans. Other than the property speculators, there is another big winner, or two actually. The developers and one more, this one cannot mention mah. Can only guess.

Why do we want more foreigners to speculate properties and in the process Singaporeans ended the big loser, holding the baby? The same rationale applies to the stock market. Why allow all the big funds to come here and clean up the market with their super computers? Whose money is being swept away? What is the net gain for their presence? Or what is the net loss for their presence, big funds speculating in the stock market and the rich foreigners speculating in the property market?

Oh yes, more vibrancy, more oomphs, a vibrant financial centre. Who is paying for it? I simple minded, only want to know at the end of the day, is it a gain or a loss to the country and people?

A dull Sinkie joke

This joke will always make a come back whenever there is a price hike in public service. For so many years whenever the public transport operators announced a fare increase, you will hear Sinkies saying it is okay if the service is improved. And if this logic holds true, the service quality of our public transport must be better than any premium services in the whole world. But the sad truth is that the service quality will remain the same everytime. Any improvement will be cosmetic and will not last more than a few weeks.

Now we are looking at the impending taxi fare hike next week and some Sinkies are already bring this joke back. They would not mind if the fare hike will also mean better service. And this joke will be the joke of the town until next week, then forgotten till the next fare hike.

When has any fare hike or salary increase brought about improvement in the quality of services? Even when people got million dollar pay hike, the quality of service is still the same or may even get worst. Sinkies better get use to this joke and acknowledge that it is just a joke.

The only one that is serious in making people pay more for better services or quality is Vivian Balakrishnan. Recently he is calling for the upgrading of professionalism in hawkers. See, improve, be more professional, these must come first. Then when the quality and services are better, the announcement for higher prices will be accepted willingly. This is a big deviation from the norm, that high prices mean high quality.

But this time the official reason is higher cost. Nothing to do with quality of service. And the increasing demand of taxi services due to increasing population, which should translate into more income, is not even talked about.

I must say that Vivian got it right this time. Improve first and price hike later. As for the dull Sinkie joke, I am wondering whether the joke is dull or the Sinkies are dull. I know Sinkies are famed for being daft.

Taxi fare hike hots up

It is unusual for a small fare hike to generate so much heat. When comparing to the fares in big cities like New York or London or Paris, or Tokyo, the taxi fares here are too cheap. It can go up another few notches to be in the league with the big cities. We are now the 6th most expensive cities in Asia which is still too far to claim the top position. We need to work harder to be at the top.

So what is all the hooha about the taxi fare hike? Cost of living has gone up, property prices, car prices, diesel prices, and the taxi drivers need to get some pay increases as well. When people earning millions of dollars are not satisfied and wanting more increases, it is only natural that the taxi drivers should want to earn more as well. They may not be thinking of another private property or upgrading to private properties, but the cost of a public flat is no longer that cheap anymore, but of course mah, still affordable.

Let’s not begrudge the taxi drivers from wanting to earn more income to support their families. But the way they went about it may cause some concern. The Competition Commission of Singapore has raised its sensors when ComfortDelgro opening called for other taxi operators to join in the fare hike. It is lucky that they made it an open call for fare increase. If they have done it quietly, it will become price collusion or price fixing. An open call is not price collusion or price fixing. They are safe and not violating any laws.

Some taxi operators are itching under the pants. Who would not want to raise the fare and bring more money home? It will be very tough for any operator not do follow suit.

Would it be too much to ask for to expect a few operators to hold their fares and refuse to join the hike? Actually it will be a big boost for all the operators not to go along and the passengers would have an easy choice to make when calling for taxis. They could all boycott, okay boycott is not a good word to use, they could all call for other taxis except those from ComfortDelgro. In this way, they need not pay more while the other taxi operators will enjoy at least a doubling of income when the demand for their cabs goes up immediately.

We have never seen such competition in practice in a free market situation. With limited number of operators, it is difficult to prevent collusion or monopoly of fare prices. This current fare hike is a great opportunity for the taxi industry to try to do what is best for them and their customers and allow free market forces to be in play. Alternative political parties may want to chip in to support a system where the fare structure is different for different operators. Nevermind the argument that everyone must follow the same system and structure so as not to confuse customers.

At this point in time, the customers are used to the present system and announcing that they will stick to the present system will not confuse anyone. The only customers that will be confused will be those taking ComfortDelgro and faced with the new system.

The ball is now in the court of the smaller taxi operators. They could go it on their own and claim a bigger market share. This time the market share will be big without them having to do anything. I say, give the customers a chance to have different fare structure and different fares.

Be loyal to your customers and think of their interests and their pockets.
By not hiking their fares, their income will still go up if the loyal customers and new customers choose not to call ComfortDelgro cabs. But the price is that they would be working harder as the demand will definitely be very high. I will definitely go for the other operators when there is a choice.

It's business and fair competition in practice. Go for it man, get your market share and a bigger piece of the pie, and win more goodwill from the grateful customers. The customers will definitely remember and reward the taxi operators for not hiking fares at a time like this.

The Americans are coming to save Asians

The Americans are coming to Asia to lead the Asians to a better future. Asia is where they belonged. They have never left. If you stand at Changi Point and squint your eyes a little, you may be able to see LA at the horizon. Bangkok or Jakarta would probably be too far away.

This morning when I read Tommy Koh’s address to the Japanese on how peaceful and how welcomed the Americans are, I feel that I must be pretty naïve, or I am suffering from dementia. It is more a combination of both, really.

The Americans are like Asians on the other side of the Pacific Ocean. And they have been bringing peace to Asia for the last 70 years since the end of World War II. When the Koreans and Vietnamese were trying to start another big world war, it was the Americans who came in to defeat them and bring peace to East Asia. Otherwise the region will be marred in unceasing conflicts among the belligerent regional states.

The great deeds of the Americans can best be seen in the Middle East. Look, they have brought peace to Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Libya. Now that their job is done in that region, it is the turn of the Asians to receive the American blessing.

And the Asean countries are opening their arms widely to receive the Great White Hope, to emancipate them from poverty, war, dictatorship and authoritarian regimes. The Philippines, Vietnam and Indonesia are feasting the President like a Hollywood star. They were all gaga where he graced the Asean summit with his imposing presence. Without him, the Asean summit would have been meaningless, leaderless.

And India too would be flipping over with the sight of the Americans. The President even goaded the Australians to sell uranium to India, the first beneficiary of the American generosity, for peace of course.

The next great blessing coming the Asian way will be the Trans Pacific Pact to replace the FTAAP. The later is moribund, ineffective without the great leadership from America. And who says the TPP was an American concoction? It was launched by Chile, New Zealand and Singapore. The Americans just assumed leadership and make it better, that’s all.

And it has absolutely nothing about containing China. China is not excluded from joining. It can invite itself in on condition that all the members agree to accept its membership just like when China tried to join WTO. Nothing unusual, nothing of the sort like containing China. Please do not read too much into this kind of arrangement.

The Americans will lead the region to prosperity and peace with more cheap American goods to go around. Chinese cheap goods are of poorer quality and manufactured from exploitation of its own labour and abusing human rights and should be excluded.

The Americans are in the region to share power with the Chinese. But China’s entry into TPP would have to be blessed by the Americans. Oops, not really, but by all the members of the Pact. The Americans have no more use of their military forces in the peaceful Middle East they have left behind and would probably deployed these peaceful soldiers to the western Pacific Region for peace and stability. The first beneficiary of this peaceful gesture is Australia where the first consignment of troops will be stationed. But the 2,500 marines would be too small a force to maintain peace. The Asian nations will have to wait for the full deployment of the American main forces with its HQ likely to be in the Philippines or Vietnam, for a better guarantee of peace in the region. Without the presence of American troops in the region there can never be peace.

Remember the Korean War and the Vietnam War? It was the presence of American troops that brought peace to these two countries.

My apologies for the incoherent grumbling. I am just too naïve to see the goodness of the Americans in the region. The ineffective regional associations like Asean and FTAAP should make way for new associations led by the able leadership of America. Only then can this region live in peace and prospers. Please forgive me as I also have a bit of dementia and my views are pretty childish at times. You can be nicer to me by calling me innocent. But I must say that with the return of America to the region, good times are coming.

The Philippines, Indians and Vietnamese are celebrating. Of course Australia, Japan and South Koreans will feel more secure and more Asians. Not sure about the rest of Asean and China.

About time to switch from cars to taxis

The charges for taxis will be going up next week. ComfortDelgro, the biggest taxi operator, has just announced the price hike, for good reasons. Cost of diesel, cars etc have been going up. Also, taxi operators need a pay rise too with the high cost of living. And demand is getting stronger with bigger population and more tourists coming in. I agree that these are all good reasons for a price hike.

And comfort is asking the other taxi operators to follow their footstep, to raise their fares. This is nothing to do with anti competition or collusion to fix prices. The other operators have a right to do otherwise.

With the higher fares being charge, it is expected that some of those who cannot afford the hike will have to take buses or trains. I will wait for another few more hikes to make it a bit pricier so that only dignified people can afford to take taxis. Then I will give up my car and switch to taxis when taking taxi becomes a dignified affair.

Minus one zero from your Sing dollar

Singaporeans are feeling rich with high property value and high salary. If you compare the wealth of Singaporeans today and 30 years ago, Singaporeans are generally better off, richer, with more asset value to their credit. And the smarter and more talented ones are richer than their counterparts in the past beyond words.

Yes everyone is getting richer, but the real wealth or value is about one zero less from what they have. The real value of a 5 rm today is really the same value of a 5 rm flat yesterday, with a little enhancement. A $500k flat is actually the same $50k or $30k flat then. And only half life left.

An income of $5k is really $500 then. That is the real value of our money’s worth. There are certain items where the prices are about the same as in the past, some may even be cheaper. But for many things, the prices have gone up by more than 100%.

A 10c cup of kopi is $1. A 30c bowl of noodle is $4. A car of $10k is $100k. A flat of $30k is more than $300k.

In order to maintain the same level of living, one should rightly be earning 10 times the income 30 years ago, ie $1000 income should be $10k income. Today this is achieved in quite a number of households by adding two incomes together. While in the past, it was quite reasonable for an average worker to earn $1k. Today, to make $5k is not that easy really and to take home $10k by an employee is quite exceptional, unless one becomes an MP.

So, is it reasonable to say that our real money value compares to 30 years ago is less 10% of the face value? It is actually much lesser. One can’t even buy a decent HDB flat with $400k from the resale market when $40k could get one a semi D then.

There is no need to officially remove one zero from our paper currency yet. Pray that there will not come a day when a few zeros need to be written off. The Americans and Europeans are actually writing one zero off now without saying so.

New opportunities in hawking

Raising standards of hawkers is a good thing and offers many opportunities for more economic activities and economic growth. The first thing is to set up a culinary school for hawkers, give it a good branding and French men may come here to take lessons too. Make sure the fee is high and at the end of the course, give a nicely printed Diploma on a nice shit of paper.
The next money making opportunity for the hawkers is to raise the price. The customers can’t expect to pay $4/$5 for a plate of quality char kway teow prepared by chef from our culinary school right? The hawker chefs will definitely be preparing better quality food in hawker centres and food courts and the customers will definitely be happy with better quality food. No doubt about it.
Actually there is another way to make easy money in hawking, and no need to work so hard. Just get a hawker stall and sublet it to the hawker chefs and sit back to collect $10k or more rents. This is the clever way of earning big money without having to sweat the small stuff.
Next development will be making fishmongers, butchers and vegetable sellers more professional, and upgrade smelly wet market to clean air conditioned market. The quality of life must improve and we cannot go on and on with wet and dirty markets. They can join the hawkers and call themselves PMETs. This is upgrading definitely.

Are you glad that lease buy back scheme is extended to 4 and 5 rm flats?

Some people are glad that this scheme is extended to them so that they can sell their flats away and live on the proceeds till they die. Come with nothing go with nothing. I think they are all Buddhist or are living out the philosophy of Buddhism. And probably these people may also be those with no children to want to hand something down to them. Or maybe they have lived a dignified lifestyle, financially independent of their children and there is no obligation or attachment to want to do something kind to their children.

Or maybe family and kinship are no longer relevant or important in the culture of Singaporeans. So everyone is independent, no emotional attachment, no sentiments. They may want to die in some foreign land and would not care less if their children or relations will be present or absent at their last days or last rites.

Of course many probably understand that by the time they hit old age, they will be so broke, for one reason or another, that the only thing they can fall back on is their little flat to see them through the last years. Just pray that they do not need to be hospitalised or the little flat would not be enough to pay for the hospital bills. Or if enough, they would not have a lease buy back to fall back on anymore.

It reminds me of fate of living in smaller space. Eventually it is not unforeseeable that each Sinkie will have a space as big as those in the mortuary. And they will say no choice if we want economic growth and a better quality of life. They forfeited the right to think, to ask themselves if this is what they want, if there is an alternative, or if other people’s choice is The Choice and they cannot do anything about it.

Another good catch for Singapore

Botanic Garden has appointed a Briton as the head of the
Garden after an international search. With his reputation as head of the fame Kew Garden in London, his credential is unmatched by any Singaporean. With this move to search the international arena for the best talents to help Singapore to become a betterer country in everything, it is a matter of time before they go on an international search for the Prime Minister’s post. They may also look into the position of the President. George Bush is here, and they may want to sound him out if he is interested. We can’t have these high profile positions filled by nerdy looking candidates.

We have sent so many students to the best universities in the west to learn from the best. Many would have studied in the same university as the newly appointed director. Why is it that he is betterer than all the best Sinkies we have? Did they keep a few secret chapters to themselves and would not teach foreign students so as to maintain their higher level of competence? I don’t think that is the case.

I think it is in the blood. The Westerners have good genes, genes that will automatically put them as choiced CEOs. Even if they are educated in their worst neighbourhood university, they will still look like a leader and will be hunted down by international search firms for countries that lack leaders, like Singapore.

Should the govt continue to send coolie children to the great universities of the West when they will still return looking every inch a coolie, no leadership quality? I think a better option would be to breed them. Take our best and marry the best of the Westerners. Then maybe there will be hope that the new Sinkies would be of leadership material to lead our national institutions, and looking every inch like an angmoh, suave, refined, handsome and six feet tall.

The robbers are complaining

This world is getting crazy. The robbers that are fleecing the consumers by selling them highly priced items are complaining that no one is allowed to sell items priced lower than them. The Americans are threatening sanction against China for selling solar energy equipment at a cheaper price than them. This is a new kind of crime as it deprives them of higher profit by selling goods at higher prices.

Should not the Americans and the world be thankful that China could produce things cheaply and sell them cheaply as well? Anyway this international robber has had it so good for so long that he is now up in arms and threatening everyone with sanction for not getting his way, to rob.

Yes, sanction is the only word that the Americans knew. Who was that woman that professed that the Americans would not resort to coercion or threats against other countries? White lie! No, no, she is saying white truth.

And the Latin American countries, including the Caribbean countries, all 33 countries, are going to form their own economic association, not military alliance, and will exclude the US and Canada. Yes man, the Americans and the Canadians will be left out in the cold. They are smart enough not to allow them to muscle in to be the leader by coercion.

At least the Latin Americans are smarter and could get their acts together, to do what they think is best for themselves. They want to decide what is best for them and not be dictated by the Americans.

Would the stupid Asians and Africans learn to be wiser? Afraid not, with the Philippines behaving like a super power, happily arresting Chinese fishermen and thinking that China would not dare to kick their asses. And with kind of provocation by a pest, and if China reacts, the gangster will march and all the western media will cry out at the same time, that China is being assertive, bullying a pesky little country like the Philippines. And all the silly Asian countries will believe, and pretend to be in fear.

Anyway, with the unthinking Asians and Africans, it is their fate to be ruled by the Americans and to be led into another war among themselves. I just hope and pray that President Chavez of Venezuela will not be assassinated by the drug lords. Of course it will be done by the drug lords, NEVER will the Americans assassinate another country’s president. They are just so peace loving, and always use diplomacy and peaceful negotiations to settle international relations issues. No, they don’t even use threats or coercion.

No wonder the Asean countries are so happy to embrace the Americans to be the leader of Asean.