what is age? or what is old?

Today we are still grappling with the outdated concept of a retirement age. It was 55 for many years until a few years ago. Then it was raised to 60 and then 62. But acceptance of this higher retirement age is still very reluctant among the industries and the young turks in their 40s. These are people in top management postions who think that they will forever be in their 40s, forever young. Last week we were host to an eminent scientist, a Nobel Laureate, in the name of Professor Yang Chen Ning, and all bubbly at the age of 83, that is about 2 dozen years past the 55 or 62 retirement age. Is biological age a good criteria to determine the end of a life time of economic activities? Shall one arbitrally retire and try to live the rest of one's life just keeping oneself alive, away from the economic enterprises of society? It has been proven over and over again that the biological age is no barrier, or a rigid criteria as to the usefulness of a person and how much he can contribute his worth. With our limited human resources, it is so wasteful to write off entire generations of people with a wealth of experience and knowledge just because we cannot change our old ways of thinking that 55 is old. Prof Yang can put many people half his age to shame as he is still fully employed at Tsing Hua University in Beijing as an honorary director of the Centre for Advanced Study. At 50 it is actually middle age and still have 30 useful years to go. With the length of time one is required to pursue an education to be highly skilled or specialised in a profession, to fade away at 55 is just not justifiable. We are still seeing many moribund organisations, ministries, stats boards with their policies tied to this magic number of 55. The CPF board is one of them.

i love smokers

Why are there non-smokers outdoors? By Edwin Yeo July 16, 2006 FOR the last two weeks, I've felt unwanted. Not because I was again rejected when I tried to pick up that hot chick at the bar (I'm used to that), but because of my smoking habit. While my fellow scribe Adam Hashidy might jump up and shout like Fred Flintstone at Singapore's new smoking regulations, it's made me feel like a pariah. I used to enjoy my cup of overpriced coffee at coffee joints, light up a cigarette and imagine that I looked cool. The above is just a fraction of the ranting of Edwin Yeo that non smokers die everyday. I fully agree. Everyone who eats rice also die. Everyone who drinks water also die. I don't have anything against the smokers and their disgusting habits. I have many friends who are smokers. I only hope that they are less generous and don't exhale their precious tobacco mixed smoke for me to inhale, and don't taint my clothings and body with the smelly stale smell of tobacco. And I also hope that after their puff they will swallow the cigarette butts instead of littering them everywhere. If only they can do these, I will love them.

the poor lower middle income class!

There was this guy who is earning $2000 a month and seeking help from the community. He could not go on with this income. And his problem is compounded by the fact that he lives in a 5 room HDB flat. Compare this with a foreign talent who earns the same amount. The FT is going to pray to god to bless the Singapore Govt for the chance to be here to work. For the $2000 means he could probably save $1200 every month and by the time he decides to go home, he is going to be a very rich man in his village. Any FT reading this, please do not take it as an attack against FT. This is just a comparison to show how relative is the worth of money and cost of living. The $2000 Singaporean, although still branded as lower middle income, is a POOR man. A man who needs financial assistance. And for those who says he must cut down his other expenses like eating one bowl of rice lesser and drink one cup of coffee less, I find such comments very cruel and unbecoming. The cost of living here is high, disproportionate to the income of the people. So, ask him to sell his 5 room flat? Another arrogant and thoughtless comment of Singaporeans who thinks their own good fortune will last forever. Only thick headed Singaporeans would tell someone in such a plight to sell his 5 room flat. For the flat was bought by CPF contributions and he would not see much of it after selling as most of the money would still be retained by the CPF. We can keep on boasting about our people, lower middle income class as if they were really lower middle class. They are living near the poverty line if one takes away all the fixed overheads that they cannot runaway from. eg CPF, consevancy fee, PUB, telecom, TV, public transport, basic meals, GST, school fees, medical, pocket money for children, the little contributions to social functions like a wedding, death etc. How much is left? How much is there to squeeze further? And all the fees are still going to go up as sure as the sun will rise. Welcome to the good life of a lower middle class Singaporean.

Can we forgive Mr Brown?

I am not sure if Mr Brown is still in Singapore. Or is he thinking of emigrating and be a quitter? Might as well. He must be feeling a lot of pressure now. Poor chap. How can he attempt to undermine national strategy? That is serious stuff. Maybe he should apologise and come clean and see if he can be rehabilitated. In communist terminology it is called self confession. Who knows, he might get his job back and may even be promoted after that. The return of the prodigal son! We are a forgiving people. Sunday is good day for confession and forgiving. Yes, shall we give him a second chance?

after the crooked bridge, what's next?

Malaysia plans to build RM490 million sports academy

Located on the outskirts of London, the extravagant project is raising eyebrows By Leslie Lopez The Straits Times Malaysia’s plan to build a half-billion-ringgit sports academy on the outskirts of London has drawn flak from some quarters who say this is an extravagance the country cannot afford. Government officials say that the Sports Ministry is quietly pushing ahead with an ambitious project to build a sports excellence academy at the cost of roughly 490 million ringgit on a 17.8ha piece of prime real estate owned by a Malaysian research agency in Hertfordshire. Proponents of the plan say the new academy will help Malaysian athletes excel internationally, develop the country's capabilities in sports science and medicine and improve the standard of coaching. Should Singapore up the stake and build a bigger one in the USA or Australia? Then we can make our footballers world class and aim for the world cup...Our impossible dream...may just come true.