Mysingaporenews, MyPaper, YourNews

Inadvertently mysingaporenews has started a new trend and we are seeing the same concept creeping up now and then. We have YourNews in the TV and MyPaper in the newstand. Yes, we are now in an era where we, the readers, the bloggers and forumers, are the news creator. We create the news we want. We decide what is interesting and what is not. We are breaking free from the era when the msm dictates to us what we can read and cannot read. This platform is your news! You decide what you want to say and hear. No one is there to edit what you say and change your wordings.

Another way of looking at the taxi issue

The fare hike has achieved its objectives, partially. At least the commuters are now happy and cheering. When they raised their hands, several taxis will zoom in. That is what paying more for service is all about. You pay more, you get the service. And for those in emergencies and needed to rush to hospitals, the taxis will now be faster than the ambulance, and cheaper too. Just a little catch. For the poor hardlanders who may not be able to afford the new fare and if they skip taking taxis, a life may be put in danger. We don't want to hear people dying because they could not afford the taxi fare to rush to hospitals don't we? And they have done this with only a 30c increase in flag down rate. I was recommending a $10 flag down rate to make it effective. Singaporean taxi passengers are misers. The taxi fare here is one of the cheapest in the world. They should be more willing to pay them for the luxury service they are getting. Just like our flats, they are very cheap compare to other big cities. There are more room to raise them higher. After all Singaporeans are rich and can afford them. And they are all getting bigger pay checks and bigger bonuses. Singaporeans can look forward to a future of plenty. Would there be a recession, or would Singaporeans price ourselves out of the competition? Have no fear. We are the best and all the big MNCs will be hear to provide jobs for us. If not we can depend on our govt and GLCs. We have a lot of money to pay out. Long live the golden years.

It is too early to tell

Election is too far away. And people are easily won over by a few goodies near the election. And why are the taxi drivers making so much noise? It is too early to tell. The fare hike just started for a few weeks and they are complaining. They did not know how much effort and studies were put in to come out with this fare hike to help them earn more. All changes takes time to work. Give it another few months and things will settle down. Once the people get use to the high fare they will have to accept things as they are. Those travelling on business and company expenses will continue to do so. Those they cannot tahan the jam in the MRT and buses will turn back to taxis, just like the ERPs. Taxi drivers should have no fear. The passengers will come back and their income will soar. There is no need to resort to giving discounts. But they can be assured that if things do not work out, they can do anything they want. The official view is that 'cabbies are essentially their own businessmen...It is their prerogatives to give discounts to their customers should they so desire.' Now when passengers are not coming back, they can go back to the olden days of 'par hong chia' and do away with the meters as well. They can negotiate with the customers for the fare. Would that be possible? Ok, maybe not using the meter is not allowed. Then be like A.L. Tan and paste an A4 paper stating the discount on the windscreen. Liberalising the trade huh? PS: This view is to please the believers or else they will attack me for pouring cold water on such a well conceived fare hike.

Help needed with higher cost of living

This is the headline of Gabriel Chen's report on a public dialogue session chaired by Josephine Teo last night. 'Retirees, civil servants and salaried workers were united in demanding that the Govt do more to alleviate higher transport costs and food prices. "The current hike in taxi fares - it's becoming ridiculous," said Madam Adeline Chan....Mr Colin Tan chipped in with a radical suggestion: have a two tier GST - one for basic necessities and the other for luxury items.' Like it or not, believe it or not, the pain is sinking in. With the spate of increases coming one after another, it is going to hurt many. In another article by Goh Chin Lian, MP Inderjit Singh was quoted to say that 'one way to relieve the burden on such middle income families is to lift the GST on essential items....He also thinks that the Govt should not have allowed those costs within its control to spiral upwards too quickly...ie not just utilities, rental and other govt charges, but also the property prices.' Economist Tan Khee Giap also 'believes that such institutions and corporations as transport operators SMRT and SBS Transit, should fulfil their social obligation by moderating inncreases. "We are not saying they should run at a loss. But you don't have to make abnormal profit.' These are sensible comments by responsible people, including redbean, but have fallen onto deaf ears. What I think is that the policies are worked out and approved by people who are too comfortable in their lifestyle and have totally lost touch with the hardlanders. The alternatives suggested were not complicated and complex sciences or mathematical formulas that are difficult to understand. They are rejected probably because some supertalents insisted that their assumptions and policies are right and good and do not want to be proven wrong. The verdict will be out in the next General Election. There is no need to insist on who is right or wrong now. PS: For the unthinking doggies who were ordered to disrupt blogs and forums without questions, the above are quoted from the Straits Times, the official paper.

Money nobody wants

Believe me, money on the floor and no one wants to pick them up. I was in town and walking past a shallow drain, the type that is less 10cm deep, just a little below ground level. And there were 3 coins in it, 2 ten cents and 1 twenty cents. And the drain was dry and clean. Everyone just walked by without bothering to pick them up. Now I know why beggars are asking for $2!