the miserables are better off

Leong Wee Keat and Gracia Chiang wrote a very interesting piece of article on the rising hope of the people at the bottom. 'Wages finally rise for the poorest households after 10 bleak years.' In 2005, monthly income for each member of the poorest household was $270. Now it is $300. A whopping 6.6% increase in real term. This is a great upliftment of the lives of the miserables. They added, 'It's not as if their wages have gone up, though. It is just that their household size is shrinking and, with the brightening economy, more of them have been able to find jobs.' Just shrink the Singaporeans and their HDB flats will become much bigger, or a mini will be as big as a Mercedes, relatively. So are they getting richer? I am still scratching my head. This is another interesting statement in their article. 'Economists said the same thing in more elegant terms.' "There were some concerns that the lower income groups wre not benefiting from globalisation and were hardest hit by overseas competition," said Citigroup's Dr Chua Hak Bin. With the results, we are finally seeing some of this growth trickling down.' Very elegantly said. What were Leong Wee Keat and Gracia Chiang actually saying?

myth 113

Myth 113 Land reclamation causes sea level to rise I read this from Sammyboy. And I find this the most logical reason so far for the flooding in Malaysia and Indonesia. You see, we have been reclaiming land from the sea for many years. And land reclamation from the sea means we have to fill them up with sand. And after so many years of filling the sea with sand, of course the sea level will rise. And naturally this will lead to flooding. If you don't believe me, fill a bath tub to half full. Then pour sand into it. Bravo, the water rises in the bath tub. Theory proven. It is so scientific.

whoever believes in me...

I promise you an island with the best facilities money can buy. Everything will be ultra modern, every inch of the land will be landscaped and even designed for the old and handicap. Living will be a breeze. Everyone will be enjoying life to their fullest. Can actually live forever. Don't worry about cost. No cost involved. You will all be able to afford it. In my paradise.

always right reasoning

'With global competition causing wages at the bottom to stagnate or fall, the Government has decided to make Workfare - an income-support scheme it pioneered last year to help the bottom third of wage earners - permanent.' I must add that with global competition, salaries of talents can only go up even if they are in jobs that are shielded from global competition. Head I win, tail you lose.

myth 112

Myth 112 It is great to be poor In this little island, the next best thing to being a pet poodle is to be poor. Being a pet poodle, one can sleep in aircon room, send to see specialists, dine in pet restaurants with food specially concocted by food specialists for a well balanced diet. And can snuggle in bed with the master or mistress, in aircon room and under thick and nice smelling bedsheets. To be poor is the second best. There are so many people trying to start charities to raise fund to help them. And the govt too has set aside $600 million in Comcare alone to give to the poor. And all the helpers are everywhere knocking at doors asking people it they need help, need a few extra dollars. And the govt even raised GST to help them so that they will be better off after the GST comes into effect. And the latest govt budget is all about helping the poor and lower income groups. Now being poor isn't that bad right? I can see a long queue of happy people trying to be poor.