The good life shifting further away

The latest COE bidding for small cars and big cars were $73.5k and $94.5k. In the mid 90s the number hit $100k but was no sweat as many could afford them. There was a super bull run and money was everywhere. Everyone was making a killing in the stock market and everyone was spending. No one was complaining that COE prices were too high. And they said, it is not how much but whether the buyers could afford it. It was like the Fed pumping money to encourage spending.

The price of COEs today is going to be very painful for those who want to own a car or who need to own a car. There is no bull market to make easy money. Someone has intentionally killed the market. The market is as good as dead, like Bidadari or  Bukit Brown. And some jokers were crowing how clever they were to bring down the cost of trading equities. Bloody fools. The few dollars of commission were the least of concerns to the retail traders when they were making handsome profits. It is when there are losing their pants that a few dollars became an issue. The cutting down of trading cost only benefited the big funds and their high speed computer trading when they muscle in to kill the small traders. They need the little advantage to generate huge volumes to disadvantage the small traders.

The liquidity in the market is gone. The average Sinkie is quite hard pressed to move around a hundred thousand for that car. Many are tied down by high mortgages to service. Ok, exclude the politicians, civil servants and children of the rich. And exclude the few exceptions that are doing well on their own. Let’s talk about the average Sinkie, the heartlanders.

What is so wrong to want to own a car or live in a better and bigger home? Now the spin doctors are saying the quality of life is better, in having no cars and living in shoe box apartments or 3 or 4 rm public flats. Is this progress? Who is kidding? Why are people now unable to own cars and have to live in smaller apartments?

What happens to the great inclusive growth in the economy? Why are the people (I qualify, people means heartlanders. I used to call them hardlanders) told to lower their expectations and live within their means? I know of families owning a few Ferraris and Lambos and some asses would say you work harder and you can have them too. They are having a good time. But why can’t the well educated average Sinkies be looking to live in better housing like their uneducated or lowly educated parents, and own a simple car like their poorer parents?

What is happening? Aren’t we progressing? Aren’t everything getting better, life gets better? And we have so much help from so many foreigners that our parents did not have the privilege to.

What have gone wrong? Nothing gone wrong? Everything is fine? The people are told to live better and to live well they must expect less. The people are told to buy smaller flats and go without their cars. The inability to own a car may seem a non issue, like the inability to buy a better home. When the reality sinks in, the people are going to rise and protest for being short changed.

When the govt can’t even provide the average Sinkie with a decent home that is better than their poorer parents without paying an arm or a leg, and can’t even own a simple car, it is not acceptable. This is not the good life that the people want. Many are still holding on to their present car. The pain will come when they have to give it up and could not afford another one. The withdrawal symptom is going to be very painful. The bigger pain will also come in the form of unaffordable housing. The next generation is growing up and many heartlanders don’t have that kind of money to buy a $500k home. And many can forget about owning private properties though private properties were quite easily attainable in their parent’s generation.

The lousy formula of a good life is going to be torn apart as it is simply a poor alternative for working so hard, getting better educated, for wanting a better life. Where did it go wrong? Dunno leh. The govt is still so happy about this great formula, which is the govt’s version of Swiss standard of living or its equivalent.

Just wait and see how the threshold of pain and tolerance is breached. The govt still have not a clue that it has shattered the dreams of the new generation. They think that they are creating a great life for the next generation. The COE is saying this is the end of the road unless your parents happened to be politicians or very rich. The good life is not a small little flat and taking public transport everywhere.

PS. I speaking from the viewpoint of the average heartlanders.

Brief history of the Evil Empire's ( USA ) war of aggression worldwide

The Evil Empire, USA takes its intense aggressive spirit of imperialism of war of aggression from its European forebears especially from imperial Britain where it broke away violently to found its independent state of USA which originally comprised of only thirteen provinces of a total land area of less than five hundred thousand square miles. Having founded its independence violently, USA has never stopped in its violent way of life especially in its imperial war of aggression against other states or countries. So far it has got away scot free and unscarce in all its aggression and so it thinks it can continue non stop in the same path of conducting evil wars of aggression against other countries big or small.

From the very first year of its independence from Britain, the Evil Empire ,USA conducted a systematic programme of destroying the several self governing native American Indian states . It began by sowing suspicion and dissension among the several native American Indian states and goading them to fight against each other in their internecine strive. When the native Indian states were thus badly weakened the Evil Empire, USA would step in take control over all the native states. The natives realized too late the evil scheming of the Evil Empire and when they resisted the Evil Empire's encroachment and hegemony they were brutally put down . Just like its predecessors , imperial Britain, France, Spain and Potugal, USA firmly believed that the natives of the two American continents were of inferior race and did not deserve the rich lands of the new world which they claimed that their Christian God had rightly reserved for White men. After conquering all the self governing native states the Evil Empire went on a massive programme of wanton killing and genocide of the natives , claiming it was sanctified by their Christian God and their Christian religious leaders . The native population was almost entirely decimated when about ninety-eight per cent or eighty million native Americans were killed . The only sin of the native Americans was being an inferior non-white racial stock and non Christian and so they had to be killed to make place for the good and godly white men of the militant Christian faith. Subsequently the Evil Empire flooded USA with millions and millions of white immigrants from imperfial Christian Europe.

The Evil Empire did not stop its war of aggression after conquering all the self governing native American states. From 1840s to 1870s it carried out a programme of war of aggression against Mexico. Here it used a different plot and strategy. The Evil Empire purposely encroached on Mexican lands and when Mexico resisted it was accused of aggression and thus Mexico was unsuspiciously lured into a fight. When Mexico lost the war started by the Evil Empire, it was forced to surrender not less t one million six hundred thousand square miles of land comprising the present states of Florida, Texas,Utah, Nevada, New Mexico and California.

The Evil Empire's crave for other countries' lands and thirst for more conquest had not yet been satiated. It took its wars of aggression across the Pacific Ocean to attack the defenseless island kingdoms that dotted the ocean. It attacked Hawaii in 1895 and deposed its queen . After occupying Hawaii, it went on a free spree of killing the native Hawaiians for many years until the native population now comprise not more than ten or twenty percent. Finally it annexed Hawaii in the late 1950s and made it the fiftieth state of the Evil Empire. Similarly it attacked the island kingdom of Guam and after deposing its native rulers , it grabbed full control of the island. Now both Hawaii and Guam are strongly armed US military bases which will serve as a spring board for US further aggression. Its next target was the Philippines . In the early 1900s it fought a war against the Spaniards, the first European colonial master of the Philippines. Having defeated the Spaniards it occupied and ruled Philippine for many decades until after the Second World War when they were forced out by the local revolutionaries.

After the Second World War USA continued its wars of aggression against many other countries around the world. In the Americas it used its military might to depose regimes which did not support US policies of aggression and hegemony. In China it interfered in the Chinese Civil War and stationed its strong seventh fleet in the Taiwan Straits to prevent the unification of Taiwan and mainland China. It started the Korean War in 1950 to stop the unification between North and South Korea. After the Second World War, the United Nations Organisation temporarily gave US administrative trusteeship of Liu Chiu Dao ( renamed Okinawa by the Japanese ) which the Japanese took from China in 1890s and Diaoyu Dao with the understanding that the two island group should be returned to China at a later date. However, after the Korean War, the treacherous Evil Empire betrayed the UN trust for instead of returning the islands to China, it gave them to its semi-colony Japan, Thus this sinister US design was to create seeds of future dissension and strive between Japan and China.

In Europe the Evil Empire, USA provoked wars in Yugosalavia and caused the country to be divided into three separate states and eventually all came under US influence and hegemony.

Since the end of the Second World War USA has always been sowing suspicion and seeds of dissension among the Arab states in the Middle East and North Africa. It adopted a policy of divide and rule. The Evil Empire had a total monopoly of the oil business in the Arab countries. It controlled and manipulated the oil prices for many decvades . The Arabs were forced to accept payment for oil only in American dollars. The oil price was held at a ridiculous low price of Five Dollars per barrel for many decades during which time US seized the opportunity to import endless thousands of billions of barrels of cheap oil and stored them at US underground wells as reserve for future use. When Iraq and Libya refused to accept USA dollars as payment their countries were attacked and subjected to regime change. USA is now using pro USA, arab mercenaries to topple President Assad of Syria. The grand design of USA is to hold full control and hegemony of the Middle East through its merfcenaries and Israel. In doing so the Evil Empire intends to deprive its adversaries especially China of access to Middle East oil.

The Evil Empire thinks the whole of the Middle East is now safely under its sway and so it is shifting its warlike attention to East Asia and South East Asia. It is sowing suspicion and seeds of dissension among some ASEAN countries to go against China. It is trying to destabilise the whole region. In fact it has hijacked the ASEAN organisatioon and is sinisterly setting its agenda and direction so as to lead it to a head on confrontation against China. The Evil Empire is cowardly trying to make use of the Vitenamese rats and the Philippino vermins to fight its proxy wars against China. The Evil Empire is also encouraging and goading India to go against China. In the East China Sea it is encouraging its gang member and semi-colony Japan to grab the Chinese islands of Diaoyu Dao. All these Evil Empire's evil designs are geared to contain China and prevent China's peaceful development.

In addition to territorial ambitions the Evil Empire intends to control and manipulate the whole world,s economy and finance . USA is evil and its grand design of bringing the whole world under its control and hegemony should not be allowed to succeed.

The lesson from Stanchart and Barclay

Two giant banks, with world reputations to maintain, were caught with their pants down for playing dirty. And they were not the only two. Stanchart was reputed to have accepted Iran’s money to the tune of $310b when there was a sanction against it. Barclay and many big banks were rigging the Libor that undermined the integrity of the whole banking industry.

Yes, they cheated for the sake of profitability, like drug smugglers cheating with their lives. The latter faced the death sentence if caught, but they kept coming. Nothing is going to deter them from risking their lives to make money. And nothing is going to keep men in high position from their fraudulent and greedy ways to make money.

There is a saying that nobody will go into business to make losses. People will risk their necks and lives just to make money. The stock exchange is claiming how much it has cut trading cost to boost business and equity trading. Cutting cost seems to be their preoccupation and raison d’tre for a blooming stock market. There were some early gains for the exchange, but for how long? Does the cut in trading cost led to a more vibrant market or is it a corollary to the early demise of the stock market? At the rate it is going, the cut in trading cost is immaterial. The vibrancy and participation in the stock market is zilch or nearly there. The volumes reported were mostly clocked by computers. The traders and retail investors have gone into hibernation or dead.

How would cutting of trading cost help in reviving the stock market? Why was it that the market was so vibrant and the industry doing so well when trading cost was so much higher? Is there a correlation? The economists were the champion of liquidity, pumping more money into the economy to keep it growing. Why remove the liquidity in an industry that needs the commission to lubricate and pay for the jobs it supported by cutting cost, cutting the fuel it needs?



From what is happening, the lower trading cost is putting an end to the industry and it is only a matter of time before the sun set on this once lucrative and active industry. The trading cost is not a real issue in a healthy market. The trading cost is only material to those who need to capitalize on small margins and marginal cost to make money at the expense of small retail traders.

Is low trading cost a gimmick or a deadly concoction that will send the stock market to the graveyard? Many traders and retail investors are already there, dead and buried. Obviously the low trading cost did not do them any good. In fact they could be the direct victims of low trading cost.

What do you think? Still sleeping like Rip Van Winkle?

Pang Yingfen - The “heroine” of Henderson Road

‘In June 2010, she helped 13 needy households pay more than S$10,000 in expenses. Now, she has helped 60 needy families pay more than S$30,000 in utility bills, expenses and rent.

One of these families had an outstanding utility bill of S$8,500, and water and power supply have been cut for some time.

The “heroine”, Ms Pang Yingfen, was particularly concerned when she met the family. The golf club membership agent has been actively involved in charity work for the past 20 years, Lianhe Wanbao reported….’ Copied from Insing.com.

Among the families helped was one with 12 children with the oldest aged 14 and the youngest in nursery. The parents are in prison and the utility bill was $8,500. There are people in very tough times and there are very kind people out there who are living angels to those that need help. Pang Yingfen works with a group of helpers who are doing their part to help the less fortunate. Bless the samaritans and the people in need.

A medal of contention

Feng Tianwei and the women table tennis players were battling their guts out at the Olympic Games representing Singapore. Feng has won the much awaiting Olympic medal for the country. No one is denying the effort and hardwork the table tennis players have put into the games for the glory of Singapore. Yes, Feng won and another medal from the team event. It is time for celebration to welcome our Olympic medalists home after a victorious outing.

What is unexpected and uncalled are the vibes, anger and unhappiness expressed by some Sinkies. Some said there was nothing to celebrate, some said they were ashamed of the medals, some even worst.

The medals were to do us proud, and to happen just before the National Day is opportune to be a reason to stimulate more patriotism and pride of being Singaporeans. But this is not going to be, at least in a large section of the population. For those who disagree with this buying of foreigners to win sports medals, hope they should not take it out on the players. They are just sports people, playing their sports, their profession. They are not politicians and only doing their job, to make a living. Spare them the personal attacks and let them enjoy the fruit of their labour.

The key issue is the scheme that led to these contentious medals. Is it worth it, to spend so much to bring about a hard fought medal only to be met with so much criticism and division among the people? Is it something the people wanted or something the govt or a few individuals wanted? Or is it a medal that we can do without?

This National Day may be time for reflection on this national glory and the justification for it. A medal for contention in the Olympics or in the world arena is not really the same as a medal of contention among the citizens of a country. I think it is money not worth spending.

Would there be a rethink as to how to continue down this contentious road of division. No need to say it was a mistake. Just do what Boon Wan did on the housing policies. Keep doing what is right and overturn whatever is wrong. He still has a lot of stones unturned as the damage against the people is severe and the lives of many were aversely affected, including delaying marriages and not giving birth to babies. Shit, who wants to make babies when there is no roof over his head? And when is the price of 99 year lease flat coming down? They cannot go up forever as the lease must surely expire. Is this another gimmick, that the price of a 99 year lease flat will continue to appreciate forever?

By the way, spend that kind of money for the medals, is it prudent and spending within our means? I think with so much money around to splash, it is definitely within our means to do so. What about being prudent?

6 Sikhs killed by gunman in Wisconsin

6 Sikhs were shot by a gunman in a temple in Wisconsin on Sunday 5 Aug 12. In the land that prides freedom in anything and everything, freedom to practice religion included, freedom to own guns, hate killings because of skin colour is still common in the USA. Many of the killings and racist bashing of coloured people in the US go unreported. Last month a Sikh taxi driver was beaten and last year 2 Sikhs were shot dead as reported by AFP after this latest shooting.

The hate crimes committed by the white Europeans are pervasive and happened in all continents, in Europe, UK, Australia and New Zealand. It is very rare that hate crimes were committed by coloured people against the white Europeans anywhere. The good thing is that coloured people often regard the white Europeans as gods, as people who championed human rights and equality, and they love and worship them. Unfortunately the white Europeans have this deep seated hatred for coloured people and this would surface at the slightest provocations or irritations. In the US and Europe and many white dominated societies and countries, there exist many extremist racist supremacy groups that are targeting at coloured people.

Let’s hope that the coloured people will take such hate crimes in their stride and live harmoniously with the white extremists in their midst. Don’t antagonize them, integrate with them, try the pacifist way of Gandhi, turn the other cheek, and there shall be peace all round.

But please, don’t call the white European racists. They are the most peace loving people in the world. They only take to shooting or bashing coloured people once in a while, maybe high on drugs or after a movie like Batman. They did not know what they were doing. Make love to them and they will love you in return.

PS. The killer was identified as Wade Michael Page, a war veteran. I am assuming that he is a white American. I may be wrong as I do not think this is an act of a coloured American.

What’s the real problem?

Khaw Boon Wan made the statement that he believed all the first timers who wanted to apply for a BTO flats in non mature estates would have a chance to do so. Is this statement comforting? At first glance it is like saying all those first timers who applied would get their flats, but no. Actually Boon Wan was talking about the chance to apply, nothing about getting the flat. Why is there a need to say this? Any first timer can apply if they have not been kicked out of the system.

This is like saying the NPark needs foldable bikes and foldable bikes are lighter than non foldable bikes. Anyone disagreeing to these statements, or are these the concerns? What are the real issues in both flat applications and the Bromptongate?

What about those first timers that have waited too long because of the cutting down in building flats and ended being kicked out of the scheme when while waiting, their income exceeded HDB? Many young people fell victims to the mismanagement of housing programmes then. They were simply told to empty their savings to buy private.

Now Boon Wan is discouraging them from applying for the 50 year loan gimmick. So what should they do, cannot apply for HDB and not advisable to apply 50 year loan? But the young people don’t really have so much money to splurge. So, would Boon Wan undo the mistakes of his predecessor and allow all the young people that were affected by the arrogant policies to buy a public flat, to be prudent and buy within their means? Just because some jokers said public flats are affordable, so it is affordable? Or just because some jokers decreed that you earn so much you must be able to afford private properties?

What do you think?

After 46 years, still a child

Come next week the nation will be celebrating its 47th birthday as a child that refuses to grow up. The recent bashing of adults for commercial sex which in many mature countries would have brushed aside as a normal human failing and quickly forgotten is a case in point. Why such a big hooha and such a big issue and imprisonment? Are we morally so high up in the clouds that it is necessary to take such a strong view against some indiscretion when no one was hurt in a willing buyer willing seller commercial transaction?

Now we are hearing minister unable to go to sleep because of the bad things being said in the net and children are affected. And there is a need for a code of conduct for bloggers. Is blogging so different from any other pursuits in life that a separate code of conduct is needed? Or is any misconduct that is unacceptable or criminal in blogging not cover by the law? Some terminologies and peculiarities may be new to old verbiage, but these could easily be covered by some amendments to existing legislations and there is really no necessity to reinvent the wheel.

How about a blogging code like the Highway Code and bloggers must sit for a test before being allowed on the net? Come off it. The net is real. This is what the real world is, with a bit of pungent smell now and then, but not life threatening. The life threatening part would definitely be covered by the law and people affected would be protected by the law. The sanitized main media is an artificiality that is good in its own ways like speaking proper English. Speaking Singlish is not an offence. A little indiscretion in the net is a true reflection of life and it is better that children get use to them quickly and grow up quickly. And this growing up process should similarly apply to adults as parents and as regulators.

Is the situation really that bad that a code of conduct is absolutely necessary or is it a case of nothing better to do? What is there that normal ethics and good manners do not prescribe or the law does not cover? There are certainly serious violations in the net, like obviously scam jobs, spamming, spreading viruses etc that should be stopped but everyone closed their eyes so wide that they could not see the harm they are causing. Now we are so worried about what, a little verbal diarrhea, a little vulgarity, a little bullying?

What is the problem that cannot be handled with existing social norms, ethics, morality and the legislation that people are so restless about? Isn’t it time to grow up or nanny is still having an obsessive urge to be over protective? Is this a kind of bipolar disorder or fetish behavior? Do we need COC for cycling in the park or playing football in void decks as well? Or do we need COC for visiting dance halls or discos? These are definitely more dangerous places than visiting the net.

George Lim – SGX/SIAS wrong…

A letter by George Lim the the ST forum warned that it was wrong for SGX and SIAS to encourage the heartlanders to play the stock market. He reckoned that the heartlanders cannot afford to lose compare to the rich. And good shares are beyond them as there are too expensive. And with the rich and well informed also losing in the market, what chance do the heartlanders have to get a decent return in the market?

The first concern is easier to deal with. Just encourage the heartlanders to trade in derivatives. These are cheap and low cost trading instruments for the cheap heartlanders with not much to lose. And all it needs is to educate them on these instruments, hold more talks to equip them to trade effectively and successfully against the proprietary traders and fund managers.

Another area to educate the heartlanders is high speed computer and algo trading. SGX and SIAS may want to make it known to the heartlanders how these two mechanisms work and how they advantage or disadvantage the heartlanders. This is an important disclosure to the innocent heartlanders. They must know who and what their competitors are doing and whether they have a fair chance against the big funds and their trading machines. They must tell the heartlanders that SGX is providing a fair and level playing field for them to trade and their investments are safe in such a safe and fair system.

If I can remember, no one has ever come out to explain how high speed computers and algo trading can affect the small traders. Whose responsibility is it to keep the small investors educated and informed to protect their interests? Or the high speed computers and algo trading are just neutral and innocent mechanism that the small investors have nothing to worry about? In that case, there is no need to keep anyone informed. But if they could be as dangerous as toxic notes and minibonds, then the public and small investors must be duly informed and educated, and caveat emptor will then be more meaningful. Failing to keep the small investors informed of the dangers of these trading mechanisms and to fall back on caveat emptor is unjustifiable and unacceptable.

Have SGX, SIAS and MAS done enough to educate the small investors, particularly the heartlanders before they put their money into the system?

Our govt has delivered…the Olympic medal

The people’s cry or yearning for an Olympic medal must have reached the govt’s ears through the feedback channel. And the govt has worked very hard for the people, to bring a medal to satisfy the people and make the people feel proud as a nation. And the govt has succeeded, just like the Swiss standard of living. Once the govt has promised, it will deliver.

This National Day the people will have another reason to celebrate, to feel proud as Singaporeans. The table tennis team has done us proud. And they could bring another medal in the ladies team event to make two if they have not lost to the Japanese in the semi final.

At the National Day Parade many Sinkies would likely be asked if they want more medals and to kee chiu. The govt would definitely want a confirmation from the Sinkies and if the answer is a resounding yes, more elaborate plans and budget would definitely be in the works for the gold medal in the next Olympic in 2016.

Those who want gold medals must kee chiu. I think even without a show of hands, the govt already got the answer it wanted and would be working towards it. The feedback machinery must have told the govt that the people want more medals and better still a gold medal to do us really proud. What ever the people asked and wanted, the govt is listening and will deliver. And don’t forget the World Cup.

Be prudent and spend within your means

Khaw Boon Wan has again repeated the call to the people to spend within their means when buying a home, He even pointed out to the 50 year housing loan offered by the banks as a gimmick and discouraged people from taking it up. He also reiterated that he would continue to build more flats to cater for those who have been badly affected by the cock policies of his predecessor. Many have been caught without a flat caused by the curtailing of the building programmes and ended seeing their salaries exceeding the HDB ceilings and thus no longer qualify for public housing. This is the group that are being forced into the private market with income that appeared to be high but would be precariously stuck with a huge housing loans should they buy private. Was his predecessor concerned about being prudent and not spending beyond their means?

Now, would Boon Wan go all the way to undo the damages and harm that his predecessor had caused to the young home buyers and undo the wrongdoings by allowing those affected a chance to buy public housing? Forcing young people to buy their first home from the private sector is simply wicked and definitely contrary to what Boon Wan said about being prudent and spending within their means, not over extending themselves on a big mortgage to service for 30 long years.

Let’s see if Boon Wan would walk the talk and do the necessary to help the young people buy their first home after falling victims to his predecessor’s bad policies. Or would it be another case of ‘It happened, what to do?’

The making of another tragedy

The govt is going all out to convince the people that bigger and bigger population is good for the country and people, more lively, more alive, richer, vibrant and prosperity for all. And for the sake of this glorious future, Sinkies are encouraged to have babies for all the wrong reasons. The primary reason is economics, to support the ageing population.

When the reasons for having babies do not include whether the parents want the babies, love to have babies, can afford to have babies, it baffles the logic of any reasonable and caring man. How responsible it is to ask people, with no regards to their emotional and psychological needs and financial ability to go and make babies?

Babies that are born not out of parental love and needs but to serve the country and nation are simply the products of a tragedy, a misguided logic for their existence. And this tragedy or pain is hundreds of times more than the two years of NS and 20 years of reservist liabilities. The commitment and responsibilities, including having the money to give these children a decent life, start the day they are conceived and would not end till they are financially independent. What about those who are not gifted to struggle successfully in this highly competitive city? Who’s responsibility to provide for them?

It is not a joking matter that can be talked about carelessly. It is a very serious commitment on behalf of these babies that do not asked to be born. The govt are committing these babies by coaxing their parents, to shoulder the welfare of the older population and the country. Would anyone want to bear such a huge responsibility as the reason for his birth into this world? They are already indebted, heavily indebted to the oldies and the country. The oldies are waiting for them to be born to support them. They are not the loved child, to be born to enjoy living and to start life with a clean slate, but with debt already piling up for them. And the current generations are waiting for them to carry on their shoulders.

How tragic can things be? Who is going to pay for their growing up expenses and needs, and to prepare them to shoulder these heavy burdens not of their own doings?

Hillary the hilarious

While China is trading and investing in Africa to the tunes of hundreds of billions, and even offering cheap loans to the African nations, Hillary Clinton is lecturing the African nations to trade with more responsible European and American powers that respect human rights and democracy.

Is Hillary advocating for the return of European powers to colonise the Africans once again in their responsible ways? To loot these countries of their resources as if they belong to these European powers, as colonies, and the people as subjects of the European powers? Or is she telling the Africans that letting the responsible European powers back into Africa to hunt down the Africans as slaves for the cotton fields all over again?

I think the African slaves might be very thankful and grateful for the opportunity to be treated humanely as slaves in America and to enjoy the democracy there with all the rights of slaves. And they would get an education too, and later became Americans, and may even become the President of the USA.

The irresponsible China would never be able to do what the Europeans powers could do to help the Africans. They would not be able to take their resources for free to be processed and sold back to the Africans. They would have to pay cash to the Africans. And the Chinese would not be able to hunt and catch African niggers to be slaves in China, and to give them citizenship and protected under the laws of democracy and human rights 200 years down the road.

So sad that the Chinese are so irresponsible and could not repeat what the responsible European powers did in the past to the Africans as responsible powers. The African nations must be praying daily for the return of the white gods, the responsible powers that will give them freedom, democracy and education. It is so hilarious!

And the Americans are attacking China for setting up a military garrison in its own island while the Americans have set up thousands of military bases around the world for decades, in other countries. The question to be asked is why Australia, New Zealand and so many islands in the middle of the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans belonged to the Western Empires. And why North America and Canada belonged to European powers? Compare them to China’s claim of islands in the South China Sea, it is like comparing a mountain against a mole hill.

The UN may want to hold a discussion and make a resolution for the return of all the land and countries seized by the used of military force since the time of colonialism and imperialism and western expansion and conquest of other native’s land and countries.

Would Hillary like to do another hilarious act and bring this topic up to the UN. UN Resolution 2012, proposed by the Secretary of State of the USA, that all land and countries seized by military powers to be returned to their native owners!

Inner Consciousness

This is a very interesting piece of rar art. It is a face that opens up right in the middle to reveal an inner consciousness in the form of a smaller face with one eye opened and one eye closed. Those who are familiar with the concept of the Third Eye could relate this as the third eye seeing while the normal eye is shut. This is one of my favourite abstract pieces.

1819 revisited

Doreen Everitt: "I'm not on holiday, I live and work here. And like most overseas people we are here at your request to make sure your country makes money from our expertise."

She also says:

"Your government brings us in to work here because you don't have the skills. Don't knock us because believe it or not there is more foreign money in Singapore than anything else. If we all pulled out you would be a very poor and lonely country. Be grateful that there are people like us willing to give up our country, our ways to actually come and work for you and your government. Singaporeans are not the most friendly of people to be around."

When the British came in 1819, they saw a fishing village. They were so friendly and helpful. They took over the island from the native and turned it into their colonial outpost. They also honoured the native and made them richer by making them subjects of the British Empire. The native were so happy with the recognition and new status, and more jobs to work as cooks and maids and suppliers to the British soldiers. Some were given the title chief clerks. Hell of a big deal then.

Then came 1969, the British were bankrupt and could not help the poor native anymore as they too did not have the money to live the lifestyle of the colonial masters they used to be. So they left, leaving the native in the lurch. And everyone will think the native will become poor and lonely and ended up like any third world country.

But the native did not become poorer and lonelier. The native turned the little trading post into one of the world’s financial centres and its native one of the richest people in the world. But for some reasons, someone told the world that the native were daft and needed the help of foreign talents to help them to build a better life and to give them jobs.

So the millionaire and half millionaire native are now being helped by half baked talents who believed that they are the saviours of the millionaire native. The truth is that many of the half baked foreign talents are poor church mice and average workers in their home countries, could not get a better paying job. Still they really believe that without them the native will be poorer and lonely.

Who created this silly myth? And with the half baked foreign talents and half baked minds, it is expected that they believed so. And sadly, the daft Sinkies also believe that they are daft and willingly give up their professional jobs to drive taxis and become part time agents here and there while the half baked talents look down on them.

It is like a new phase of colonialism. The foreigners came, they saw and they conquered. In this phase, they were invited to do exactly what the native feared and even built up a citizen army to protect such an eventually. What is happening?

PAP reinventing itself

More new faces and ministers promoted. The cabinet will look brand new if more faces are changed. Probably some skeletons would also be moved out and forgotten comes 2016. And with the liabilities gone, PAP would then be more confident when the GE comes around. By then, the PAP would be able to throw in a minister to any weak GRC to win the election. And with so many ministers promoted, there will be many more to throw around. If one is not enough, throw in two to make it heavier.

This new change is a shrewd move as the current batch of ministers is looking very feeble to carry any GRC under their wings. With promising ministers like Chan Chun Sing, Grace Fu, Tan Chuan Jin, Lawrence Wong in charge, plus a few younger Senior Ministers of State, there is now a new and exciting team to carry the PAP flag, full of promise.

Things are looking brighter for the PAP with this innovative change. Instead of cheaper, faster and better, it is like, younger, nicer and cleaner. And Sinkieland will have a brighter future to look forward to. This is good reason to celebrate the National Day with Love at First Sight.  Let the party rock.

Olympics - The reemergence of the Koreans

What is so great about a rich first world country winning a bronze medal (no intent to rub down our achievement) when a country repeatedly branded by the ignorant self proclaimed experts in the West, including Sinkie experts as ‘abject poverty stricken country’ could win 4 gold medals and 1 bronze at this stage of the Olympic Games? Who is having the last laugh and who is calling the bluff?

Yes the ‘poor and poverty stricken’ North Koreans, all starving, where got energy to do anything, have won 4 gold medals! Believe it, is it true? The disbelievers will claim it is a lie. The Brits will claim it must be the works of drugs. Like it or not, the North Koreans is shaming many rich countries in the Olympics.

At this point in time they have more gold medals than Japan, Italy, Germany, Russia, Australia, Netherlands and many of the countries that are used to sneer at them.

And between the North and South Koreans they have a combined haul of 11 gold medals against 14 won by the Americans and 18 by the Chinese, ranking number 3 in the Medal tally ranking. The Koreans have arrived. They are going to take on the world and show the world that the Koreans can be high achievers.

Imagine France only had 7 and Great Britain has 4 and mighty Germany, Russia and Italy each with only 3. And Japan, Korea’s colonial master has only 2 gold medals.

Well done Koreans.

Is there a choice between smaller and bigger population?

“If Singapore depends on the talent it can produce out of three million people, it’s not going to punch above its weight. Lee Kuan Yew

We were 1m, then 2m, then 3m before we added all the foreigners to 5.6m. When we were 1m and 2m, we were already producing the talents that built the foundation for our economic miracles. We were producing talented Singaporeans even then. Unless those were not talents, then we are just slapping our own stupid face.

Now we are more than 5m. Did the increased population with foreign talents, throw out any great talents? The only foreign talent that is worth mentioning is Olivia Lum of Hyflux. The rest were plain employees, sitting on their fat asses and getting fat pay which any Singaporeans can also do so given the chance. Many of the CEO positions can easily be filled by Singaporeans and you will not see any difference in performance, maybe even better.

The three local banks were built by Singaporean talents. Without local talents there would not be any big local banks to think of. SIA, SMRT, Creative, Singtel were also locals. Not sure about Temasek and GIC but their startup fund is definitely local. The hospitals with their specialists and state of the art equipments were mainly run by Singaporeans and Malaysians. By the way, I think Singaporeans have never regarded the Malaysians as foreigners historically.

Did we produce lesser talents when we were 1m and 2m than we are now? There are some great talents in R and D. But these are instant trees. Would their offsprings be more talented than the offsprings of coolies and labourers, washerwomen and salesmen? What about the risk of offsprings from fake papers and fake talents?

If we have not over aspired to go for 6m and more, we would not be pressurised to create more jobs and ended with the two casinos. We would not be so desperate in our need for water and power and flirting with the risks of a nuclear solution to our ever growing need for more and cheaper source of energy. No need to talk about hyper inflation, high cost of living, high property prices, congestion, inability to own a car etc etc. All these problems are the negative effects of high population. Growth is good but not by increasing population indefinitely. It is a time bomb that must blow up if we don’t stop the population growth. It is not only a time bomb for this little rock but for Gaia, if population growth is not stopped.

What is so bad about a smaller population with lower growth, but real productivity growth, and a better quality of life, with more space for everyone and a lower cost of living?

What is price fixing?

Below is copied from the Competition Commission of Singapore’s website.

‘ A particularly serious type of anti-competitive agreement would be those made by cartels. Cartel agreements are usually to fix prices, to rig competitive tendering process, to divide up markets or to limit production. As a result, the cartelists have little or no incentive to lower prices or provide better quality goods or services. Based on economic studies, cartels overcharge by 30 per cent on average. There are four main types of cartel agreements:

• Price Fixing

Price fixing involves competitors agreeing to fix, control or maintain the prices of goods or services. It can be ‘direct’ fixing of prices, where there is an agreement to increase or maintain actual prices. Price fixing activities can also take the form of ‘indirect’ fixing of prices, for example, where competitors agree to offer the same discounts or credit terms. Price fixing agreements do not have to be in writing, a verbal understanding at, for instance a trade association meeting or at a social event, may be sufficient to show that there was a price fixing agreement. It does not matter how the agreement was reached or whether it has been carried out. What matters is that the competitors have agreed to collude.’

On 29 Jul 12, it was reported that 7 Town Councils announced that they would be revising Service and Conservancy Charges in their respective areas. My first impression is that here is a cartel of 7 Town Councils working together to fix prices at the same time. But then again, I think these Town Councils would know what price fixing is all about and knowing the law, they would be well advised not to violate it. Further, they are not commercial enterprises but govt or semi govt agencies and price fixing offence may not be applicable even if they did have some agreements to raise their fees together with or without any intention to fix prices.

As a layman, I would be hard pressed to try to interpret and understand what is price fixing by a cartel and whether in this instance there is any, or whether the Town Councils are guilty of price fixing. I have no reason to doubt the integrity of these govt officials and would believe that they have done the correct and proper thing and there is thus no price fixing.

52 years of fantasising come true

The Olympic medal finally arrived after 52 years of waiting since Howe Liang did us proud in Rome in 1960. We can now feel it, touch it, kiss it and pray to it. Maybe a little shrine shall be built for the public to visit these two medals, to touch them for good luck or something like that. On hindsight, who are the people craving for such a medal in the first place? The men in the street, the Ah Kongs and the Ah Mahs, the Ah Ter and the Ah Kow, the sports fraternity, the adolescence or the mature oldies? We have been talking about this craving for an Olympic medal but who is the one that wanted it so badly to spend so much money for it? How much has been spent, must be ‘very much’ taking into account the logistics, medical and training support, coaches, food, training expenses, salaries and rewards etc, not just for Feng Tianwei but for the whole gang of players and supporting staff over so many years.

One thing for sure, no Sinkie sportsman or woman would want it so badly to sacrifice time and effort to go through a very tough and discipline regime to be world champions. The Chinese factories and other European factories are churning up champions by a very thorough full time process from a very young age. I don’t think any Sinkie or Sinkie parents would want to put their wards through the regime.

Anyway, the medal has arrived. Where to go from here? Would this be so exciting to stimulate people to want more, or would want to go for the gold and spend more money and resources for it? Or would people said, okay, enough of fantasies and youthful infatuation, time to grow up, no need to keep up with the Joneses. Let’s move on to more serious things in life? Some may want to use this medal as a springboard to go ahead in a big way. Some may want to tone it down or want to spend the money on the real Sinkies. And if no real Sinkies want it bad enough to put in the effort, then the money can be better spent on the welfare of the people in other areas.

Sports is about sporting spirit and competition. It would be acceptable too if it could be turned into a commercial enterprise like the European Football Leagues, creating jobs and generating revenue. But if it is a cost centre and for a little bit of glory, is it worth the expenditure, effort and resources? Do we want to go for more medals in the same way?

PS. There have been many negative remarks made about these imported sports talents. I think it is unfair as they are here because we asked them to be here. If any country would to offer any Sinkie such attractive terms it is fair for the Sinkie to accept the offer. They are not to be blamed, just like the FTs that are here. The person to take the blame should be the one that opened the legs wide wide.

PS, the 52 years wait is a mistake. Singapore won a silver medal in table tennis women's team event in 2008 Beijing Olympics.