It’s my money - 5

Got my pay check finally Only the numbers look funny Cause they keep something for me It’s for your own good, be happy The day came to get my money back Rules change, it will be ten years late Or when I’m lying in a hospital bed It’s good for you, be happy Then when I am 85, and I’m still alive My body’s weak, I can do no vice Then a mail came, my savings fine They think I can live till a hundred and five Chorus Oh hear my cry It’s my money It’s my money It’s my money But they don’t reply The above is copyrighted by redbean

HDB lost $500m

I remember a parliamentary session when it was told that HDB lost $500m in one year or something like that, and the reason was the sale of flats below cost. Someone please correct me if the number of $500m was wrong. What is puzzling to me is that if you are running a business, with the best talents, and you decide on the cost of land, the price you are paying the contractors, and you also decide the price you are selling to the customers, and you lose money, $500m! What shall I say? Must be a lot of subsidies at cost. And who decides what is the cost?

The power of sales pitch

We have seen how powerful the sales people were in the current financial crisis. They have made thousands of people part with their money to buy toxic financial products. Isn't it frightening, and a case of irresponsibility? For a product to be labelled and widely acknowledged as being 'toxic' and that respectable people still thinking that there is nothing wrong with them, and to think of peddling more to the people in the future, my god, we need to change the meaning of the word toxic. For all I know, toxic is even more dangerous than drugs, and drugs are banned. The power of persuasion and convincing the masses to do things against their interests is phenomenal and deadly. Imagine telling the people that it is good to hang a noose around their neck? Or imagine selling them a new bogus religion? Reading the media, I am fully convinced that Singaporeans are easily duded to believe in anything, even if you take their money away and give them a fictitious reason, they will go along. Now you can tell them that building an abattoir for their eventual slaughter, as long as you tell them that it is good for them, they will just go along. Can they really think?

God has the final say

We need a good political system to ensure our viability. Many gods have spoken on what is the best system for us to go forward. Demigods also have spoken of their ideal systems. All the systems on the table look quite similar, all very godly. Do the people have any say as to which system is good for them? Who shall decide what is good and bad for the people? Or put it in another way, shall we let the gods and demigods decide on a system which is good for the gods and demigods, and maybe good for the people also? Or shall the people say, look, look, we are also owners of this place and we want to decide for ourselves what is good for us. We don’t need to buy your godly ideas. Ultimately who shall have the final say for their own well beings and the future of this country? The gods, demigods or the beans?

A home song - 4

Mas, Mas Selamat A warm tropical night, along the western shore A flickering light, and the sound of oar The boat hit sand, and they waded ashore Three shadows wavering on glistening water, nothing more For three years, they kept him, behind closed doors No one sees him, only his plans, To blow up planes landing in Changi Our gateway to the world, were known to all Food were plenty, they feasted him But wines and songs, were not for him They adore him, what a fellow When he’s confined, living in his own shadow The guards came down, out of the window He hit, toilet rolls on the ground Over the fences he flew, stealthily like a cuckoo His freedom run was more a walk, just for fun Chorus: Where are you Mas, Mas Selamat Tell us please We need a little peace Spare us your plans and let us live in one piece. The above is copyrighted by redbean