myth 96

'A discount is a subsidy' Believe whatever you like and how you like it to be. That is the formula to be happy or to be conned happily. Is subsidy a discount or is discount a subsidy? Very simple, it depends on what you want to believe, or your definitions, or who says it. According to a forummer Cheong Chee Mun in the Straits Times today, his definitions of discount and subsidy go like this: Discount - A discount is the difference between the market price and seller's price. eg. If the market price of a product is $200k and the seller sells it at $150k, he is giving a discount of $50k. Subsidy - A subsidy is the difference between the cost of a product or service and the reduced priced at which the product or service is sold or provided. Now these are not too difficult to understand right? I believe any layperson would be able to understand these two simple definitions easily. But Singaporeans still believe that a discount is a subsidy...I think....

Returning kindness with hatred

I was watching the news clip on the Singaporean manager who was beaten in Medan. Looking at the video on how aggressive and brutal the attacker, an Indonesia policeman, beating up the Singaporeans for a few minutes, made my blood boiled. I felt so angry. The way the Indonesian kept hitting and kicking the Singaporean who was on the ground, afraid to hit back as the attacker had a gun in his hand, was so shameless and pathetic. It reflected the intense hatred in the attacker for the Singaporean. And for what reasons? Because they ate and drank and refused to pay. They could just walk off laughing without paying if that was their intent. But they were there to beat up the Singaporean. It was a great display of how much the Indonesians, as a people, hate Singaporeans. Forget about all the aids and how fast we rushed to assist them during the tsunami. And we even rebuilt schools and villages for them. What the shit. They have no love for us except our money. I hope the next time they asked for help, lets mind our own business. We cannot always be so compliant and trying to be nice and kind knowing very well that our kindness is seen as weakness and to be taken for granted.

it is good to be successful

The satisfaction of being in control I was thinking of writing about the meaning of Meaness as I have talked about it in several posts. Then I thought people will be very unhappy if I called them mean. So I rephrase it to celebrate the success of successful people and try to view life through their perspectives. It is so gratifying to be in a position of wealth and power when money is no longer an issue and you are not only in control of your own life but also determining the lives of others. Living in a 2000 sq m privately owned resort and calling it home, with 8 rooms for 4 persons to share, a huge living room like a hotel lounge, a reading room, an AV room, a family room and a 50 sq m bedroom for each member of the family. Then there is a little swimming pool with a putting corner. Now that is something. And having not a care whether 8 or 10 members of the hardlanders are squeezed into a 2 or 3 room flats, what 50 sq m or 70 sq m each. And have the pleasure of telling them that they are so fortunate to have a roof over their heads. Then every year end can look forward to a 3 or 6 months bonus or a 10% increment. Now what do what these mean? 6 mths multiply by $100k per mth, that is a cool $600k for bonus. And a 10% increment will add another $10k per month. Don't want to know what the hardlanders are getting. OK give them 2 months bonus and 5% increment. Do I bother to know that 2 mths multiply by $1000 will be $2000 or 5% increment is a handsome $50 a mth? No, they are not good enough to earn more and they deserve it. And if these people are living on rental flats and paying $30, now that they have an increment of $50, must raise the rental to at least $50. Must let them know that they cannot always think of living on charity. That they must strive to work hard and upgrade. So by taking $20 from their increment will push them to want to do better. Now ain't I kind and caring to these people? I have all their interests at heart. I want them to be good and well. I don't believe there are people who are born with lesser intelligence and talent. They are just lazy only. Must keep managing them and pushing them to work harder.

talent schools not for nerds

The fallacy of good academic grades The Arts School has clarified that an express stream grade is only a guide and not necessary a prerequisite for admission. Somehow there is this obsession that everyone must have good grades in order to have talents. So Beckham, Owen and all the footballers in the English and European Leagues and Singapore league, please do not apply. And all the pop singers, dancers and actors and actresss, also don't apply. We will call you. I thought god is just being fair by giving academic talent to the nerds and artistic talents and sports talents to those who are not academically gifted? But what can one expect when Arts and Sports schools are managed by academic talents? If I will to set up such a school, I will make it a point to sack all the applicants who have good academic grades and take in the real talents in the respective fields. Better still to make those with good academic grades feel unwanted in these talent schools. Talent schools are for specific talents and not for nerds. This is elementary.

my god, so many complainers

My god, there are so many complainers in the papers about the smallest of HDB flats. Do these people know how good life is inside a HDB flat, especially the space they are getting? The HDB have done many meticulous studies before they came up with the optimum size of flats to suit the residence. And how can they ever think that HDB is wrong in the size of the flats? I asked the two cockroaches inside my kitchen cabinet whether they feel squashed and they looked at me in amazement. Squashed? It is like a universe. They have been running around freely and still cannot explore all the corners of the flat. It is too big! It all depends on your size and on your need as a lessee. A lessee may find it too small. But from the perspective of HDB, that is good enough. So don't argue, and stop complaining.