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.
12/19/2011
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.
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.
12/18/2011
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.
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?
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?
12/17/2011
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.
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.
12/16/2011
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
12/15/2011
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.
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.
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 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.
12/14/2011
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?
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? : )
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?
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.
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.
12/13/2011
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?
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.
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?
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?
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