Learn from the Americans

America is today the most productive country in the world. And they are now the richest. They can actually buy up the whole world if they wanted to. Just a few weeks back they just printed for themselves US$600b to spend. I think with that kind of money the Americans could have bought up all our properties in the market. And if they print more, they could buy up the whole island. This is the most ingenious way of making money. No need to work, no need to sweat, no need to play tricks in the stock market, no need to devise toxic bonds, no need to go to war. Countries around the world should learn from the Americans and start printing. And with the hot cash, they can go anywhere and buy up everything. Singapore is for sale, all the properties up for grabs. No problem even if we sell our 3 rm HDB flats for $1m. There will be limitless amount of money available to buy them. All Singaporeans can sell their flats and price them more than a million, 2 or 3 million should be no problem too. Just sell and exchange them for the hot and easy money. Oops, heard someone said don't sell. Why not? So much money for the grabs. Oh, just one point, one plate of chicken rice will now cost $300! And our ministers will ask to increase their salaries to $100m. How else would they be able to afford anything when prices of everything is up and up. It will be like the Japanese Occupation time. People will go marketing carrying a basket of banana currency notes. Today they may use the trolleys for the new notes. On second thought, better don't sell your property. It will become priceless at the way things are going.

No apologies for Choenan

President Lee Myung Bak of South Korea is not demanding an apology from the North for the resumption of nuclear disarmament talks. Is this an appeasement, a back tracking, a concession or what? The South has accused the North for killing its sailors. The North must not take this accusation lightly. It must take the case to the UN to demand a thorough investigation for the murdering of South Korean soldiers. It must clear its name or the world and silly South Koreans will think that the North is guilty. Push for an investigation now, and if found innocent, demand an apology from the South, especially from Lee Myung Bak. This is the least that the North Koreans should do, after being falsely accused of murder. If they are not careful, this will be used as an excuse like WMD to invade the North. See that justice is done, to the dead soldiers of the South Korean Navy. The families of the dead soldiers must equally demand for an impartial investigation to the killling. An independent investigation board approved by the families and the North Koreans should be set up under a neutral body under the UN supervision. The South Koreans and Americans involved in the last investigation should be excluded from this independent board of investigators. The South Koreans need to know the truth for the killing of their own people. The North Koreans need to clear its name from being accused as murderers. Do not let this matter rests as it is now. The killers must be dugged out from wherever they are hiding.

Boulders versus pearls

It is quite amusing reading Ravi Velloor’s article in the ST today. The world’s number one gangster went on a world tour to rope in the gangsters to contain the rise of China. On the other hand China was kept busy building ports and signing up commercial contracts with countries around the world. For that, China was described as a rogue and the gangsters anything but rogues. So who are the real rogues, someone trying to do business or someone signing military alliances? But the description of boulders to block pearls is most appropriate, rough and tough gangsters, in the form of boulders, blocking the way of business men doing their business. And India is the most willing of all the boulders to gang up with the evil Empire. It has its own strategic interests and wild ambition to be a world power other than the number one power in the Indian Ocean. Japan and South Korea could be taken for granted as they are mere semi colonies of the Empire. Ravi was also optimistic that Russia and Myanmar would fall in line to be proxies of the evil Empire. Would these two countries be so foolish to become the tools of the evil Empire and got dragged into a hostile conflict to serve the Empire? He should count another willing gangster in Vietnam to join the gang. Indonesia has wisely stayed clear of big power rivalry and choosing its own path of independence and neutrality. It is comfortable being the big brother of Asean. Only foolish rogue nations would gang up to threaten other countries in a pack. Birds of the same feather flock together. PS. Logging in from a laptop seems ok.

We cannot discriminate against foreigners

There is this very interesting article by a Christine Chan in the ST forum today, titled ‘We don’t have the right’. We don’t have the right to do what? She said we don’t have the right to ban foreign workers from the casinos nor can the govt imposed levies for them to enter the casinos like Singaporeans. Doing such things ‘would result in unfair discrimination against foreign workers’. But it is ‘fair and justifiable application of the law’ to impose entrance fees levied against Singaporeans and PRs. KNN, I am now scratching my head sore and the few strands of hair left could be no more. Imposing entrance levies against Singaporeans is fair and against foreign workers is discrimination? Really ah! Where does this Christine Chan coming from? I hope her view is a personal one. Using her logic, I think we cannot ban foreigners from chewing gums. It will be discriminatory too. What else we can’t impose on foreigners? Oh foreigners can smoke anywhere, can litter or break any law right? If in our country we can have laws applied on our citizens and the same laws cannot be applied to foreigners, now what kind of logic is that?

Caught off guard again?

There were no crimes in my ward, or at least until yesterday. The men in blue launched a big operation and netting about 50 gangsters. Now the ministry is talking about studying, reviewing and revamping the criminal laws against teens and gangsters. At least something good comes out from the recent spate of gangsterism. Everyone suddenly found that they have work to do. But it would be better if they were more proactive and nipped the problem in the bud before it exploded in the face. Maybe the word 'proactive' has long been thrown into the longkangs. So, arresting 50 or 60 gangsters is enough? No more gangsters in the street? Low crime doesn't mean no crimes. A little crime is unavoidable and can be lived with? Is there a need to fester out all the vermins once and for all? What about the bigger animals? Just like the loan sharks, we are seeing only the little dogs and cats being caught. The big ones are so elusive and impossible to be caught. Cutting the lallangs without pulling out the roots will only see it grow again.

The unlikely reaction to QE2

Much as the Americans may want to think that the whole world is made up of ignorant fools, and they can keep on printing money on worthless pieces of paper for as much as they like, the Quantitative Easing2 is triggering a reaction from around the world that could lead to a backlash of unimaginable proportion. While MNCs took a whole year to earn a couple of billions, the Fed just printed $600 b for its own use. No need to work or sweat. Step aside hedge funds, loan sharks, pirates, robbers, con men, and bankers. The Fed can make more money and easier than all of you combined. The world is looking at this QE2 in shock and awe. Even Germany, a hardcore ally of the US could not believe it and had come out openly to criticize this move. Unwittingly, the QE2 has aligned the forces of the world against the US, an unpredictable reaction. They are all going to lock out American dollars from their economies, maybe abandoning it. And the consequences of such a world reaction can be deadly for the US. The banana currency is ripening and will soon become thrash. The nightmare is just beginning for the Americans and their evil Empire. Will it disintegrate?

LKY is indispensable to Singapore

On his second appearance after his recent bereavement for his late wife, LKY is in the thick of action again. This time he is calling for the healthcare industry to innovate to reduce cost and improve the quality of healthcare. We can soon expect more innovations in the healthcare industry and probably lowering of cost, a serious problem that no one can solve. And when it does happen, the people have only LKY to thank for. It will be good if he says something about gangsterism and to stop this plague before it gets worst. And the property owners can relax knowing that their property prices can only go up with him around. I am really worried how Singapore will be without him.

The waning of an evil Empire

Three failures marked the Asian tour of Obama and Hilary. They had some success in India with offers of more biz and an UN Security Council seat dangling at the end of the stick. And India was salivating. The Security Council seat is nothing but a red herring as the US knows that China or Russia will definitely veto it. In Indonesia, it was just testing water as the fear of a muslim state is apparent. Other than promises, nothing tangible came out of it. The Indonesians too are conscious of the US intent and are wary of being dragged into the bigger evil scheme precipitating in conflict and disorder. Asean too gave a slap to Hilary by sanctioning the election in Myanmar. And with China taking the same stand as Asean, it became a left and a right slap. It must be very disappointing after painting Myanmar in thick black to see Asean and China saying otherwise. The third defeat was in the APEC Summit when nothing came out in favour of the Americans. Increase protectionism and the attack on Chinese Yuan no longer receive support from other nations. Both were not seen as worthy causes for support. A strong Chinese Yuan would mean higher cost and higher price for Chinese products which the rest of the world, including American citizens will have to pay. And it will do nothing to help unemployment and trade imbalances. The real problem is cheaper labour cost and infrastructure cost in China. When the Chinese workers are prepared to eat less and live simply, and produce more, no amount of currency manipulation can turn that around to favour the US. The US must reexamine itself and its belligerent policies towards other nations. They cannot impose leadership on the rest of the world when it can’t even solve its own domestic problems. And no country will want to be embroiled in warfare at the beck and call of the evil Empire.

Shorten talk time in Parliament

Some people are unhappy with the proposed shortening of talk time for MPs in Parliament. 30 min is considered too long and the new limit is 20 min. Consider the fact that there are 84 MPs and if each takes up 30 min for each issue, then Parliament can go on and on and MPs and ministers will not have time to do their work. Maybe that is the reason why some MPs find it difficult to attend Parliament. Shortening of talk time is good and we may have full attendance when MPs know that the session will be short and sharp. After all, how much time is needed to ask question and read prepared answers? I think the time can be further shortened as time is precious. The Ministers and MPs have many important works to do and too much talking can be wasteful. Shorter talk time will mean that every parliamentarian will have to be precise in what they say. Productivity and efficiency in parliament will definitely go up in all areas.

Doing away with exam results for school admission

I read an article by Kelvin Teo in NewAsiaRepublic blog calling for the doing away with exam results for school admission. He mentioned many good points about how the over emphasis on exam results may not be producing leaders with a heart or caring for the people. And of course all the fears and pressure of examinations. He also cited the doing away of school ranking as a move in the right direction after parental protest that ranking is bad. In the same vein, grading is equally bad. I must say that it is a revolutionary idea and worth thinking about. Let’s do away with all examinations or have examinations without results. Then we can remove all the ills and apprehension of parents and students. And no one can go around bragging about getting straight As and looking down on those who got straight Cs or worst. The parents and children will be most pleased. And we can advance every student to the university as universities too will have no exam results to base on for student admission. And when there are too many students applying for tertiary education, there are many well tested means to award places. Balloting is a good idea, fairly easy to use. A kind of COE, certificate of education, can be introduced and parents can bid for them for admission to tertiary institutions. Or a quota system, based on whatever criteria of race, language or religion, or parental status can be considered. One thing for sure, foreign universities will be out of the picture as they will likely to continue to look at exam results which our students by then would not have. But never mind. Make sure our tertiary institutions are ranked number 1 to 4 in the world ranking and our students need not bother to go overseas for their education. The more I write, the more brilliant this idea appears to be. I think I am now convinced that we don’t need school examinations at all.

The best thing coming out from the SGX/ASX saga

In Singapore, whatever argument that the govt used must be right. The critics may disagree, but so what? If the govt says that it has nothing to do with Temasek or GIC, that becomes the gospel truth. If the govt says that there is no conflict of interest, there is no conflict of interest. If the govt says Temasek and GIC are independent commercial entities, they must be. Questioning the logic is like questioning the integrity of the govt. When Singapore bought into Thailand’s telecom company, the Thais opposed the deal, citing Singapore’s govt involvement. Of course the Singapore govt’s argument was that it was strictly a business deal and had nothing to do with it. The Thais didn’t buy it. Now come the SGX/ASX deal and the same criticism from the foreigners, and the same defense from the Singapore argument. The foreigners are not going to buy our logic or be easily convinced. They are going to tear everything apart and put them under scrutiny. Arguments that are seemingly sound and right to Singaporeans are not going to be so in the eyes of a different foreign party. How so, aren’t the arguments factual and correct? We may have the MM and PM as Chairman and Deputy Chairman of GIC or other senior govt ministers or officials in Temasek or SGX, but these organisations are run independently of the govt. Can’t the foreigners see this and accept this simple truth? The point is that the foreigners are not going to accept this simple logic just because our govt says so. They are not Singaporeans.

40 gangsters arrested in new swoop

The men in blue has swung into action and netted another 40 gangsters following the public outcry for action. Given the right order, they can really do a good job. But 40 is too small a number to cheer about. There could be another 400 or 4000 on the loose. What else can the men in blue do to make sure that their message gets through and those still out of the net know that it is time to behave and not to create more trouble for good? I think the best thing to do is to pull in another few hundred and throw them into an uninhabited island to fend for themselves. And everyday just provide enough food for half of them. After 3 months the survival, if there is any, can then be received for an indefinite stay in the freehold bungalow estate in Changi. The thing is that while the men in blue are working overtime to bring in more of the gangsters, the latter may be planning more strikes to prove that they are indefeatable. We will have to wait and see. If the story of the loan sharks is anything to go by, you can bet that the next series of attacks could be worse.

American trade deficit game is simply brilliant

The American trade deficit with China not only works to its benefit, but is also intentional and planned. An illustration of how this works by using the latest issue of US$600b may help to make the game plan clearer. US$600b can buy a lot of stuff especially from China where the cost of goods is very cheap. Think of what the Americans could buy with that kind of money. All the goods made in China ended in America to be enjoyed by the Americans. The Chinese ended with US$600b of paper notes in exchange. The Chinese could go to America with the same money to buy American products. The American will sell some to them, say US$100b. So China ended up a trade surplus of US$500b. Looks pretty good. But what can China do with this money if it can’t buy things from the Americans? The US$500b becomes money on paper but worthless in real terms. To continue to deceive the Chinese, the Americans told the Chinese that they could buy American Treasury Notes or IOUs which pays a good interest rate. The US$500b will then be returned to the Americans in exchange for another form of worthless notes. The Americans do not mind paying whatever interest as it will be a small fraction of the US$500b. When the Treasury Notes or IOUs are due, the Americans will sell the Chinese more notes or IOUs a second time and on and on. In effective or real terms, the Americans are printing money to buy real goods from the Chinese, and the more the better, and all they have to pay are worthless notes worth the weight of the piece of paper it printed on. And the Chinese can only look at their monthly statements showing how much the Americans owed them, and they can smile and smile and smile. That is about all they benefit from the exchange. Now comes the best part. The Americans can then accuse the Chinese for chalking huge surpluses or imbalance of trade. And the fault is with the Chinese. The Chinese is causing the problem, selling more and buying less. In the meantime the Americans got to enjoy all the goodies the Chinese produced while the Chinese got useless paper notes in the bank accounts, and cannot translate them into real stuff.

How much do we care for this country?

When Lim Zi Rui questioned the meaning of defending this country, it startled Chok Tong. But that was about as far as it went. After that things get back to normal. Who really cares about what they are defending or what this country is all about? Then we have the spate of gangland attacks in the heartland with one young man died and several got slashed. There were some murmurs in the internet but not enough. Even in my blog there were less than 50 comments on this issue. What does it mean to this nation? At the govt level, the only one that showed some anger to the break down of law and order, to some it is not really anything serious, is Alvin Yeo. Hardly anyone else talks about it. Some were heard saying, no leh, such things never happen leh. The denial is clear, but not important. Why is there so much apathy when mobs ran riot with weapons to attack the young in the heartland? Is it that everyone is so complacent, or so busy making money, not my business, or is it that nobody cares? There seems to be a lack of ownership, that this is home, our country. Now it is perhaps just another place. At least 50% of the residents will think this way as they are foreigners with no stakes here. They will pack up and leave sooner or later. But the people, the citizens, who are long term residents here must be provoked to say something or do something if they regard this place as home. 45 years of nation building has resulted in such apathy and with the young soul searching on why they need to defend this place is worrisome. We don't need one person to jump up from his grave when things are wrong in the country. We need all the citizens to jump up from their graves when things are getting wrong. Perhaps that is expecting too much. One man doing that is good enough.

The attack on the World's financial system has begun

The Americans have launched the biggest and most vicious attack to the world's financial system with special focus on Asian countries. An endless flow of funds are pumped into Asia, superficially as investment, but with the potential of destroying all the Asian economies if they are not careful. Cheap hot money in abundance does not come in with no strings attached. The worst part is that they are managed by funds that can bring down the financial system of any country. It is no simple innocent investment. It is a concerted assault on the Asian economy and financial system. Asian countries must take immediate actions to curb and restrict how these funds are to be used or invested. The stock market, currency market and housing market are the most vulnerable as they are liquid and allow the funds to come in and out quickly, leaving behind destructions and death. Asia beware! If they are stupid they will be ruined. No bullets need to be fired but the damage could be worst than military warfare.

25 arrested by Police

Police took tough actions to tackle the spate of gangland violence with 25 men arrested yesterday. 6 were in connection with the Bukit Panjang attacks and 19 were supporters of another suspect facing charges for the killing of Darren Ng in Downtown East. How many more need to be put behind bars before some sanity can return to the ground? At the moment youth counsellors are suggesting that children play in safer areas like youth centres instead of basket courts in HDB estate. Now, isn't this alarming, when HDB parks and recreation areas are now considered not too safe? And the charges in court also revealed that these mobsters are part of the loan shark army and have been harrassing the debtors with paints probably burning of cars too. Putting one and one together, the problem is much bigger and more serious than we think. Loan sharks and gangsters are now a team. So what? The days are getting darker again if darkness is not removed and allowed to proliferate. Be nicer to loan sharks and mobsters?

Police brutality

Subject: Brutal Assault... After An Accident and our police...see for yourself Click on Youtube link and see your beloved 1Malaysia and Malaysia Boleh what it has turned in to. This is what I call a "civil" society turning in to a jungle for animals. Judge for yourself what was the Police trying to do or rather did they tried to do anything to stop the assault going on!!!!!! This is just an accident and it has turned in to something totally uncalled for. Motives of the polis assault? Hit & Run Driver got caught or got simply kena hantam just like that. U judge yourself. What type of Police we have? Letting the public do as they like just because he is a chinese. So be careful if you ever involve any accident with a Malay. Drive to the Police station and make report of the incident. Don't try and settle there. You would be bash before reasoning. Can we feel safe on the road? Seeing is believing. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IkdRdoPSgQ&feature=related

Stop the pranks

We have bear pranks, monsters and devils in the streets, just for a laugh TV pranks, and what else? Great fun no doubt, till a youth was cut down in a shopping centre and people thought it was all staged. If we keep on staging pranks in the public, in no time no one will believe anything. We told the public to be vigilance but if we keep testing them with fakes, it may have the reverse effects. People will simply ignore them at a time when it is real and needing attention. Pranks can be dangerous if not carefully managed. They can backfire.

A City of Mobs

From loan shark country we have morphed into a City of MOBS. The gangland killing in Downtown East has hardly been forgotten and a series of gangland attacks with parang wielding youths started again. This time they were more brazen, attacking one group after another and shouting their gang names. This is like the Hongkong movies, Living Dangerously, and in grand style. What law? To these youths, there is no law. There are the law. The way they went about attacking people in big groups is the strongest defiance they are showing to the law. Has the law been caught sleeping again? Have they allowed the seed to grow too far and too late to nip it in the bud? I think the problem is now quite big and serious. Perhaps we have been too nice and too kind to wayward youths. The organisations must be big and numerous. But are these wayward youths? One corner will say YES. And they will plead to leave them alone as they are simply misguided, lack of parental guidance, they will be good if given time to change their behaviour. So let them be. They were once little angels that parents hugged in kindergartens. They can't be monsters or killers! I am feeling very disgusted with the way this little island paradise is turning into.

Joke of the Day

The world's most irresponsible Empire telling China to be a responsible player. Was the invasion of Vietnam, killing hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese, maiming millions, destruction of the land and ecology, a responsible act? The invasion of Iraq on a false charge and killing/wounding millions of Iraqis and destruction the land, infrastructure and economy a responsible act? The killing of innocents in Pakistan and Afghanistan a responsible act? Approving toxic financial products into the international financial system a responsible act? Unrestraint printing of money, flooding the emerging markets with liquidity, devaluation of the US$, a responsible act? Mismanagement of the domestic economy and destructive manipulation of the world's financial system leading to its near collapse a responsible act? Support dissidents to create social and political unrest in other countries, interfering in the domestic affairs of foreign nations, a responsible act? Threatening sanctions and regime change a responsible act? Selling arms and weapons everywhere a responsible act? The Choenan Incident a responsible act? My god, America, how many people still believe in your belligerent policies and acts as benign and peaceful?